You’d be foolish to ignore the opinion of the author and wordsmith Stephen King, after all, he has conjured some of the greatest stories of modern literature and, indeed, cinema. Known as one of the greatest horror writers of all time, helming some truly terrifying pieces of fiction, including, The Shining, Carrie and Pet Sematary, King’s back-catalogue also boasts some oddities such as the Saint Bernard horror tale, Cujo and the killer-car thriller Christine.
The author certainly has eclectic tastes, having a fondness for anything grizzly including straight-up horror flicks to intricate thrillers. For evidence, look no further than the list of his favourite films which includes everything from Wolf Rilla’s 1960 horror Village of the Damned to Zack Snyder’s 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, choosing the remake over George Romero’s iconic 1978 original.
When it comes to more modern pieces of TV and film, King prefers to voice his opinion on Twitter, often speaking up about some of his favourite recent releases, such as one Netflix movie that hit the streaming service back in August.
Taking to social media, King recently stated, “Want a tight little thriller that will remind you of Ruth Rendell and Patricia Highsmith? Try I CAME BY (Netflix). It does the job”. Helmed by the director of Under the Shadow, Babak Anvari, the new release is a tight thriller that tells the story of a young graffiti artist who discovers a shocking secret that would put him and the ones closest to him in danger.
The graffiti artist in question is played by George MacKay of 1917 and Captain Fantastic fame, whilst the role of the film’s villain is taken on by Paddington’s Hugh Bonneville, and with the film having been on Netflix since August 31st, we can personally recommend the flick.
As a result of the success of the recent release, director Babak Anvari should really be given more credit, particularly as his 2016 film Under the Shadow was something of a classic contemporary horror flick. Mixing the genres of war and horror to provide a strong political backbone, Anvari’s directorial debut is a captivating Iranian horror film that is as much a critical analysis of the terror of war on innocent civilians.
Focusing on 1980s Tehran, Under the Shadow follows a mother and young daughter who are struggling to cope with the terror of a war-torn city, whilst a separate ancient evil plagues their home.
A creepy, atmospheric chiller, Anvari’s film provides a genuinely fascinating perspective of war by heightening the horror with the curse of the djinn, supernatural creatures rife throughout Islamic folklore. Winning Outstanding Debut by a British Writer at the 2017 BAFTA Film Awards, Under the Shadow is available on Netflix, as well as Anvari’s latest, I Came By.
