Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities officially premiered on Netflix on the 25th of October — and it has kept viewers on the edge of their seats ever since. The Academy-Award-winning Mexican filmmaker executive produces, co-showruns and directs the show, which consists of eight genre-defining sinister narratives, including two original works by del Toro.
It's not hard to binge-watch a series from beginning to end, especially when said series is really good and easily available for anyone to stream at any moment. Horror fans don't have to be scared of running out of spooky media to consume, especially since the renowned director has recommended so many of his own favorites.
'The Innocents' (1961)
Set in Victorian England, the Jack Clayton movie focuses on a governess who is hired to raise two orphaned children with total independence. After arriving, Deborah Kerr's character comes to realize that the two infants are possessed by the spirits of the former governess and valet.
Along with other incredible movies, del Toro mentioned The Innocents in a list that consisted of his own personal favorite ghost stories in film on Twitter. It's a classic that has held up well and is still spine-chilling enough to watch today.
'Mad God' (2021)
Mad God is a grotesque post-apocalypse movie that focuses on a rusty underworld of grime, blood, and unsettling monstrosities. Brilliantly bizarre, the unsettling film offers some of the greatest visuals in an animated movie.
FX Master Phil Tippett (perhaps best known for his Star Wars and Jurassic Park work) surprised many with his 2021 animated feature, including of course the critically acclaimed Mexican filmmaker: "Phil is a genius," del Toro shared on Twitter. "Watch it. You will be transported to his mind."
'Vampyr' (1932)
Traveler Allan Gray (Julian West), a drifter obsessed with the supernatural, bumps into a severely ill adolescent girl who is slowly turning into a vampire in this Carl Theodor Dreyer eerie and highly atmospheric film.
Apart from the incredible use of light, the Danish movie is "a most haunting, sublime Memento Mori," as remarked by the filmmaker in the audio commentary for Masters of Cinema's DVD. It should be considered essential viewing for anyone interested in horror's development throughout cinematic history.
'Phantom of the Paradise' (1974)
For those looking for a spooky movie that provides horror, laughter and a couple of headbang worthy rock tunes, 1974's Phantom of the Paradise is a very good pick. Revolving around a disfigured composer who sold his soul for the sake of his music (though an evil record tycoon betrays him and steals it), the cult horror comedy-drama offers its audience a thrilling time.
"A deranged, romantic, unique film with a perfect soundtrack," said the director in a tweet back in 2015. In 2019, del Toro revealed on Twitter that he loves Brian De Palma's film so much that he even bought a great 35mm print.
'Session 9' (2001)
Although low-budget, the engaging feature, which revolves around a cleaning crew who is hired to work in an abandoned mental health facility, makes for an extremely creepy and effective (mostly) psychological horror film.
On Twitter, Guillermo showed nothing but praise for Brad Anderson's masterful work in Session 9: "One of the best (and first) horror movies of this century. Anderson has complete command of the medium." Session 9 is an underrated masterpiece that underscores the importance of environment and tension in creating palpable horror.
'The Uninvited' (1944)
Based on Dorothy Macardle's novel Uneasy Freehold, the impressive Lewis Allen ghost story follows the story of a brother and sister who buy a haunted gothic seacoast mansion in Cornwall, England.
In an interview with IGN during the Crimson Peak press tour, del Toro made his love for the 1944 movie crystal clear: "If you treat ghosts with neutrality in order to make them characters, that’s so hard, and The Uninvited does it such a beautiful way and better than I ever could," the filmmaker explained. "Watch that movie, it’s really good."
'Tigers Are Not Afraid' (2017)
Issa López' breathtaking film follows Estrella (Paola Lara), a 10-year-old who wishes to be with her missing mother once again; her prayers are answered to devastating consequences, so she seeks escapism in a group of children trying to survive the dreadful violence of the cartels.
Del Toro has shown nothing but support and admiration for the fellow Latina filmmaker during his Hollywood Star acceptance speech: "Tigers Are Not Afraid (or Vuelven) is one of the great dark fantasy horror movies from the last decade." Quite the compliment, coming from Pan's Labyrinth Oscar-winning director.
'Frankenstein' (1932)
Almost a century later, James Whale's Frankenstein is undoubtedly a horror classic (and, therefore, a huge part of pop culture). The 1931 movie is a perfect on-screen adaptation of Mary Shelley's timeless novel and does it justice on all levels — it's not hard to understand why del Toro is so infatuated with it.
The legendary tale of Frankenstein is clearly one of the biggest influences in the filmmaker's stunning work, which features bizarre creatures as perhaps its most recognizable trademark. One of the biggest Hollywood "what-ifs" is undoubtedly del Toro's own take on Frankenstein — a promising project that unfortunately never happened.
'The Exorcist' (1973)
To many, The Exorcist is the greatest horror movie of all time — and for good reason. Following the events of a teenage girl being possessed by a dark entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter. Although its plot may feel somewhat outdated nowadays, William Friedkin's sickening masterpiece remains highly praised and referenced.
According to Scott Cooper, del Toro's production Antlers has major influences from Friedkin's chilling film. While the filmmaker admits that it is one of the scariest movies he’s ever seen, it actually took a couple of years for the legendary movie to become terrifying: “When I was a kid, The Exorcist didn’t do anything to me. But then I became a parent and it became incredibly scary."
'Eyes Without a Face' (1960)
This 1960 Georges Franju film tells the really disturbing story of a surgeon who accidentally leaves his daughter Christiane (Edith Scob) severely disfigured. By kidnapping young women and attempting face transplants, the doctor goes to extreme lengths for the sake of his daughter's new face.
In conversation with Criterion, the beloved filmmaker revealed that the French movie influenced him a lot with the contrast between beauty and brutality. "Eyes Without a Face boasts an extraordinary soundtrack too!" he added. The absorbing way the film depicts the consequences of the pursuit of beauty will keep viewers glued to their screens.