15 Best Anthology Horror Film Segments

The anthology (or portmanteau) format has a long tradition in horror cinema, dating back to the 40s and currently enjoying a bit of a revival. These collections can be presented in a traditional, rigid anthology format often comprising of several self-contained vignettes and held together by a backbone story (The Vault of Horror; Asylum), or in the form of the loose anthology, where tales interweave and feed into a more fluid narrative (Trick 'r Treat; Southbound; maybe even Waxwork to an extent). Then there are those portmanteaus that are simply compilations of shorts with no narrative link whatsoever (Trilogy of Terror; Two Evil Eyes).

For whatever reason, it seems that there are only a select few horror anthologies that mainstream audiences are familiar with, but there is far more on offer than just Creepshow and VHS. Gems like The Monster Club (1981) and Tales of Terror (1962) deserve to be rediscovered, too.

As for the films' individual segments, simplicity is often key to their success, and the best remembered often conclude with a twist or a full-circle element. Ahead is a selection of the most effective and enjoyable anthology stories of the past 75 years.

Takashi Miike's Box tells the story of Kyoko, who had performed in a double act alongside her twin sister, Shoko, when they were children. Kyoko grew up in her sister's shadow, and was neglected in her favour by their guardian and mentor. On a jealous impulse, she shut Shoko inside a box to frighten her, which subsequently caught fire. Now a reclusive adult, the traumas of her past have inevitably come back to haunt her.

Miike's contribution to this much acclaimed multi-national Asian anthology is by far the strongest of the three stories. While the preceding two, Fruit Chan's Dumplings and Chan-Wook Park's Cut, rely on shock value or black humour, Box is a mood-driven piece. The sets, costumes and use of colour in Box are stunning, and the overall atmosphere of the segment is truly haunting.

The big twist ending and certain ambiguities of the plot don't sit well with a lot of people on first viewing, and a common complaint is that the surrealism is overdone and takes you out of the story. Don't pay any mind to these criticisms; it's a chilling segment and a thoroughly rewarding watch.