The Last Matinee, the next Bloody Disgusting x Dark Star Pictures collaboration, arrives on VOD this Tuesday, August 24. It’s a gory neo-Giallo that sees a killer pick off unsuspecting patrons and employees at a movie theater one rainy day. Giallo seems to be making a resurgence in horror, at least in terms of its influence. James Wan recently cited Mario Bava and Dario Argento as influences on upcoming Malignant, and recent years have brought no shortage of Giallo-inspired contemporary horror.
This week belongs to neo-Giallo films that bring stylistic violence and bloodletting. Some poke fun at the tropes while others fully commit to visual style. Expect plenty of eyeball trauma, too.
Here’s where you can stream them all this week.
Cold Hell – AMC+, Shudder
Cold Hell blends Giallo with action, directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, who helmed the underseen but fantastic horror film Anatomy. A serial killer is on the loose in Austria, targeting prostitutes and murdering them in a slow, gruesome fashion. When taxi driver Özge (Violetta Schurawlow) inadvertently witnesses one of the murders from her apartment window, she becomes the killer’s next target, and the police are of no help. Özge’s take no prisoners attitude and intense action sequences evoke retro action-brawler fare, making this one wholly new and exciting. Rich visuals with an emphasis on vivid colors and dark shadows work in conjunction with the sleazy murder mystery that makes Cold Hell a modern Giallo.
The Neon Demon – Prime Video
Nicolas Winding Refn’s neon-drenched fairytale nightmare draws heavily from Giallo horror. Sixteen-year-old Jesse (Elle Fanning) moves to Los Angeles in pursuit of modeling following the death of her parents. Her youthful beauty draws the attention, fascination, obsession, and murderous jealousy from everyone around her. Refn takes a more abstract, vivid approach heavy on imagery, both beautiful and macabre. It’s a high-concept allegory, so don’t expect a complex, narratively driven horror movie. The Neon Demon tends to mesmerize between the vibrant aesthetic and the boundary-pushing subject matter- including necrophilia and cannibalism.
The Editor – AMC+, Shudder, Tubi
Adam Brooks (Psycho Goreman) stars as Rey Cisco, a once-popular film editor that now works in exploitation after an accident left him without four fingers. When actors from his latest project turn up missing, Rey becomes the prime suspect. It’s up to Rey to investigate and clear his name, leading to some sinister discoveries. Less of a neo-Giallo and more of a loving parody of yesteryear’s Giallo, The Editor offers a lot to like even for those who do not like Giallo horror. Astron-6 playfully spoofs the subgenre’s tropes, from bad dubbing to nonsensical plot threads. It’s a sendup that embraces camp and doesn’t take itself seriously at all.
The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears – AMC+, Shudder
Watching a movie by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani feels more like drowning in a fevered dream. Its kaleidoscopic and hallucinogenic imagery crash into you like endless waves. The plot is practically irrelevant. In this case, a man returns home only to find his wife missing. He combs through the building room by room, plunging further and further into gory madness with every new encounter. It’s as violent as it is sexual, and you’ll come away not wholly sure of what you just watched.
Knife + Heart – AMC+, Kanopy, Shudder
Set in the Paris summer of 1979, Vanessa Paradis stars as Anne, a producer of low-budget gay porn. When her lover, who also happens to be her film editor, leaves her, she strikes out to make her most ambitious film yet in an attempt to win her back. The only problem is that a masked killer is picking off her cast and crew one by one in the most brutal fashion. Yann Gonzalez’s film is a gorgeous Giallo through and through, complete with all the familiar trademarks and tropes. The masked killer is unsettling, and those kills are downright vicious. If you love Giallo movies, this modern gem is not to be missed.