Although I confess I barely noticed at the time (having just become a mother), 2007 was a strikingly rich year for horror film lovers. Not just in terms of quality, but the sheer breadth of the new titles on offer. Looking back at that year, I’ve found many horror releases, and I have here a list of ten.

These are not only great films, but they present a proper cross-section of the genre (in its broadest form), with several countries represented and pretty much something for everyone. There’s a horror-lite creature-feature, French extreme, puppets, ghosts, zombies, vampires, a comic adaptation, a Stephen King story and some really nasty people… including one unsuitable for new mothers.

Honourable mentions

I Am Legend

Written by Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman, based on the novel by Richard Matheson, directed by Francis Lawrence (USA, 2007)

One or two films below were close to “blockbuster” status, but this one had Will Smith in it. Say no more. Didn’t quite get the book right, the vampires right, the special effects right, or the apocalyptic horror right, but it brought some viewers to the genre.

P2

Written by Alexandre Aja, Grégory Levasseur and Franck Khalfoun, directed by Franck Khalfoun (USA, 2007)

Just as we can find a Stephen King adaptation most years, we can find a Christmas horror most years too; and their number is growing. This one isn’t terribly Christmassy, but trust me, it counts: it’s about a young woman who wants to go home from work for the holiday, but the security guy doesn’t want her to leave the car park. It’s much better than I just made it sound.

Saw IV

Written by Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (USA/Canada, 2007)

Dead Silence (below) was made by the team who brought us the first Saw film, and I’m including Saw IV partly because it’s one of only two films I truly remember seeing at the cinema that year (due to the new-motherhood); the other was No Country for Old Men. I watched each Saw film the week it came out, my Halloween pilgrimage for a while. The franchise (at least until no. 7) felt like my home, the genre street I lived in within the wider horror city… so although it’s not top-ten quality, I had to mention it.

And now, the Top Ten:

10. 28 Weeks Later

Written by Rowan Joffe, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Enrique López Lavigne and Jesús Olmo, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (UK/Spain, 2007)

OK, so any broad-ranging list of horror films from any given year will have to include at least one sequel or franchise film. This is the sequel to the beloved (by many) Danny Boyle zombie film 28 Days Later (the one that introduced running zombies), but opinions seem to be split pretty much evenly about whether 28 Weeks Later is brilliant or dreadful.

The scenario is that there aren’t many survivors of the original infection left in Britain, and American military come in to help manage those that remain. For the most part, the film follows one family during a period when the infection becomes suddenly apparent again and control of the situation falls apart.

Personally, I found it exciting enough, due to the production quality, great actors (Idris Elba and Robert Carlyle for example) and good pace. Consequently, although there were clearly many flaws (especially here, there and everywhere in the detail of the writing), they didn’t bug me until well after the film was finished.

9. Rogue

Written and directed by Greg McLean (Australia/USA/UK, 2007)

This is one of those films which comes under the broad genre umbrella of horror because it’s a “creature feature”, rather than because it’s scary… though it did come from the same filmmaker as Wolf Creek (and includes John Jarrett in the cast). There is a jump or two, and some violent deaths, of course; but no gratuitous or over-the-top gore.

Rogue starts off with a group of middle-class tourists taking a boat tour (guided by Radha Mitchell) to enjoy the scenery and wildlife in the Australian outback. They run into a couple of local louts, plenty of flies, and then an aggressive crocodile… which it becomes more difficult to evade as the boat is damaged in the process, and they are stranded in the middle of nowhere (also known as “sacred” land and/or crocodile territory).

As with Jaws and many other animal-attack films, the film isn’t completely realistic, of course. But something about the group dynamic amongst the tourists, along with the natural-sounding dialogue solves most problems with disbelief. And the scenery! You might switch on Rogue because it sounds exciting (it is), but I could almost swear the lush landscapes are more captivating than the plot. I’m only putting it low down the list because it’s not “true” horror: recommended.

8. Dead Silence

Written Leigh Whannell and James Wan, directed by James Wan (USA, 2007)

Well, this was different… a murder thriller about a possessed ventriloquist’s dummy. Yes, I know there have been films about creepy puppets before, but Dead Silence was written by James Wan and Leigh Whannell (the pair behind Saw), with a soundtrack by Charlie Clouser, and with Donnie Wahlberg playing a secondary part… yes, just like he did in Saw.

Unlike that earlier film, Dead Silence had very much a film noir style; it must have been fun for the team to work on something different. In this story, Jamie (Ryan Kwanten) is sent a box with a very stylish and pristine dummy inside… and next thing we know, his wife is dead. He simply has to figure out what was behind both the delivery and her demise, and at the same time persuade Det. Lipton (Whalberg) that he himself wasn’t to blame.

There are ghosts, zillions of dummies, curses, messed up killings and a very twisted ending… Worth watching out for.

7. Borderland

Written Eric Poppen and Zev Berman, directed by Zev Berman (Mexico/USA, 2007)

In contrast, Borderland is serious and bleak, set in the real world…. And allegedly based on real events, the kidnap of young men and women by a cult who puts faith in human sacrifice.

Yeah, I said it was serious. Borderland may look at first like formulaic torture porn, but there are believable characters and a decent story to engage you. The characters in this film are three young men (Brian Presley, Jake Muxworthy and Rider Strong) on a spring break trip from Texas into Mexico. The viewer knows from an opening scene that these guys will not know what they’re walking into; but even when they find out the hard way, it gets harder because the police can be of no help.

Borderland is painful to watch not just because of what happens to the three young men, but because of how sharp the cinematography is too, not to mention the well-chosen and sharply shot locations: you can imagine being there and feel everything going on. I watched it a long time ago, but just thinking about it and I’m right back in the dusty dryness of that film. That the feeling stays with me as much as the images says a lot.

6. Inside (AKA À l’intérieur)

Written and directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo (France, 2007)

You like your horror films tough? The next few are (in different ways), though for me, Inside is the toughest. Inside is essentially a home invasion film, which generally implies something claustrophobic and tense, and it certainly is here. But there’s another element, which lands it in the French extreme category: the resident is a heavily pregnant Sarah (Alysson Paradis), and the vicious intruder – also female (Béatrice Dalle) – is after her unborn baby. Sarah’s will to defend herself is acute and the attacker is single-minded to the point of obsession.

The story is a simple one, and the cast small, with just a few minor characters beyond those two women. The simplicity really focuses the audience as it does the two main characters, and every act between them is brutal and the outcome bleak. Thus, Inside is seen by many as the epitome of New French Extremity… those who dare see it at all, of course.

5. 30 Days of Night

Written by Steve Niles, Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson, based on the comics by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, directed by David Slade (USA/New Zealand, 2007)

30 Days of Night is one of the two big vampire films of 2007, and stands out from most other vampire films because of its essential, original premise… There is an area in the far north of Alaska where the sun does not rise for days on end in the depth of winter. So it makes perfect sense that if vampires existed, they’d set up a holiday home up there, or at least a party. In 30 Days of Night, that’s what happens: it’s dark, gory and damned suspenseful.

Josh Hartnett and Melissa George play the main human characters defending a small Alaskan town; and Danny Huston the sneering vampire alpha. For the most part, they have strong personalities, but not terribly well-rounded… which some would say it to be expected from a comic book story. 30 Days of Night is satisfying though, both as film and comic, though of course in different ways: the comic has additional depth and detail; and the film brings the night to life. It’s a ride, to say the least, which comes down to rest at a moving and memorable ending.

4. The Orphanage (AKA El Orfanato)

Written by J.A. Bayona, directed by Sergio G. Sánchez (Spain, 2007)

The Orphanage is gothic ghost story, and a nostalgic period piece, a beautiful piece of work, almost literary in flavour. It is set in 1975 and is about Laura (Belén Rueda), orphaned as a child, who goes back to live in the closed orphanage as an adult, with plans to reopen it as a home for disabled children. Then her own adopted son Simón goes missing…

Belén Rueda has played a key role some more recent creepy films, Julia’s Eyes and The Body; but her style really suits this film. She can express real attachment to the orphanage she grew up in, as well as fear for her child: at times, she veers from committed parent to neurotic, but always holds the audience’s attention. It’s a captivating film, atmospheric rather than scary; and I must say the Fernando Velázquez’s soundtrack plays a part in this too. The Orphanage brought his name to industry attention, and you may have come across other films he’s written music for, including famous ones such as A Monster Calls and The Secret of Marrowbone.

3. The Mist

Written by Frank Darabont, based on the novel by Stephen King, directed by Frank Darabont (USA, 2007)

Nearly every year from the late 1970s onwards has featured the release of a Stephen King adaptation; 2007 brought us three (the others being 1408 and No Smoking). The Mist is one of several made by Frank Darabont, and is memorable especially for its dark ending (which I won’t give away).

Like Rogue, The Mist is about a group of people (this time in a supermarket), attempting to survive against a common threat. In this case, it is bigger monster than the crocodile; and then more than one; tentacles are apparent through the fog, and then insect-like creatures invade the shop. But it could be said that the real monsters of the story are the ones people become when facing crisis or pressure. (In fact, I was reminded of this film when I watched Álex de la Iglesia’s film The Bar on Netflix last year.)

Darabont’s adaptation is a little different to the original King story (“The Fog”, from The Skeleten Crew). He takes a broad cast (including Thomas Jane, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher and William Sadler) and presents a microcosm of Western society and the myriad ways which people behave under extreme circumstances. Any viewer will recognise at least someone from that crowd, perhaps themselves: and that’s what makes this film particularly scary.

2. The Girl Next Door

Written by Daniel Farrands and Philip Nutman, based on the book by Jack Ketchum, directed by Gregory M. Wilson (USA, 2007)

The Girl Next Door is a deeply horrible film: I felt like a vulture when watching it, and it impressed me to the core. The acting and production style are almost light Hallmark movie quality, and yet the cruelty and violence were complete contrast. Perhaps it’s a good job Wilson took that approach: if it was more naturalistic, The Girl Next Door may have been unbearable.

In a nutshell, the film is about teenage Meg (Blythe Auffarth), who is held captive by her aunt (Blanche Baker) and tormented and tortured by her cousins and their friends, under the aunt’s supervision and endorsement. It uses hindsight to look at the strange nature of peer pressure, guilt and redemption… but mostly, it’s a damn shocking story.

Interestingly, An American Crime (starring Ellen Page as the main victim) was released the same year: this was a dramatization of the real crime that Ketchum’s book was based on, but isn’t as well known as The Girl Next Door (and those who’ve seen both cannot agree about which is better).

1. [Rec]

Written by Jaume Balagueró, Luiso Berdejo and Paco Plaza, directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza (Spain, 2007)

Manuela Velasco plays the lively reporter Ángela, following a Barcelona fire crew for a new real life show to supplement the news. When they arrive at an apartment building following a distress call, they find it is the site of an infection, and soon they are shut in with it. Ángela shows commitment to the programme she is making and takes the camera when her cameraman no longer can; and her character develops massively in the intense 1:20 duration. The residents (and their homes) are well drawn, as are the firefighters, so we can truly feel for them when the fear and claustrophobia kicks in. And the “shaky cam” style really compounds the claustrophobia too: as our view of the building moves around erratically, we can’t be sure what we’re seeing just at the edges until bam! and man down.

[Rec] is the only found footage film in this list, though the second Spanish film: I love many found footage films, though some are truly poor; whereas I don’t think I’ve come across a Spanish horror that wasn’t worth my time. [Rec] is my number one horror film of 2007 because it is a scary and exciting horror, an innovative zombie film and found footage which has good reason to be such. It went on to spawn three sequels and an American remake (Quarantine) which also had its own sequel… though granted [Rec]³: Genesis can be safely skipped.

I love [Rec] and cannot think of another horror fan who doesn’t. And if you haven’t heard, Paco Plaza also made a terrific possession film: Veronica, currently available on Netflix.