Movies - TV
The 12 Best German Horror Movies Ranked
By JESSICA SCOTT
12. Vampyros Lesbos
“Vampyros Lesbos” is slow and dreamy, weaving in extended love scenes and psychedelic music and delving into the stigmatization of homosexuality, especially among women. While some viewers might balk at the film's languorous pace, the overall effect is a delightful sort of hypnosis that mirrors the vampire’s powers of persuasion.
11. Tenderness of ...
Based on true events, “Tenderness of the Wolves” tells the story of Fritz Haarmann, a serial killer taking advantage of his police connections as an informant and inspector to procure victims and hide the evidence of his crimes. It's an unsettling portrait of a terrifying man that reminds viewers of the wolves in sheep's clothing that exist in the world.
10. Decoder
The most surrealist film on this list, “Decoder” blends industrial music, sociopolitical commentary, and neon filters to make a cyberpunk “Alphaville.” Chaotic and cool, experimental and expressionistic, “Decoder” is a warning to oligarchs and a wake-up call to audiences to watch out for the Muzak in their own lives.
9. The Golem
“The Golem: How He Came into the World” was a clear precursor to James Whale's “Frankenstein” and was even shot by the same cinematographer, Karl Freund. With moody visuals, striking performances, and a macabre story, “The Golem” sets the tone for future horror cinema and still stands as one of the best Jewish horror films in history.
8. Faust
Even though “Faust - A German Folktale” is nearly a century old, its special effects still manage to shock and fill audiences with wonder today. In the film, Faust (Gösta Ekman) finds himself caught up in a wager between Mephisto (Emil Jannings) and an Archangel (Werner Fuetterer), with the fate of the entire world at stake.