10 best Scandinavian horror films

Scandinavian films are often overlooked in favor of films produced in the United States, but these countries have produced some incredible films. horror movies. Just like any other country, these horror films take a variety of different genres and forms, including everything from masterpieces of art to traditional slasher horror. Many of these films take inspiration from the best horror films of all time, with some even receiving American remakes.

Scandinavian countries, including places like Iceland, Denmark and Sweden, have a huge catalog of films waiting to be discovered by American audiences. Just like in cinema, there are many horror shows on television in other countries that have also gone unnoticed. When it comes to horror, the best of the best are often profound and shocking, marrying the supernatural brutality of horror with the cruel reality of the human condition.

10

I Remember You (2017)

This Swedish detective thriller takes a gruesome turn

I remember you is a Swedish horror film with two intertwined plots, one about a detective struggling to deal with the loss of his son and the other about a recovering couple who buy a strange old house and turn it into a bed and breakfast. A series of murders leads to several supernatural incidents, and it is discovered that Detective Freyr is being haunted by the ghosts of those who died. Much of the focus is on Freyr, whose shaken emotional state can often be difficult to watch.

While not always grotesque, its horror premise may suggestthe grounded nature of I remember youThe plot of makes it scarier than other supernatural thrillers. I remember you doesn’t shy away from showing the brutal state of its dead, with much of the horror residing in the feeling that everything seems inevitable. The film’s slower pace only helps build tension, leading up to the moment where both plots finally intersect.

9

Lake Bodom (2016)

The film Slasher is inspired by a true tragedy from the 1960s

Taking place in Finland at Lake Bodom, site of an unsolved mass murder Lake Bodom follows a young group of friends who make the poor decision to camp there. What follows is a bloody spectacle as an unknown killer slowly begins killing the group one by one. The film is bloody and unrepentant, with incredible sound design that really makes the film stand out in a horror subsection full of great films.

The film is not only a great horror film, but it is also award-winning with incredible performances from its cast. The film itself won awards for Best Film and Sound Design, and the lead actress, Mimosa Willamo, won Best Actress at the Jussi Awards and Screamfest. In short, the film is a thrill ride from start to finish, immediately leaving viewers wondering if anyone will survive until morning.

8

Dead Snow (2009)

Zombies come to life in this bloody horror film

Based on the Scandinavian legend of the Draugr, zombie-like undead who exist only to protect their treasure, Dead Snow adds the twist that its zombies are the corpses of dead Nazi officers. Although the story itself is quite simple, focusing on a group of students who have their Easter vacation disrupted by a zombie attack, the blood itself is spectacular in how disgusting it can be. The bloodiest scenes feature explosions, flying limbs and lots of blood.

While the concept of Nazi zombies is nothing new, appearing in the media as early as the 1940s, Dead Snow helped popularize this trope in the 2000s. This popularity is largely due to its stellar visuals, as the special effects used are well executed. The film was originally shot in Norwegian, but later received an English dub due to its popularity.

7

Incubation (2022)

Grotesque doesn’t begin to describe this body horror film

When a girl finds an egg in the middle of the forest, she decides to take it home and take care of it until the egg hatches. However, the creature that hatches from the egg proves to be dangerous and frightening in equal measure. As the story progresses and the monster that hatches continues to grow, the audience becomes concerned about the girl who hatched the egg and gave life to this monster.

Exploring the body horror genre, Incubation finds new and innovative ways to scare, while also standing out as a story about the rigors of parental expectations. It was even considered one of the best horror films of 2022 by Rotten Tomatoes. The monster itself is especially well done, starting out as an animatronic doll and moving into different actors’ portrayals as it grows, using special effects makeup to create body horror that looks more realistic than it would if done with CGI effects.

6

Fenda (2017)

This Icelandic thriller is queer horror at its best

Slit begins with two exes, Gunnar and Einar, who reunite after Gunnar receives a cryptic phone call from a distraught Einar. The film progresses as the two try, perhaps in vain, to come to terms with their relationship. Gunnar and Einar are haunted by more than just their past relationship, however, as a supernatural presence begins to hover over them, threatening to tear them apart once again.

Slit itself is frightening for more than just the supernatural elements in its plot, marrying incredible cinematic direction with the desolation of the Icelandic landscape. More like a slow-burn art house, the film uses its horror elements in service of the larger plot, delving into the complexities of Gunnar and Einar’s relationship. A little ambiguous in its presentation, Slit is the perfect horror film for anyone looking for a story full of personal drama.

5

Lamb (2021)

This popular horror film is a co-production between Iceland, Sweden and Poland

Originally premiering at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, Lamb feels more like a gruesome folk tale than a traditional horror film. It details the birth of a mysterious half-sheep, half-human child, and the bittersweet nightmare that surrounds the family who adopts the child as their own. The horror in Lamb it’s more disturbing than outright gory, taking what seems like every opportunity to make the viewer uncomfortable.

Lamb follows what seems to be a trend of modern slow-burn horror films, starting hopefully and ending in the darkest of ways. The film’s simplicity only adds to its unnerving nature, maintaining its strengths and focusing on just a few characters. This is only amplified by how seriously the premise is taken, with this half-human, half-sheep child being the crux of the entire film.

4

Telma (2017)

This supernatural horror film explores repression and loneliness

Thelma is the story of the eponymous Thelma, a young woman from an incredibly strict religious family who slowly begins to realize that she is developing supernatural powers. This happens when she also realizes that she is in love with another woman, something her family would consider completely unacceptable. As her powers progress, so does the film’s horror, which centers on Thelma herself, in a similar way to films like Carrie.

In your heart, Thelma is a story of queer liberation told through the lens of dramatic supernatural horror. Although Thelma is the source of any visual horror, the real horror comes from the life of loneliness and self-hatred that her family would leave her trapped in. Thelma is truly beautiful in the way it portrays its main character, freeing her from her life of loneliness.

3

Don’t Speak Evil (2021)

The original Speak No Evil was a Danish horror film

Don’t speak badly is a Danish horror film that follows a couple who, while on vacation in Italy, meet what appears to be another pleasant couple. However, things quickly begin to evolve as the film’s protagonists slowly realize that they have not met a pleasant couple, but rather a pair of unrepentant serial killers and kidnappers. From then on, the film continues as any horror film would, with the villains discovered and the stakes raised to the maximum.

Deeply paranoid from the start, Don’t speak badly It’s a testament to the fact that you never really know someone, no matter how nice they are on the outside. The build-up is expertly crafted, creating tension in the smallest of things and subtly showing the viewer that things are not what they seem.building up to the big reveal of the film’s horror premise. The film was so popular and highly regarded that Blumhouse released a high-grossing American remake of the original film, showing just how classic Don’t speak badly it really is.

2

Let the Right One In (2008)

Vampire fiction has never been so appealing

Starting as a novel of the same name, Let the right person in is about a boy named Oskar and the mysterious little girl he meets after she moves to a nearby town. Oskar quickly discovers that this girl is actually a vampire, and the two begin to develop a very close and unique bond. Showing a cold world around a pair of warm hearts, Let the right person in It’s equal parts budding romance and gory vampire drama.

Let the right person in It won numerous awards, with fans and critics praising everything from its acting and direction to its cinematography and script. The young actors featured in the film give excellent performances, really managing to show completely different sides of their characters in a way that feels grounded and realistic. The film somehow manages to transform fear and pain into beauty, making it one of the best horror films of recent decades.

1

Summer Solstice (2019)

This modern horror classic managed to scare during the day

Created as a co-production between Swedish and American filmmakers, Summer solstice shows one of the most brutal depictions of grief ever seen in a horror film. It starts with an emotional punch, showing in graphic detail how the main character’s sister, Dani, not only committed suicide but also killed her parents in the process. From that point on, Dani encounters misfortune after misfortune, starting with a boyfriend who no longer cares about her and ending with the deadly machinations of a conspiratorial cult.

Ari Aster’s films are full of shocking moments and Summer solstice is no different. Even though most of the film takes place during the day, it will still leave viewers on the edge of their seats, eager to see what happens next for the film’s characters. Summer solstice is a masterclass in horror, emotional resonance and subversion of expectations, making it the ultimate Scandinavian horror movie of all time.