10 Terrifying German Horror Movies You Probably Haven't Seen
9. Jonathan (1970)
Directed by Hans W. Geißendörfer and starring the likes of Jürgen Jung, Hans-Dieter Jendreyko, Paul Albert Krumm and Thomas Astan, Jonathan is a 1970 West German vampire flick.
Jonathan is set in the 16th century and revolves an alternate timeline where vampires who have developed an immunity to the sun have taken control of the world. The story follows a group of humans who struggle against the vampires and choose a young man to infiltrate and take out their leader.
With the film being released in West Germany during the height of the Cold War, it's clear to see where the film found its themes of control, divisions and authority, and these themes go a long way in creating an atmosphere that leaves more than just a surface level of fear on audiences.
Geißendörfer's distinct direction from behind the camera is absolutely essential in selling the film's unsettling atmosphere, and the man who would go onto direct other classic works in German cinema such as The Glass Cell and The Magic Mountain would go onto win a Film Award in Gold at the Deutscher Filmpreis for Best New Direction for the splash Jonathan made upon release.