what's cool and what sucks in a horror flick

[majickdog]

i'm writing a slightly conventional monster/slasher flick and i'm interested in what you horror fans love about these movies. i also want to know what things are particularly annoying about them.
basically, i want to know what separates the good from the bad in your opinion (as far as the script goes, acting isn't a factor yet).
anyone have any input?

[slasherman]

....do not have any comedy in it...I'm sick of horror movies with comedy....and make sure your slasher looks cool/evil and have no mercy....

[alkytrio666]

Original killings. Create things that haven't been done yet, INVENT!

I, too, am a filmmaker, and I've found that if you do something new, no matter how cheesy it looks on camera it's still cool 'cause it's fresh.

[majickdog]

well, i think i'm on the right track with the sick, gory death scenes that have never been done before. i described a couple of them to a buddy of mine and he was absolutely disgusted. in fact, he said it was a little too sick and that maybe i should ease up on the sadism.
as for the comedy, though, don't you think that a little humour makes the horror more horrific? if it was all terror all the time you might become desensitized, i would think. comedy helps create a contrast and if you follow it up with something brutal, then the audience is always on its toes. isn't it best to have your emotions yanked around in every direction? just wondering.

[slasherman]

Originally posted by majickdog
isn't it best to have your emotions yanked around in every direction? just wondering.
...nope....

[majickdog]

ok then.

[alkytrio666]

I think you're right. it is better with some comedy.

[Doc Faustus]

A sense of humor is good, but only if it doesn't get in the way and doesn't detract from the horror. Original killing is also important, but what I like is an interesting, cool origin and a reason for what is happening to occur. A good intelligent psychological impetus, one besides child abuse. We all know that a poor upbringing can create society's monsters, but what else does? What's also good is when a horror movie shows you something that's scary that you don't think about as scary. It's cool to see new threats and the things that really threaten people. Moral prerogative also makes horror stronger, conventional or not, it's good to have something to say. Otherwise, you're just putting another couple dinoflagellates into our cultural swimming pool. If you're interested in serious feedback, doctoring or just an opinion of your premise, feel free to IM me. I'd like to do whatever I can to help a decent movie come to pass.

[majickdog]

sounds like you should be writing a horror movie.
that's exactly the kind of response i was looking for.
although i agree with your views on new threats and using things that aren't usually thought of as horrifying, i'm trying to keep this as simple and conventional as possible (to appeal to the broadest audience), and my goal is to stretch the boundaries of the traditional horror film without adding too many elements to it. let me explain:
i love horror movies. i always have. what bugs me is that there are so many made that should be good, but aren't. and it drives me nuts that people can't take this simple formula, inject something fresh into it, and make a good scary movie. usually it's a bad script shot by a director who has no idea how to build suspense or pull an OK performance out of a bad actor. i'm writing this movie because i want to prove that, if a filmmaker knows what he/she is doing, a straight up horror flick can actually be good.
i'm also writing a short film about an artist who goes insane, and everyone i know thinks i should scrap the idea because it's a big fat cliche. and they're right, but have you ever seen it done well? please, give me an example.
anyway, thanks for the input, and i might take you up on that IM offer.

[scouse mac]

Pretty sure the loon in Driller Killer was a frustrated artist, been a while since i last saw this film so cant recall how good/bad it is tho

[Zero]

Also frustrated artists in:
Bucket of Blood and the Judd Nelson classic Flinch - *shudders*

[majickdog]

i saw Slumber Party Massacre, and i'm pretty sure that psycho was called "the driller killer". is that who you're talking about? i don't remember him being a crazy artist. i do remember that it was kind of awful, though.
never seen bucket of blood or flinch. any good?

[The_Return]

HOUSE OF WAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear god man, please dont tell me you havnt seen House of Wax!! 1953, Vincent Price's 1st major horror role. He plays Henry Jarodd, an incredibly talented artist in wax....that is until his greedy business partener burns down his gallery for the insurance money. Jarodd is presumed dead, but ressurfaces some years later to open a brand new wax museum. His hands are charred from the fire, but that seems to be the only damage....or could his mind be more destroyed than a body ever could be?


The Epitome of "tortured artist" flicks.

[scouse mac]

Originally posted by majickdog
i saw Slumber Party Massacre, and i'm pretty sure that psycho was called "the driller killer". is that who you're talking about? i don't remember him being a crazy artist. i do remember that it was kind of awful, though.
never seen bucket of blood or flinch. any good?

The Driller Killer is an Abel Ferrara film from the late seventies, its very notorious and im sure it was one of the films that helped start all that video nasty bullshit in the eighties

[slasherman]

Originally posted by scouse mac
The Driller Killer is an Abel Ferrara film from the late seventies, its very notorious and im sure it was one of the films that helped start all that video nasty bullshit in the eighties
..one of the most overrated horror movies ever....this movie is boring

[scouse mac]

its been so long since ive seen it cant remember too much about it, think the main character was a whining little shit which doesn't help