For better or worse, Halloween is rapidly becoming a calendar event we mark in Australia – but homegrown horror is nothing new. From Wake in Fright (1971) to Bedevil (1993) and Wolf Creek (2005), Australian cinema has a long and honourable history of hitting hard in this genre. But here are six great horror films from the recent or not-too-distant past.
Whether your fears centre around historical violence, demonic possession, zombie viruses or dementia, this list has you covered. Here are six Australian horror films worthy of classic status – and where to find them on streaming platforms.
6 Australian horror films and where to stream them
Relic (2020) – Stan
A creepy but classy haunted house horror thriller, Relic will linger long in the minds of anyone who’s ever feared Alzheimer’s or dementia – which is probably most of us. (Personally, I can’t write a post-it note reminder to myself without thinking of a particular scene in this film.)
Shot in country Victoria and directed by Natalie Erika James, who co-wrote with bestselling novelist and Clickbait screenwriter Christian White, Relic stars Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote. It’s a disturbing story of three generations of women in a deserted rural house who must confront and console a monstrous presence. Reviewing for ScreenHub, Mel Campbell called Relic ‘an assured cinematic exercise in dread.‘
The Nightingale (2018) – Prime
Set in 1820s Tasmania, The Nightingale is writer-director Jennifer Kent’s powerful follow-up to the hit horror film The Babadook (2014). This story is a different kind of horror. It follows Clare (Aisling Franciosi), a young Irish convict who enlists the help of Billy (Baykali Ganambarr), an Indigenous tracker, and sets out in pursuit of a cruel British officer in the Tasmanian wilderness. Be warned, there are scenes of violence here you may wish you’d never seen.
Late Night with the Devil (2023) – Netflix, Shudder AMC+, AppleTV
A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms. A nightmarish ode to the talk shows of the 70s, Late Night with the Devil may not look like an Australian film but it was shot in Melbourne’s Docklands, and written and directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes (100 Bloody Acres, Scare Campaign).
Late Night with the Devil is a found footage period horror film that stars David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer, Dune) alongside an all-Australian cast including Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Georgina Haig and Josh Quong Tart. Writing for ScreenHub, Stephen A. Russell called it ‘ferocious fun’ while also noting its gore, convincing period styling and genuine scares.
ScreenHub: Late Night with the Devil review – ferociously fun horror
Talk to Me (2023) – Netflix
A global box office hit, Talk to Me follows a crew of Australian teens as they play around with a ceramic hand that lets them communicate with the dead – but they have to be careful not to let the possessor stay longer than 90 seconds, or things go very badly for everyone.
The debut feature of Adelaide directors Danny and Michael Philippou, Talk to Me stars Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen and Miranda Otto in a film that will have you jumping out of your seat – and looking forward to the (currently undated) sequel, Bring Her Back.
Reviewing for ScreenHub, Stephen A. Russell wrote Talk to Me was ‘frighteningly good’ possession horror film and that it spoke to the world with ‘a uniquely Australian voice’.
ScreenHub: Australian horror films – the Top 20
Cargo (2017) – Netflix
Amid a terrifying pandemic, a father (Martin Freeman) searches the wilds of Australia for someone willing to protect and care for his infant daughter. He knows he’s infected and only has a few days before the virus takes hold, so there’s a genuine panic and sadness to this playing-it-straight zombie horror film.
Shot in South Australian and directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke – adapted from their award-winning short film – Cargo also stars Susie Porter, David Gulpilil, Simone Landers, Anthony Hayes and Caren Pistorius. It was critically acclaimed as a refreshing and well-performed take on the genre – and far less bleak than films like The Road.
The Moogai (2020 short film) – SBS Movies
A young Aboriginal mother becomes increasingly unstable when she is terrorised by a malevolent spirit she believes is trying to take her children. This acclaimed short psychological horror film is now a full-length feature releasing in Australian cinemas this week. Both versions star Shari Sebbens and Meyne Wyatt.
Moogai is the Bundjalung word for ‘ghost’ and this story includes themes related to the Stolen Generations and the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their parents – a fitting and real theme for horror. The Moogai won best Australian Short Film at Melbourne International Film Festival in 2020 as well as the Midnight Shorts Jury Ward at SXSW Film Festival in 2020.
