Horror Films

[Generic Skinhead]

Since the vast majority of people on this board seem to make them, I'd just like to know why? I'm sorta confused I thought films like Citizen Kane, One flew over the cuckoo's nest, casablanca etc were the "classics" as opposed from Halloween and Night of the Living Dead...So gentleman what is your motivation? Money? Fame? Respect? Love of the genre? Fun? Something to offend your parents with?

[sdchown]

I said it in a previous post I will say it again. Horror films span all Genres of filmmaking. They include elements of Action, Suspense, Humour and Drama.

Thus they are the apex of the filmmaking craft. You could even say that Horror movies are what all other films are aspiring to be.

Oh, they are fun too.

I suggest you look under the skin of horror movies to see what really makes them work. Its not the monsters or the blood. Its the underlying mundane fear that makes you uneasy and allows the work to make you afraid.

For example in the Amityville horror, its not the ghosts that are really making you afraid, its the fact that the people in the movie invested in a house that turned out to be a bad investment. The rest of the film is built on top of this.

And this kind of thing is going on in most of the 'classic' horror movies.

Go through a list of great horrors and figure out what the underlying issue is.

Plus all the little touches, the way there will always be something between the camera and the subject (furniture, tree branches - watch a few movies to pick up on this), to heighten tension. So that we feel as a viewer that we can not help them. There are dozens of these little things going on as well.

I think horror is an overlooked genre. Anything that requires a lot of thought to work successfully is deserving of attention. Dig deeper and you will see there is much to be enjoyed.

Later
Stephen

[This message has been edited by sdchown (edited July 25, 2001).]

[eddie]

As far as Im concerned it is easier to make a horror film than any other type.

When enrolling vollunteers I find that everyone knows something about horror films, and have a common background in them. Not everyone has seen citizen Kane, or wants to so you cant talk the same language.

Most of film making is communcation. People need to understand what each other is talking about. Horror is a good foundation for that. Besides horror fans are usually the eaisest to co-operate with and have a sense of humour (try asking someone whose favourite film is Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise to be camerman, and not get a 1000 new ideas that they REALLY WANT TO TRY OUT - but you havent got time to try).

Im not against going with ideas, but usually on set is the last place to try something just for the sake of it. (Unless they are actors).

Besides everyone knows how to scream.

It also means having fun, since most horror films are really comedies anyway and anyone who watches it might be more likely to laugh (and like it) than knowingly appreciating some half arsed low budget attempt at something clever. (like a drama that actually means something.)

[ilpostino]

I guess horror is an easy place to start, whether your writing or directing, most people know how to act scared. It's a lot easier to do than pretending to fall in love.

Eddie says they're comedies I think really he's right, rather we laugh at them than with them which for directors and actors makes the whole acting process easier, the focus is not on anything but the horror and horror is just being sick or scary and generally ridiculous.

Also correct me if I'm wrong but I think a lot of the horror filmmakers are generally younger than other filmmakers people who might not have anything thing yet to write about from their own lives, after all making films is as much about bringing what you know about life onto the screen as anything else.


[This message has been edited by ilpostino (edited July 25, 2001).]

[hairbrain]

Lost Highway
Blue Velvet
Jaws
Repulsion
Jacobs Ladder
Dont Look Now

All fantastic "classic" movies which transport you into a world of fear, nervousness, and darkness

[sdchown]

The people who are making a horror movie because they are thinking "Horror movie, that cool!" are most likely going to make Shit movies. They may be entertaining in a "thats so crap its kind of funny" way, but thats it. They are not going to be GOOD movies.

Horror is actually an incredibly complex genre, and difficult to do well.

However, I have screenplays for a Horror, a Period action, a suspense and a romantic comedy. Just so that you don't box me in that Horror Guy that can be safely ignored box.

I love all films. Horror is the genre that I came to latest. I never watched them because frankly I was too scared. But by my early 20s there was nothing else to watch in the video shop that I hadn't seen and I started taking them out.

Now I love them.

Later
Stephen




[This message has been edited by sdchown (edited July 25, 2001).]

[Generic Skinhead]

Interesting you should mention "the cool factor"-where I come from horror is much maligned-the lowest form of filmaking if you will. I'm not saying it is-but a lot of people dismiss it as worthless low end entertainment with nothing valid to offer. So I doubt these guys are doing it for the "Cool Factor." I don't think the "cool factor" is the right motivation to make any film...I always felt horror was best left to books...

I never really watched the things but I caught a few on TV over the last few weeks so I might understand the massive interest on the board. They are:

Wishmaster: dire
Nightmare on Elm Street 1 and 3: Pretty laughable
Poltergeist: Sad
Night of the Living Dead (1990): Pretty funny
Gremlins 2: Very funny

So...any more theories on why?

[ilpostino]

Horror can be complex but I get the feeling most people hear are making un complex horror movies, (your self excluded sdchown).

To make a horror film that really is scary and not laughable it must also be very up to date with current thinking, now a days most people have been desensitised to a lot of "bad shit". I think what classes as a horror film is something with suspense followed by a sickening, disgusting or horrible act of violence. You can make this all the more effective by creating a bond between the audience and the character. Then make even more horrid a scene by giving it some relevance to the films characters situations etc etc.

[ilpostino]

No the cool factor isn't a reason in itself to make a film, not for most people, but if you've ever heard the phrase glamour kid then you'll know what I'm talking about.

Also when your a young teenager I think because something is cool then it is a reason to do something if not the only reason to do something.

P.S

I don't understand the recent fascination with guns on this board, I just put it down to some young people getting ideas for films, I don't need to watch a load of gun fight movies to work that one out.

P.P.S

Personally I don't watch horror movies in general, simply because I find most of them predictable and scary.

[This message has been edited by ilpostino (edited July 25, 2001).]

[eddie]

Im making a very uncomplex horror movie, because I know that it will have an audience.
But its strange, although it is a fundamentally very simple (brain dead?) story all sorts of imagery has surfaced. Im probably the only one who cares about that, but I can see it. Many (mostly) accidental sexual references, and some fresh ideas.

For the record I am one of the older filmmakers on this forum, and my life has been chocked full of things to 'write about' and have written many of them down - but ultimatley its interesting that none of them have made it to the screen, whereas a cheap half arsed horror film has done. Perhaps in a weird way that answers your question? (Maybe it just means that for all my 'life experience' none of it counts for jack shit?)

i think for me this is why its worked(working) out. because I havent tried to say anything....everyone works in different ways I guess