Horror Films

[sdchown]

Suspense followed by sickening violence, does not a horror movie make. That is one small subset of horror.

Maybe thats where the confusion comes in here.

What about psyhcological horror (Jacob's Ladder, The Hand etc.) There may be violence in these, but not GORE.

Do you mean Horror movies or Gory movies?

There are other types I am sure, but I can't think of any offhand. At work..brain frozen...

Personally, I am not going to commit myself to some kind of project unless I have researched it. Read and watched everything I can lay my hands on about it. Thought of something fresh to do with it.

This way hopefully I can avoid doing anything that is derivative.

Later
Stephen

[sdchown]

Oooh ooh more thoughts come unbidden...

Of course horror movies are predictable. If any of you watched Scream at the cinema you will know what I am talking about here.

You knew when the jumps were coming. Didn't you? But you jumped along with everybody else. Didn't you?

Thats part of the attraction. Its fear, but its controlled and safe fear. Thats why we watch them. Its the same reason we go on Rollercoasters (or I do anyway)

And as a filmmaker, its going to be really satisfying being the one who can bring those emotions to the audience.

This is all getting too deep. Can we get back to name calling? (I feel this discussion is out of place on this board now)

Later
Stephen

[Generic Skinhead]

Some good points...however maybe the reason i can't relate is because i NEVER find horror films scary. At all. Plenty of films are creepy-The Birds, Blair Witch etc.

I'm all for tension. There is tremendous skill in pulling off tension. But mindless gore just don't cut the mustard. It's all very well talking about all the great elements of horror, but that assumes somebody somewhere is making INTELLIGENT horror films. I remain a sceptic.

[ilpostino]

Okay so horror has more to it than suspense then a horrible act of violence. Maybe there's loads of type's of horror movies, I don't know because I don't watch those films in general nor do have much of an interest in them, in fact I'm not sure why I even got involved in this.

What I will say Mr Eddie is that I think the "bring what you know about life" thing applies to filmmaking in general not just to specific genres, I heard that from a guy who's mates with Terry Gillingham by the way (oooohhhhh). However from the point of view of a teenager I think making horror films has a strong Coolness (if that's a word) attached to it, and that was enough reason for me and my friends when I was that age to do anything.

[eddie]

yeah I agree with that of course: write about what you know about, otherwise its just fantasy, and usually transparent.

Has anyone here seen Ring ? Very creepy, and I think genuinely scary -

To Mr Skinhead, Im suprised youve never been scared by a flick, I think you ought to watch more films.

To Mr Postman, I agree again, but I think the 'cool factor' dries up after working on a film for 3 months to find it really isnt that good after all. Its more fun and easier to talk about movies (or anything) than make them - hence the myriads of critics in the world - and how busy this forum is!

[Generic Skinhead]

Hmmm...I'm a teenager and I've never done anything for the cool factor...I just make stuff for myself...if people like it good, if not...I'm not here to impress my mates, I'd much rather impress someone with a backround in film...Anyway if I was to do a horror film on a tiny budget even my mates would slate me...I want to enjoy myself, but I'd rather have my work taken seriously then try to be "cool."

Eddie: Give me 5 films you found scary and I will watch them.

Avaunt Garde German cinema-now thats scary...Like "M" or the cabinet of dr Caligari...gives me the heebie jeebies

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

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

[sdchown]

I can think of only a handful of movies I haven't enjoyed. Really, I mean it.

Name the crappest movies you can think of and I will tell you that I was able to take something positive away from it.

The trick is to have no expectations. The trick is to suspend disbelief.

The reason you are not scared of movies, is because you don't let yourself be. Your internal argument goes like this.

Me: Hey this is scary.
Me: Don't worry!
Me: Why not?
Me: Because its just a movie...Thats not a monster, its all just lights...and see thats not blood, its....

And so on.

Be like a child and take everything at face value. Make an effort and you will enjoy everything.

Jeesh, listen to me. I sound like a lecturer or something. Feel free to ignore me, I am full of shit.

Seriously though. I am in LOVE with movies. All movies. Chick Flicks, Drama, Artsy-Fartsy, Chop-Socky, Horror. Everything. I find when I am not talking about movies, I am just making smalltalk.

This was fun. Now start a thread about why do people like action movies, and I will argue about how GREAT they are...

Later
Stephen

[eddie]

AH, so you like Abstract German Expressionism then..... cant say Ive seen many, but a few Swankmajer films are creepy... why not:
1- The Ring
2- The Wendigo
3- Carnival of Lost Souls
4- Alien
5- Texas Chainsaw Massacre
6- Rosemarys Baby

as a start...

[The Baines Hunt Rebel]

i don't know why people don't make westerns anymore. or swashbucklers, thats what star wars is. these are films with properly defined stories and charecters. i've never been to the cinema and seen people stand up and boo the baddie or cheer the goodie, they used to, wouldn't that be fantatic. to forget about art and entertain to that level.

[eddie]

when I showed circus of the damned in a pub a couple of years ago, everyone boo'ed the bad guy and cheered when one vampire was killed. truly one of the best nights of my life.

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