We’re going back to the Deep!
Uhhh.
Not again.
Let’s hope we’ve learned a lesson or two from our previous voyage--because as we so
painstakingly learned, there are some terrifying things swimming down there in the deep blue
sea.
As we touched on in Part One of this video--there is a good reason why the ocean and the many
things that lurk within it are terrifying to us human beings.
We can’t breathe down there--so much so, that we’ve had a better success rate at
surveying the Moon rather than the secrets that linger at the bottom of the ocean bed.
And maybe that’s for the best… after all, what would you prefer--an aquatic leviathan
on the moon--or on our own planet?
Let’s take a look.
Hello horror fans, what’s going on, and once again welcome back to the scariest channel
on YouTube--Top 5 Scary Videos.
As per usual, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch--as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Scariest Horror Movies From The Deep -- Part 2.
Roll the clip.
Uhhhh.
There’s something in the airlock.
Sorry about that.
But for the curious amongst you, that clip was from 1989’s DeepStar Six--and for the
astute, aquatic horror fans amongst you--of course, you’ll know that 1989 was a pretty
big year for Horror Movies From The Deep--and although DeepStar Six is an incredibly fun
movie, it also missed it’s mark by quite a few fathoms--and as far as horror movies
go, this one is just a series of admittedly awesome set pieces.
So yeah--honorable mention!
On with the show.
Kicking off at Number 5--Deep Rising, 1998
Okay--you got me guys, because whilst DeepStar Six is a movie that was pretty awesome for
the most part, quite unlike its counterparts--Sphere, Virus and several others--1998’s Deep Rising
took all of those same components that we enjoyed, and yet this time--it actually made
a movie out of them.
Which is an important thing--because although we’re pretty lenient as horror fans--these
films have to make some kind of sense, right?
Or--at least be ... plausible.
And as far as Deep Rising goes--this film did, indeed, make at least some kind of sense.
In an A--to B--to C kind of manner.
No spoilers, though--but whatever you thought about the ending to this movie, eh, what the
hell--it doesn’t make sense but I still loved it.
Now, ever since James Cameron’s The Abyss--a lot of these movies got paired off as cheap
imitations--as the stereotypical Alien clone underwater--but on second look, Deep Rising
actually has a lot to offer us.
Written and directed by Stephen Sommers, the man responsible for 1999’s The Mummy--and
2004’s Van Helsing--his particular track record as a filmmaker may give you a little
inkling as to what you’ll be getting yourself in for with Deep Rising.
And that’s because, whilst Deep Rising is very much of the horror essence--more so than
any other film on this list, this one is an action film.
Big set pieces, explosions--we’re talking jet skis--cruise liners getting attacked by
giant tentacle monsters--and who better to lead such a hair-brained charge, than the
man himself--Treat Williams.
I mean, my favourite Treat film is Once Upon a Time In America, which is awesome--but let’s
face it, Treat doesn’t ever shy away from the more kitschy roles in cinema, particularly
when he takes the lead.
Which is fine--because he’s awesome in this movie, and he plays his part precisely as
it was meant.
Listen, if you go into this film with the intention of having fun--you most certainly
will.
It’s a B-Movie with some A-List sensibilities--and most importantly, deep sea, giant tentacled
monsters.
Golden.
Swinging in at Number 4--The Shallows, 2016
This film got a lot of stick after it’s released back in 2016, and I’m not entirely
sure why.
And also, it’s important to note that whilst we left off Stephen Speilberg’s Jaws from
this list--down to the fact that it’s one of the most famous movies ever made, The Shallows
is grown made from the same set of DNA.
This is a shark movie.
And when we talk about the primary function of aquatic based horror--this is the most
visceral representation of it.
There are no elaborate, parasitic alien monstrosities--there are no haunted submarines--there’s just
a girl, a surfboard--and a really, really angry shark.
But--this movie’s charm is in its simplicity.
And it’s also slightly too cheesy to even realise it’s made of cheese--but hey, so
too was Jaws in many ways.
Listen, I’m not trying to compare the two--but the point is, if you want to be scared of
the ocean--watch this movie.
Written by Anthony Jaswinski and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra--The Shallows tells
the tale of a medical student named Nancy, played by the awesome Blake Lively--who after
following the death of her mother, travels to the same secluded California beach that
her mother used to visit as she attempts to grieve following her passing.
After spending a day surfing there--she’s inexplicably attacked and wounded by Great
White Shark--and then we’re off--captured in Nancy’s visceral survival--as she attempts
to cling on to life whilst being barely 200 yards from the shore.
I won’t say any more, because really--that’s all there is to it--but this film is reliant
on a remarkable performance from Blake Lively, who really takes this movie to the next level,
and the vast majority of its success is down to her captivating likeability.
You see, it kind of goes without saying--but for a film with essentially one character
and a shark--it’s important that we feel connected to the sole survivor in question.
And we do.
If you’re scared of the ocean--watch this movie, and you’ll probably be vindicated
in that fear.
Next up at Number 3--Dead Calm, 1989
Alright, now whilst technically this film may be the least--deep, I guess--considering
it’s more of a sailing-based-horror than anything else--as far as psychological trauma
goes, 1989’s Dead Calm is certainly worth its salt in sea-water.
And again, much like The Shallows, and another film that will appear on this list which is
yet to be mentioned--it’s in the simplicity of this movie that allows the weight of its
horror thriller to truly shine.
Well, actually--I suppose *sink* would be the more accurate metaphor, but that’s by
the by.
Directed by Phillip Noyce, and written by Terry Hayes--Dead Calm is based upon the 1963
novel of the same name, by Charles Williams--which, as a side note that it’s also pretty awesome--was
picked up by the legendary Orson Welles in the late 60s, produced as a film known as
The Deep--but was plagued by financial troubles and was never actually fully realised.
So yeah, your fact for the day--but although we never got that--we did get this.
Dead Calm tells the tale of Rae Ingram, played by Nicole Kidman who absolutely steals the
show in this movie--alongside her husband, John--played by the fantastic Sam Neill--who
following the tragic death of their young son in a car accident--decided to sail the
Pacific ocean in an attempt to deal with their grief.
Now, as the pair near the middle of the Pacific--they stumbled upon a loan boat, quickly taking
water--and a distraught man, Hughie--played by Billy Zane--who is also phenomenal in this
movie--and claims that all of his sailing companions have died from food poisoning--and
his boat is sinking.
Hmmm.
Yeah, if that sounds like a fishy proposition--it certainly is--but I’ll say no more, because
although simple--the impact of this film is down to the many twists and turns that it’s
narrative takes.
This film is genuinely nerve-wracking, and instead of making us afraid of the terrors
that lurk in the deep--instead, it’s the people on the surface.
Great film--give this one a watch.
Coming in at Number 2--Leviathan, 1989
Okay, okay.
Listen--because although flip reversing the tables and sticking horror in a sailing boat
is fun enough--let’s not beat about the bush.
When we think of the horror from the deep--we’re talking terrifying, parasitic aquatic lifeforms,
right?
Yeah.
If you want that, then Leviathan is precisely that movie.
And also, whilst this film got torn to shreds critically--don’t listen too closely to
the nay-sayers, because although it’s certainly not the smartest movie ever made, it also
certainly knows exactly what it is.
And that’s important for a movie--particularly for such a niche sub-genre as this--for us
to fully enjoy it.
Sometimes we don’t want cerebral horror that plays with our minds--we want to look
fear fully in the face, and then shoot a harpoon at it.
Right?
Directed by George Cosmatos--the real clout of this movie comes from the understanding
of it’s screenwriters, as demonstrated by David Peoples and Jeb Stuart, who were the
writers behind Blade Runner and Die Hard respectively--which may give you an idea as to where the sails
of this movie are pointed.
Leviathan tells the tale of Steven Beck, played by Peter Weller--a geologist who is hired
by an undersea mining corporation and tasked to assemble a crew for a six month operation
at the bottom of the ocean bed.
Whilst working on the project--Beck’s crew discover that unbeknownst to them--there’s
a Soviet shipwreck, known as Leviathan--lying nearby.
And in classic sub-aquatic-horror fashion, of course, Leviathan harbors some dark, mutagenic
secrets--and thus, we have all the ingredients for the ensuing horror show.
There’s not much more to it, really--and whilst 1989’s Leviathan evokes imagery of
The Thing, Alien, and The Abyss on the surface--deep down, all that matters is that for the next
100 or so minutes, set piece after set piece of increasingly awesome and terrifying sequences
assault our eyeballs.
In many ways, Leviathan is the literal definition of what we love about unrelenting, rip-off
80s horror--it plays like a magazine of many movies--just this time, they’re stuck underwater--and
as we all know, at the bottom of the ocean bed...no one can hear you---breathe.
I guess.
And finally, coming in at our Number 1 spot--Open Water, 2003
And whilst all of our entries on this list definitely aren’t perfect in any sense--this
one included--we have to remember exactly the point behind this list.
The horror in question--is that of the ocean, and the creatures that linger within it.
This film--is the definition of that.
And also, as a side note--we have to commend the actual craft of 2003’s Open Water, because
for a film of such simplicity and minimal filmmaking--as well as the tiny budget behind
this movie--the fact that Open Water was made is noteworthy in it’s own right.
Written and directed by Chris Kentis, Open Water tells the tale of Daniel Kintner and
Susan Watkins--a run of the mill couple who are in the midst of trying to patch up their
rocky relationship--and so in doing that, decide to go on a scuba diving vacation.
Now, it’s important to note that this movie is loosely based upon the terrifying, real
life tragedy of Tom and Eileen Longeran who disappeared in 1998 whilst on a scuba diving
tour.
Whilst the tragic basis of this movie certainly is grounded in reality--Open Water pulls no
punches in depicting the very visceral tale of survival outlined here.
Whilst beneath the water, the couple briefly separate from the diving group--and in that
terrifyingly small window, the boat leaves--leaving Daniel and Susan behind--stranded--with the
diving crew completely unaware.
I mean, that’s enough to strike fear into the hearts of many of us--right?
But that’s only the start, because this film really is unrelenting.
This film is physical--and that’s exactly the point of it.
Listen, I understand the criticism behind this film, particularly with the fact that
it’s shot entirely on digital video--but that’s exactly the point.
Open Water is bare bones so that it can highlight the fact that a couple are stranded in the
middle of the ocean--and we never once leave their side, terrifyingly witnessing their
slow and tragic demise.
This is Man versus Nature stuff.
And there are no heroes.
Only sharks.
Well, there we have it horror fans--our list for the Top 5 Scariest Horror Movies From
The Deep--Part 2.
What do you guys think?
Do you agree?
Disagree?
Have any more to add to this list?
Then let us know your thoughts, as well as any choice picks down in the comment section
below.
Before we depart from today's video, let’s first take a quick look at some of your more
creative comments from over the past few days.
Baulzzz Zzzz---says---
Trailer Park boys is truly overrated.
--- Uhhhhhhh.
That one hurt.
It’s okay, it just means that there’s more liquor for me.
And finally--Corona Simmons says---
--- Okay, is it just me but if you met Michael Pitt in person, you would literally keep questioning
is he going to try and kill me?
After Funny Games, I would always side eye Michael!
-- I mean…
I suppose, Corona--but that’s just the testament of a fantastic actor, right?
Hey, after Pitt played Jimmy Darmody in Boardwalk Empire--that guy earned my eternal respect.
That guy is one of the greatest characters ever written--it was like looking at a Graham
Greene novel in a single character.
I’m still mad….
Anyway--on that note, unfortunately that’s all we’ve got time for in todays video--cheers
for sticking around all the way until the end.
If you were a fan of this video, or just Top 5 Scary Videos in general, then please--be
a dear and hit that thumbs up button, as well as that subscribe bell, and I’ll be seeing
you in the next one.
As per usual, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch--you’ve been watching Top 5 Scary
Videos, and until next time--you take it easy.