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Old 01-12-2009, 03:36 AM
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Angry Horror movies with romantic elements!

Please forgive me..if the topic has already been discussed in the forum somewhere.

Recently I saw Let The Right One In and Twilight. Now, I'm not here to make a comparison between this 2 films but just want to share & know the thoughts of yours about this kinda horror films. Precisely, the question is do you enjoy/like to see romantic elements in horror films?

Though I truly liked Let the right one in but in general I dislike the 'romance' stuff in horror films. I think we'll all agree that Romance has covered much larger portion than Horror in the history of both literature & cinema and there are probably thousands of great romantic stories out there but why it's been need to put that very common human element in horror films so miserably like the way Blood & Chocolate and Twilight did (actually these aren't horror at all...more like a teenage drama/romance)? Hummm...now I think it's probably the 'teenage romance' stuff that I hate mostly!?!:rolleyes: (perhaps I'm getting too old to tolerate this issue:( )!

Anyways, let the right one in has a greater human story than others and the seemingly the romantic relations between the two leads had been shown in a beautiful way. I believe it's all depends on the story, characterization, how it evolves & relates to the readers or audience and finally the execution or making part as a celluloid product but again I think it's better to keep the Romance factor out of a horror film unless the story & its characters dealt with it or enlighten it quite uniquely or cautiously that can add an extra entertainment value for the ardent horror fans.

It'll be nice of you if you can give me the names of some other so called 'horror' films that has high dose of romantic elements, cause I want to be aware of those films and avoid in future.

[Btw, Twilight sucks! **Spoiler**The vampire family looked so disturbingly 'white'...!]
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  #2  
Old 01-12-2009, 07:54 AM
nicklord1 nicklord1 is offline
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brain dead , dawn of the dead , cemetry man all have a romantic theme
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Old 01-12-2009, 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by roshiq View Post
Anyways, let the right one in has a greater human story than others and the seemingly the romantic relations between the two leads had been shown in a beautiful way. I believe it's all depends on the story, characterization, how it evolves & relates to the readers or audience and finally the execution or making part as a celluloid product but again I think it's better to keep the Romance factor out of a horror film unless the story & its characters dealt with it or enlighten it quite uniquely or cautiously that can add an extra entertainment value for the ardent horror fans.

It'll be nice of you if you can give me the names of some other so called 'horror' films that has high dose of romantic elements, cause I want to be aware of those films and avoid in future.
I agree about your take on romance and horror. However, I think that romance can be effective depending on how it's used in horror movies - if the romance is, in and of itself, and element of the film's horror, then it's successful.

It's interesting that you mention Let the Right One In because, quite frankly, I found the "romance" one of the creepier parts of the movie (when she strips down and gets into bed with him, that was quite possibly the most uncomfortable I've been in the theater; the concept of a sexualized 12-year-old absolutely horrified me, which was obviously the intent). When looking at the movie analytically, pedophilia is just as much a subject of horror as vampirism is: The "young" Eli, though in a 12-year-old's body is quite obviously significantly older... And the concept of this timeless being becoming romantically involved with a 12-year-old... How incredibly gothic, tragic, and macabre.

***SPOILERS***

The final scene of him sitting on the train and scratching on her coffin is probably one of the creepiest images that I've ever seen; a child scratching on their love's literal tomb. It's also clear that the mysterious man doing Eli's murdering at the beginning of the movie is the future Oskar; while Eli and Oskar's relationship is palatable because they are both in the bodies of 12-year-olds, it's clear that there was something more involved in her relationship with the older man... Now THAT is a fantastic genre of horror.

***/SPOILERS***



Then, of course, there's movies like Vertigo and Cemetery Man, where the "romance" is more of an all-encompassing obsession and fascination bordering the unhealthy and macabre. The "romance" in those films is actually the horror.

That's probably the difference between Twilight and LtROI: As you mentioned, Twilight is more teenie-bopper romance. With vampires. LtROI is actually attempting to make a horror movie.
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Old 01-12-2009, 09:04 AM
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Some old thing named Dracula comes to mind...

Better avoid that.
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Old 01-12-2009, 09:42 AM
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What is this "Dracula" of which you speak? And what does it have to do with Romance? :rolleyes:
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Old 01-12-2009, 10:04 AM
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I have nothing against romance if it feels romantic and real. Romance is a thilling thing in real life and it usually feels like a loss of control and is almost always a situation that could very easily end up badly.

Unfortunately the word "romance" has most recently been used to describe forced sentimentality and schmaltz. In most contemporary romance you know the couple will get together before you even buy your ticket.
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Old 01-12-2009, 10:08 AM
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yeah - it works far better in that other type of fantasy : the romantic comedy
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Old 01-13-2009, 02:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChronoGrl View Post

It's interesting that you mention Let the Right One In because, quite frankly, I found the "romance" one of the creepier parts of the movie (when she strips down and gets into bed with him, that was quite possibly the most uncomfortable I've been in the theater; the concept of a sexualized 12-year-old absolutely horrified me, which was obviously the intent). When looking at the movie analytically, pedophilia is just as much a subject of horror as vampirism is: The "young" Eli, though in a 12-year-old's body is quite obviously significantly older... And the concept of this timeless being becoming romantically involved with a 12-year-old... How incredibly gothic, tragic, and macabre.

***SPOILERS***

The final scene of him sitting on the train and scratching on her coffin is probably one of the creepiest images that I've ever seen; a child scratching on their love's literal tomb. It's also clear that the mysterious man doing Eli's murdering at the beginning of the movie is the future Oskar; while Eli and Oskar's relationship is palatable because they are both in the bodies of 12-year-olds, it's clear that there was something more involved in her relationship with the older man... Now THAT is a fantastic genre of horror.
Agree but I thought those were the sweetest & most innocent parts of the film.:)


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Originally Posted by ChronoGrl View Post
What is this "Dracula" of which you speak? And what does it have to do with Romance? :rolleyes:
It's probably the 'spiritual bond' between Dracula & Mina...I think he found that quite romantic!:D

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roderick Usher View Post
Unfortunately the word "romance" has most recently been used to describe forced sentimentality and schmaltz. In most contemporary romance you know the couple will get together before you even buy your ticket.
Ditto!...:D
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Old 01-13-2009, 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by roshiq View Post
now I think it's probably the 'teenage romance' stuff that I hate mostly!?!:rolleyes: (perhaps I'm getting too old to tolerate this issue:( )!
I'm leaning towards this.. and yes, it is getting pretty upsetting to see a movie with romantic elements in it... although I guess they add that cuz that's one of the strongest human emotions, makes people realize certain things, like "omg, I DO love them! I need to save them!" or "Wow, I almost died, LET'S FUCK!"...

so I guess in a sense, it's needed.... :) Just not wanted... :mad:
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