Three horrific suggestions to spend your weekend shivering

Sure, temperatures are dropping, but the recent heat wave has us wanting to send shivers down your spine. For our weekend selection, we have therefore chosen to present a series and two films that should send shivers down your spine. Make yourself comfortable — in the dark if possible — and come (re)discover the horror-folk stories of Lorethe Spielbergian classic Poltergeist and the not really relaxing holidays of The Visit.

Loreon Prime Video

If there’s one genre that’s taken full advantage of the podcast explosion, it’s horror. Logical, since the audio format makes it possible to set up a very engaging atmosphere, while leaving it up to the listener to let their imagination run wild. With his podcast Lore, Aaron Mahnke was betting on telling stories from the folklore of different countries, mixing some real elements with more or less known horrific myths. The eponymous adaptation (Myths and Beliefs in VF) from Prime Video takes the concept and puts it into images – too bad for the imagination. Luckily, it’s a very successful port combining archival footage, live-action fiction, podcast-style animation and narration — which we recommend if you enjoyed the series. It is also an opportunity to discover fascinating legends firmly rooted in their respective cultures, from the Countess Bathory to the island of dolls in Xochimilco, via the massacre at the Hinterkaifeck farm. Stories that are all rooted in real facts, but which very quickly venture into the realm of the supernatural.

Poltergeiston Netflix

The 1980s were particularly buoyant for horror, to the point that some “classic” directors leaned into this highly codified genre. This is the case of Poltergeistreleased in 1982. If the film is directed by Tobe Hooper, a specialist in the subject since Chainsaw Massacre from 1974, its paternity is very often attributed to the immense Steven Spielberg. In addition to his activity as a producer and screenwriter, the filmmaker has indeed participated in the filming of the feature film, sometimes even coming into conflict with his director, who is also experienced. The result is a frankly successful film that mixes Spielbergian recklessness and mystery with horror pushed to the grotesqueness of Tobe Hooper As a reminder, Poltergeist tells the invasion of a small suburban house by ghosts straight out of television. Just mocking spirits at first, but which will quickly prove to be very dangerous, to the point of kidnapping Carol-Anne, the youngest of the family. Of course, the special effects have aged, but they are still very impressive, especially put in the context of the time.

The Visiton Salto

In 2015, weighed down by the successive failures of The Water Maiden, Phenomena, The last air Master and after-earth, M. Night Shyamalan seemed lost, doomed to release tasteless big-budget nanars. After such flops, no one had any particular expectations for their next film. Maybe that’s why The Visit is also successful. Unlike his two previous feature films, this one has a relatively tight budget. For the first time, Shyamalan seizes the found-footage, this format where the images shown are shot directly by characters. In this case, we discover here the images filmed by Becca and Tyler, two children preparing to spend a week with their maternal grandparents, with whom their mother cut ties fifteen years earlier. Delighted to meet their ancestors, our protagonists – and us with them – will quickly witness strange events. As often when Shyamalan is in top form, we will avoid saying more so as not to spoil the pleasure of discovery. All that can be said is that The Visit is a perfect cocktail of agonizing tension and welcome lightness, thanks in particular to the two young performers, who are impeccable throughout the film.