The $30 million toe in the water

The surrealist horror genre has been a staple of cinema for decades, with films like 'Eraserhead' and 'The Holy Mountain' pushing the boundaries of what is considered 'normal' in horror movies.

But what sets surreal horror apart from traditional horror is its ability to make the audience question what is real and what is just a product of the character's imagination.

In this article, we will explore five films that embody the surrealist horror genre and will leave you questioning reality.

Why 4,000 unsold units became the prize

Our first film is 'Possession' (1981), directed by Andrzej Żuławski. This movie begins as a seemingly straightforward story about a collapsing marriage, but as the story spirals into infidelity, doppelgängers, psychosis, political anxiety, and something far more monstrous, it transforms marital breakdown into full-blown cosmic horror.

The visuals reflect this approach, with swirling camera moves and mundane locations that somehow feel uncanny. In the end, 'Possession' can be viewed as a monster movie, a psychological breakdown, a divorce drama, a political allegory about Cold War-era Berlin, or all of these things at once.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

Our second film is 'Suspiria' (1977), directed by Dario Argento. This movie is a masterpiece of visual vibrancy, with color rarely used more aggressively. The plot centers on American ballet student Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) after she enrolls at a prestigious dance academy in Germany.

Shortly after arriving, a series of gruesome murders begins occurring, leading Suzy to suspect that the academy conceals dark supernatural secrets. 'Suspiria' prioritizes mood over explanation, with dream logic reigning supreme both narratively and aesthetically.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

Our third film is 'Mulholland Drive' (2001), directed by David Lynch. This movie features Naomi Watts as Betty Elms, an aspiring actress newly arrived in Hollywood. After a mysterious car accident, she becomes involved with an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) and they begin investigating the woman's identity.

Meanwhile, reality itself begins unraveling around them. This movie is radical in its embrace of uncertainty, with Lynch gleefully dissolving the boundaries between dreams, fantasies, memories, and truth without providing easy answers.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

Our fourth film is 'Hour of the Wolf' (1968), a pioneering psychological horror by Ingmar Bergman. This movie stars Max von Sydow as artist Johan Borg, who lives on a remote island with his pregnant wife Alma (Liv Ullmann).. As Johan's mental state deteriorates, he begins encountering strange aristocrats, grotesque figures, and increasingly bizarre visions.

His memories, insecurities, and desires seem to come alive around him, with faces becoming masks, human figures seeming almost demonic, and ordinary social interactions transforming into grotesque spectacles.

The Senate's three-vote margin

Our fifth film is 'Inland Empire' (2006), another Lynch film. This movie stars Laura Dern as actress Nikki Grace, who is cast in a movie rumored to be cursed. This film is a labyrinth of shifting identities, realities, and narratives, with Lynch's signature surreal imagery and dream logic.

'Inland Empire' is a challenging and enigmatic exploration of identity, desire, and the dark side of the human psyche, leaving viewers to draw their own conclusions from its complex and often disorienting narrative.