Of all the cautionary lessons that horror imparts, one of the most common warns us never to mess with Mother Nature. Those who are careless or hostile to the environment often meet their demises when Earth retaliates violently in eco-horror movies.
Ecological horror movies explore humankind’s estranged, fractured relationship with the planet, and its characters often find themselves on the defense against nature’s wrath. In celebration of Earth Day, an annual event in support of environmental protection, we’re looking back at some of the best eco-horror movies that remind us to take care of our planet… or else.
Here are ten eco-horror movies to watch this Earth Day.
The Bay
This found footage movie sees a seaside town under siege from an unknown virulent threat. First comes a gnarly rash, then vomiting, then a violent, disturbing death. Eventually, researchers discover it’s a parasitic ocean isopod that...
Ecological horror movies explore humankind’s estranged, fractured relationship with the planet, and its characters often find themselves on the defense against nature’s wrath. In celebration of Earth Day, an annual event in support of environmental protection, we’re looking back at some of the best eco-horror movies that remind us to take care of our planet… or else.
Here are ten eco-horror movies to watch this Earth Day.
The Bay
This found footage movie sees a seaside town under siege from an unknown virulent threat. First comes a gnarly rash, then vomiting, then a violent, disturbing death. Eventually, researchers discover it’s a parasitic ocean isopod that...
- 4/22/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster (Thomas Hamilton)
Straightforward to a fault, Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster crystallizes the horror icon’s enduring legacy. From his complicated childhood to late-career resurrection, director Thomas Hamilton assembles an impressive crew of talking heads to dive into the brilliance of the man born William Henry Pratt in England. – Dan M.
Where to Stream: VOD
Gaia (Jaco Bouwer)
Are you a Gabi (Monique Rockman) or a Barend (Carel Nel)? She’s a forest ranger documenting the trees with drones and cameras alongside her boss Winston (Anthony Oseyemi). He’s a survivalist who’s rejected civilization’s propensity for self-destruction by living off-the-grid with his son Stefan (Alex van Dyk). That they collide...
Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster (Thomas Hamilton)
Straightforward to a fault, Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster crystallizes the horror icon’s enduring legacy. From his complicated childhood to late-career resurrection, director Thomas Hamilton assembles an impressive crew of talking heads to dive into the brilliance of the man born William Henry Pratt in England. – Dan M.
Where to Stream: VOD
Gaia (Jaco Bouwer)
Are you a Gabi (Monique Rockman) or a Barend (Carel Nel)? She’s a forest ranger documenting the trees with drones and cameras alongside her boss Winston (Anthony Oseyemi). He’s a survivalist who’s rejected civilization’s propensity for self-destruction by living off-the-grid with his son Stefan (Alex van Dyk). That they collide...
- 10/29/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Last week, Hulu welcomed its latest film into its annual Huluween catalog—the eco-thriller Gaia, which was directed by Jaco Bouwer and stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Alex van Dyk, and Anthony Oseyemi. The film is streaming exclusively as part of the Huluween slate—a month-long experience that features original and acquired programming in one curated Halloween-themed hub. Daily Dead recently caught up with Bouwer to talk about Gaia, and he discussed everything from collaborating with the film’s screenwriter Tertius Kapp on the concepts behind the story, the challenges of shooting in the South African forests, and more.
So, how did Gaia first come about?
Jaco Bouwer: The writer, and my longtime collaborator, Tertius Kapp, and myself set some parameters that defined the foundation of the project: we wanted to explore the horror genre, nature being the main location and character; essentially a chamber piece of three characters. When we started working on Gaia,...
So, how did Gaia first come about?
Jaco Bouwer: The writer, and my longtime collaborator, Tertius Kapp, and myself set some parameters that defined the foundation of the project: we wanted to explore the horror genre, nature being the main location and character; essentially a chamber piece of three characters. When we started working on Gaia,...
- 10/26/2021
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
A terrifying contagion spreads in this chilling South African eco-horror that takes the fun out of fungi
The mushroom is having a moment. Its magical qualities and deep connection with the Earth have been explored in numerous recent releases, including Louie Schwarzberg’s Fantastic Fungi. Also journeying into the curious kingdom of the fungus, this psychedelic eco-horror directed by Jaco Bouwer reimagines the mushroom as an environmental avenger that awes and petrifies all at once.
Deep in the belly of the lush Tsitsikamma national park in South Africa, forest ranger Gabi (Monique Rockman) gets seriously injured after stepping on a makeshift trap. Rescued by Barend (Carel Nel) and Stefan (Alex van Dyk), a father-and-son survivalist duo, Gabi soon finds out, to her horror, that they are not alone. Mushrooms of all colours, shapes and sizes are sprouting, not only on trees and inside darkened hollows but also on Gabi’s own body.
The mushroom is having a moment. Its magical qualities and deep connection with the Earth have been explored in numerous recent releases, including Louie Schwarzberg’s Fantastic Fungi. Also journeying into the curious kingdom of the fungus, this psychedelic eco-horror directed by Jaco Bouwer reimagines the mushroom as an environmental avenger that awes and petrifies all at once.
Deep in the belly of the lush Tsitsikamma national park in South Africa, forest ranger Gabi (Monique Rockman) gets seriously injured after stepping on a makeshift trap. Rescued by Barend (Carel Nel) and Stefan (Alex van Dyk), a father-and-son survivalist duo, Gabi soon finds out, to her horror, that they are not alone. Mushrooms of all colours, shapes and sizes are sprouting, not only on trees and inside darkened hollows but also on Gabi’s own body.
- 9/20/2021
- by Phuong Le
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Monique Rockman, Alex Van Dyk, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi | Written by Tertius Kapp | Directed by Jaco Bouwer
Perhaps the best horror films come from tried and tested formulas but with an added twist. In Gaia we find a woman injured and lost in a forest. In horror , that’s nothing unusual but this movie adds plenty of new ideas and manages to feel like something completely different.
This woman, Gabi (Monique Rockman), is on a surveillance mission in a forest. She loses her partner and becomes badly injured only to be ‘saved’ by a father and son, a couple of survivalists living in the forest and very connected to nature. She is scared but soon realises they might not be the only problem when the cabin they are living in is attacked by strange human-like creatures.
With the movie almost entirely set in the forest, it’s a good...
Perhaps the best horror films come from tried and tested formulas but with an added twist. In Gaia we find a woman injured and lost in a forest. In horror , that’s nothing unusual but this movie adds plenty of new ideas and manages to feel like something completely different.
This woman, Gabi (Monique Rockman), is on a surveillance mission in a forest. She loses her partner and becomes badly injured only to be ‘saved’ by a father and son, a couple of survivalists living in the forest and very connected to nature. She is scared but soon realises they might not be the only problem when the cabin they are living in is attacked by strange human-like creatures.
With the movie almost entirely set in the forest, it’s a good...
- 9/6/2021
- by Alain Elliott
- Nerdly
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Come True (Anthony Scott Burns)
The darkened screen is almost pitch black before we can begin to discern shapes in the distance. First it’s wooden stakes in the ground at what looks to be a trailhead of sorts. Next it’s a mountain in the distance. Finally we come to a door that swings open as though we’ve been placed inside a videogame merging the puzzle mechanics of Myst with the brooding aesthetic of Hellraiser only to continue moving forward towards a bald figure with back turned—unmoving and foreboding with a mysterious air that can conjure nothing besides dread. And suddenly it’s over with a cut to Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone) awakening from a nightmare, bundled inside a...
Come True (Anthony Scott Burns)
The darkened screen is almost pitch black before we can begin to discern shapes in the distance. First it’s wooden stakes in the ground at what looks to be a trailhead of sorts. Next it’s a mountain in the distance. Finally we come to a door that swings open as though we’ve been placed inside a videogame merging the puzzle mechanics of Myst with the brooding aesthetic of Hellraiser only to continue moving forward towards a bald figure with back turned—unmoving and foreboding with a mysterious air that can conjure nothing besides dread. And suddenly it’s over with a cut to Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone) awakening from a nightmare, bundled inside a...
- 6/25/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Sparks Brothers, a documentary about a cult band by a brand-name director in Edgar Wright hits big screens this weekend, a felicitous one as New York and LA drop most capacity restrictions in theaters. The film about musician brothers Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks premiered at Sundance this year, notching a 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes — all of which could hopefully give the arthouse market some long-term traction through the summer
Roadside Attractions debuts another pedigreed documentary, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided To Go For It.
The Sparks Brothers, from MRC Non-Fiction, was produced by Wright, Nira Park, George Hencken, and Laura Richardson. It’s a musical odyssey through decades with the brothers and bandmates featuring passionate tributes from Beck, Flea, Jane Wiedlin, Jack Antonoff and Patton Oswalt. It opens on 543 screens in 200 markets.
“People asked to play it. They wanted to play it.
Roadside Attractions debuts another pedigreed documentary, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided To Go For It.
The Sparks Brothers, from MRC Non-Fiction, was produced by Wright, Nira Park, George Hencken, and Laura Richardson. It’s a musical odyssey through decades with the brothers and bandmates featuring passionate tributes from Beck, Flea, Jane Wiedlin, Jack Antonoff and Patton Oswalt. It opens on 543 screens in 200 markets.
“People asked to play it. They wanted to play it.
- 6/18/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Mankind doesn’t follow God because He’s compassionate. Anyone who’s looked through history at the death and destruction wrought in His name should know this all too well. Man follows Him out of fear—a fear so deeply rooted in our DNA that we cling to a fantasy instead of admitting its crippling hold. Because what’s God really saving us from during the rapture? Evil? Science? Ourselves? If we’re to believe God created everything, the only logical answer as to the orchestrator of our demise is Him. Abraham passed God’s test after proving he’d kill his son Isaac. He was granted leniency because he accepted that God’s grace only existed as the carrot opposite His wrath’s stick. Believers are thus nothing more than pawns. Lambs to their savior’s slaughter.
Who wants to confront that truth? Nobody. You either embrace the notion...
Who wants to confront that truth? Nobody. You either embrace the notion...
- 6/17/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Gaia: Following its world premiere at the virtual 2021 SXSW film festival, Jaco Bouwer's Gaia is coming to theaters on June 18th and On Demand on June 25th from Decal Releasing, and we have a look at the film's official trailer.
Directed by Bouwer from a screenplay by Tertius Kapp, Gaia stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk.
Synopsis: "An injured forest ranger on a routine mission is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the son and his renegade father reveal a cultish devotion to the forest. When their cabin is attacked by a strange being it’s clear there is a far greater threat in this unrelenting wilderness."
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Apparel Collection from The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It: "A limited-edition apparel collection from “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is now available on Warner Bros.
Directed by Bouwer from a screenplay by Tertius Kapp, Gaia stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk.
Synopsis: "An injured forest ranger on a routine mission is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the son and his renegade father reveal a cultish devotion to the forest. When their cabin is attacked by a strange being it’s clear there is a far greater threat in this unrelenting wilderness."
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Apparel Collection from The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It: "A limited-edition apparel collection from “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is now available on Warner Bros.
- 6/4/2021
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
"Mother we ask your forgiveness." Decay Releasing has unveiled a chilling full-length official US trailer for an eerie, mysterious eco horror fantasy film titled Gaia from South African filmmaker Jaco Bouwer. We posted a teaser trailer for this a few months ago, as it originally premiered in the Midnighters category at the SXSW Film Festival earlier this year. In the depths of an ancient forest, something has been growing. Something older than humanity itself, and perhaps greater too. When a park ranger discovers a strange man and his son living wild, she stumbles onto a secret that is about to change the world. The horror film stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk. Reviews from SXSW describe it as "a stunning assault on the senses" and "lovers of the defiantly feminine and vengeful natural world will find plenty to chew on in Gaia." This reminds me of Annihilation,...
- 6/3/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
One of the most intriguing developments in the world of indie film the past few months has been the formation of Decal, a distribution company that marks a joint venture between Neon and Bleecker Street. With a focus on home entertainment and new models of distribution, their first acquisition was Jaco Bouwer’s SXSW hit, the horror thriller Gaia. Now set for a theatrical release in a few weeks on June 18, followed by a June 25 digital release, the first trailer and poster have been unveiled.
The film follows an injured forest ranger on a routine mission who is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the son and his renegade father reveal a cultish devotion to the forest. When their cabin is attacked by a strange being it’s clear there is a far greater threat in this unrelenting wilderness.
Starring Monique Rockman,...
The film follows an injured forest ranger on a routine mission who is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the son and his renegade father reveal a cultish devotion to the forest. When their cabin is attacked by a strange being it’s clear there is a far greater threat in this unrelenting wilderness.
Starring Monique Rockman,...
- 6/2/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Gaia Decal will release Gaia in theaters June 18th, 2021 and on demand June 25th, 2021 Directed by Jaco Bouwer Written by Tertius Kapp Starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, Alex van Dyk An injured forest ranger on a routine mission is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows …
The post Gaia Decal will release Gaia in theaters June 18th, 2021 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post Gaia Decal will release Gaia in theaters June 18th, 2021 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 5/31/2021
- by Adrian Halen
- Horror News
World premiering at this year's virtual South by Southwest Film Festival as an official Midnighters selection, Jaco Bouwer's Gaia is teased in a new trailer ahead of its debut screening.
Directed by Bouwer, written and produced by Tertius Kapp, and starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk, Gaia will have its world premiere at the virtual SXSW on Tuesday, March 16th at 6:00pm Cst.
Synopsis: "On a surveillance mission in a primordial forest, a park ranger encounters two survivalists following a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion, and a mysterious relationship to nature. There are many suspicious aspects to their existence, but when the cabin is attacked by strange, post-human beings one night, she learns that there is a greater threat in this emergent wilderness. Gaia is an ecological horror fantasy which engages the burning issues of our time.
Directed by Bouwer, written and produced by Tertius Kapp, and starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk, Gaia will have its world premiere at the virtual SXSW on Tuesday, March 16th at 6:00pm Cst.
Synopsis: "On a surveillance mission in a primordial forest, a park ranger encounters two survivalists following a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion, and a mysterious relationship to nature. There are many suspicious aspects to their existence, but when the cabin is attacked by strange, post-human beings one night, she learns that there is a greater threat in this emergent wilderness. Gaia is an ecological horror fantasy which engages the burning issues of our time.
- 3/9/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
"All you know is excess... and devouring and more, and more!" A festival promo teaser trailer has debuted for an eerie, mysterious eco horror fantasy film titled Gaia from South African filmmaker Jaco Bouwer. This is premiering this month in the Midnighters category at the SXSW Film Festival. In the depths of an ancient forest, something has been growing. Something older than humanity itself, and perhaps greater too. When a park ranger discovers a strange man and his son living wild, she stumbles onto a secret that is about to change the world. The film stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk. This is an instant "wow" teaser, which is exactly what this film needs because it's not easy to get people interested without seeing this footage. And it's veryyyyy cool, I am more than curious about this now. I have no idea what's going on...
- 3/9/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Decal, the newly formed home entertainment distributor from Neon and Bleecker Street, has secured the North American rights to Gaia, a South African horror-thriller directed by Jaco Bouwer. The pic, which is set to debut in the Midnight section of the upcoming virtual SXSW this month, is slated for a theatrical release this Summer.
Starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk, the plot follows a park ranger on a surveillance mission in a primordial forest who encounters two survivalists living a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion and a mysterious relationship to nature.
Tertius Kapp wrote the screenplay and produced the film with Bouwer and Jorrie van der Walt.
Ayo Kepher-Maat negotiated the deal for Decal along with Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films on behalf of filmmakers. XYZ is handling worldwide rights outside of South Africa.
Launched earlier this year,...
Starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk, the plot follows a park ranger on a surveillance mission in a primordial forest who encounters two survivalists living a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion and a mysterious relationship to nature.
Tertius Kapp wrote the screenplay and produced the film with Bouwer and Jorrie van der Walt.
Ayo Kepher-Maat negotiated the deal for Decal along with Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films on behalf of filmmakers. XYZ is handling worldwide rights outside of South Africa.
Launched earlier this year,...
- 3/5/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
"When the real world comes knocking, you won't last two minutes, bro." Altered Innocence has debuted an official Us trailer for a South African drama titled The Harvesters, also known as Die Stropers (which translates directly to The Poachers) in Afrikaans. This premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year, and is getting a small theatrical release this fall. Brent Vermeulen plays a boy named Janno. He is "different, secretive, emotionally frail." One day his mother, fiercely religious, brings home Pieter, a hardened street orphan she wants to save, and asks Janno to make this stranger into his brother. The two start a fight for power, heritage and parental love. The cast includes Alex van Dyk, Juliana Venter, and Morné Visser. From Cannes' Un Certain Regard, "Kallos' debut feature film explores teenage angst and family dynamics set against a harsh yet stunning South African backdrop." Reminds me of God's Own Country in many ways.
- 7/26/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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