A Guide To All The Must-Watch Horror Films That Inspired Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’
Jordan Peele gave Lupita Nyong'o a list of 10 horror films that have a “shared language” with 'Us'.
When Lupita Nyong’o signed on to star in Jordan Peele’s Us she was excited to work with the writer and director because he’d been on her wish-list for a long time. He also made Get Out, won an Academy Award and seems to be a cool person so we’re with you, Lupita.
Talking to EW, Nyong’o said, ““The very fact that I have not done anything like it was appealing, because it promised growth and excitement and new territory.”
Nyong’o plays a dual role in Us, she’s Adelaide Wilson, a mother who is on edge while on a beach holiday with her family (Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex), and she’s also Red, Adelaide’s doppelganger who leads a home invasion scissors first.
But Peele wasn’t going to let Nyong’o flash her Oscar and cruise into Us with ease, he gave her homework: 10 horror films that have a “shared language” with Us.
If you want to be like Nyong’o and do your research before Us you can track down these films or keep the good feeling going after seeing Peele’s brilliant film and organise a marathon.
The choice is yours!
Below is a guide to the films that inspired Us.
Dead Again (1991)
What’s it about?
Once upon a time Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson were married and they collaborated on films together. In Dead Again, a private investigator (Branagh) is asked to uncover the identity of ‘Grace’ (Thompson), a mute amnesiac who suffers from constant nightmares. When nobody can identify Grace, an antiques dealer (Derek Jacobi) suggest they try hypnosis and explore her past lives. The hypnosis works and Grace starts talking but her memory is still foggy, and that’s when people begin showing up to claim her.
Shared language alert
Aside from lots of hardcore twists, look out for the weapon of choice, scissors, which is the go-to of the foes in Us.
The Shining (1980)
What’s it about?
A writer, Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson), takes a gig as a caretaker at The Overlook Hotel, an isolated ski resort that closes during the off-season. Jack, his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son, Danny (Danny Lloyd) settle in while heavy snowfall cuts them off from nearby towns. When Danny begins having terrifying visions it becomes clear the hotel has a dark history and Jack begins to lose his mind.
Shared language alert
Look, every filmmaker wants to acknowledge The Shining because it’s one of the greatest horror films ever made but there’s lots of overlap. The big one is the tale of a family in peril while away from home where haunting secrets come to light. Also, pay close attention to the way Nyong’o moves in Us, her mannerisms are like Nicholson’s Torrance.
The Babadook (2014)
What’s it about?
A widow, Amelia (Essie Davis), is struggling with her six-year-old son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), who starts behaving odd and obsessing over an imaginary monster called The Babadook. Amelia and Sam learn more about the creature from a storybook called Mister Babadook; it has talons, wears a top hat and torments its victims until they go mad. The more Amelia denies the Babadook exists, the stronger it gets, and strange things start happening around the house.
Shared language alert
Both films are led by women who are mothers coming to terms with an inner darkness while trying to protect their children. Nyong’o and Davis both give phenomenal lead performances.
It Follows (2014)
What’s it about?
A group of teenagers discover they are being stalked by a supernatural curse that’s passed to each victim via sex. Whoever gets the curse last is tracked by zombie-like people until they can get close enough to suck the life out of them.
Shared language alert
The teens of It Follows are pursed by creatures that take a familiar form. In Us, the Wilsons are hunted by themselves. Death at the hands of a familiar face, or yourself, is a terrifying prospect.
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
What’s it about?
In this South Korean chiller, a teenager, Su-mi (Im Soo-jung), returns home from a mental facility to live with her sister (Moon Geun-young), father (Kim Kap-soo) and step-mother (Yum Jung-ah). The homecoming doesn’t go smoothly and Su-mi starts having terrifying nightmares and they begin to suspect the house may be haunted.
Shared language alert
The way trauma manifests itself is central to A Tale of Two Sisters and Us. Again, these are both films that focus on female characters dealing with personal demons that impact their family.
Funny Games (1997/2007)
What’s it about?
There are two versions of this film made by the same director, Michael Haneke. The ’97 version is set in Austria and the ’07 version is close to a shot-for-shot remake set in America. Both tell the story of a family who are held hostage and tortured by two young men. Why? That’s the thing about Funny Games, they do it for no reason whatsoever, it’s a nihilistic film. Have someone to hug after.
Shared language alert
The home invasion aspect of Funny Games is mirrored in Us, a family enduring something terrible, the mind games and the distinctive uniforms worn by the intruders.
Martyrs (2008)
What’s it about?
Hoo boy, just writing about Martyrs is traumatising but here goes. Two women who were victims of child abuse go in search of their abusers to get revenge and shit gets real. So incredibly real. All we’re going to say is that someone gets flayed in this film — flayed — we’re having nightmares tonight.
Shared language alert
Another female-centric film that deals in trauma but Martyrs pushes everything to violent extremes. Us never gets anywhere near the level of violence in Martyrs but both films share plot details, especially when it comes to dark, underground secrets.
Let The Right One In (2008)
What’s it about?
An awkward kid, Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), who is bullied relentlessly at school becomes friends with another child (Lina Leandersson ) living in his apartment complex. The two become mates but then Oskar discovers his new bud is a vampire. Let The Right One In is often cited as one of the best modern vampire films but make sure you watch the ’08 version because it got an American remake in 2010 that’s close to on par but not as astonishing as the original.
Shared language alert
Let The Right One In succeeds because it downplays a lot of the vampire mythology and focuses on its characters. Us operates in a similar way because it doesn’t obsess over how its doppelgängers came to be, it rolls with its characters in an extroardinary situation.
The Birds (1963)
What’s it about?
In the Alfred Hitchcock classic, birds start attack people and a small community are forced to hide to survive. It’s like a seagull bugging you for hot chips times a million.
Shared language alert
Being attacked by something familiar is at play in Birds and Us and both share a similar sense of how society would breakdown if the natural order is unbalanced.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
What’s it about?
Okay, if you haven’t seen this film by now, where have you been? But don’t stress, we’ve got great news, it rules. All you need to know is that there’s a kid (Hayley Joel Osment) who can see dead people — that’s it.
Shared language alert
Secrets! Us and The Sixth Sense are films that thrive on well kept secrets because the plot twists are worth a million chef’s kisses. They also remind us that it’s a good thing to ignore as much marketing of a film as possible because we’re already oversaturated with information about a movie before we enter a cinema.
You can watch Us in cinemas now.
Cameron Williams is a writer and film critic based in Melbourne who occasionally blabs about movies on ABC radio. He has a slight Twitter addiction: @MrCamW.