October marks the start of spooky season: a month that promises Halloween candy and a myriad of slasher flicks to match. Although far from traditional Egyptian celebrations, Halloween has recently come to be celebrated in the country’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities as a byproduct of globalization. A 2018 study by the American Psychological Association found that some people enjoy horror movies because they help them gain a sense of control from the safety of their living room couches or darkened movie theaters. Though Egyptian horror movies are often intertwined with comedy, old school Egyptian movies still have some truly bone chilling gems. For the conspiracy theorists, the ghost hunters, and the post-apocalyptic thriller enthusiasts who want to melt into their couches as they wade the scares of horror movies: read on for our selection of frightening Egyptian films. Safeer Gohanam – 1954 Safeer Gohanam (Hell’s Ambassador, 1945) is often described as the ‘first Egyptian horror movie.’ Directed by Youssef Wahbi, the movie follows the story of a devil disguised in the form of a rich man, who seeks a poor family and offers them a huge fortune. The movie…
