Film

The ABCs of Death

  • Horror
  • Very dark
  • Strange
  • Dip in and out

A 26-chapter horror anthology where each letter gets a different director interpreting death however they see fit. Wildly uneven by design—some segments are genuinely brilliant, others bewildering or repellent. It's a showcase reel for international genre talent, less a film than a festival in your living room. For people who want wild swings and don't mind the crashes.

TMDb rating2.5

If you liked this

V/H/S2012

Another anthology that nails the found-footage format with inventive kill scenarios and genuine scares. Different directors, similar energy—shorter segments that mostly hit hard and leave.

But It's messier than a single narrative, and some segments are more effective as concepts than execution. Takes patience.

V/H/S poster

Trick 'r Treat2007

Interconnected Halloween horror stories with real style and bite. Darkly funny, genuinely unsettling, directed with flair. Proves anthology horror can be more than just a gimmick.

But The interweaving plot might feel gimmicky if you're not in the mood for it. Older effects work.

Trick 'r Treat poster

Creepshow1982

Seminal horror anthology with comic-book visual style and A-list direction (Romero and Cronenberg). Stories are genuinely creepy and the film respects its own pulp origins.

But Eighties production values; some segments are stronger than others. The framing device is corny.

Creepshow poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The ABCs of Death

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Requiem for a Dream2000

Both use modular storytelling as a form itself—the structure isn't packaging, it's the point. Each chapter gets its own visual and tonal language.

Aronofsky's four-part descent into addiction, each segment a different type of hell. Like ABCs, it's divided chapters with different visual languages—but they build toward something genuinely shattering rather than episodic. Proves anthology structure can serve thematic unity.

But Deeply nihilistic and punishing to watch. Not entertainment; it's an experience designed to wreck you. Not rewatchable for most people.

Requiem for a Dream poster
More like this (7)

XX2017

Four horror segments directed entirely by women, each with distinct style and vision. Clever, unsettling, often beautiful. Proves anthology horror doesn't need 26 chapters to feel complete.

But Some viewers find the segments overly arty or slow. Shorter runtime means less room to build tension in some cases.

XX poster

Southbound2015

Desert-set horror anthology with seamless storytelling across segments. Visually striking, genuinely eerie mythology. Directors collaborate rather than compete, which makes it feel whole.

But Slower burn than ABCs; if you want immediate shocks, you'll get frustrated early on. Deliberately cryptic.

Southbound poster

Holidays2016

One horror segment per major holiday. Clever premise with real scares and genuine emotion. Directors include feature filmmakers (Kevin Smith, Adam Egypt Mortimer). Consistent quality.

But Uneven tones across chapters; some feel more like dark comedy than horror. Scattered pacing.

Holidays poster

Nightmare Cinema2018

Five segments in a haunted movie theater, each mining a different era of horror cinema. Beautifully shot, meta without being exhausting, real dread underneath.

But Requires some film knowledge to appreciate the references. Slower and more atmospheric than visceral.

Nightmare Cinema poster

Tales of Halloween2015

Ten bite-sized Halloween horror stories, fast-paced and playful. Doesn't take itself too seriously; feels like a party where everyone's sharing ghost stories.

But Very short segments mean minimal character development. Wildly uneven quality; some are barely sketches.

Tales of Halloween poster

Stories We Tell2012

Both question the authority of the director—each segment a different interpretation of the same material, each equally 'true.' ABCs does this accidentally; Haneke does it as the entire point.

Michael Haneke's structured narrative anthology exploring how stories change depending on who tells them. Deliberately formal, intellectually daring, about death and family secrets told across overlapping timelines. Experimental without being pretentious.

But Slow, austere, deliberately obscure about what's real. For viewers patient with ambiguity; others will find it frustrating and distant.

Stories We Tell poster

The Animatrix2003

Like ABCs, it's a collection of auteurs operating in a shared universe without unified vision. Also proves that uneven anthology work can still be worth your time if the peaks are high enough.

Nine anime shorts set in the Matrix universe, each with wildly different animation styles and tonal registers. Some are brilliant sci-fi, others are pure style. Shows how anthology format can be a laboratory for visual experimentation.

But Anime; if that's not your medium, you're out immediately. Quality varies wildly. Some segments feel like deleted scenes rather than standalone stories.

The Animatrix poster

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