What Do You Want In A Horror Film?

[BlackSunProductions]

Everyone has different tastes in horror and I am interested in hearing about your's. As for myself, I enjoy an atmospheric film over blood and guts all over the place. That is not to say that I don't enjoy the bloodbaths, only that if The Ring and Saw 2 were showing at the same time, I would watch The Ring (unless it was the disappointing sequel). So, what about you? Is it blood and guts, atmosphere, or a what-the-fuck twist that draws you in?

[alkytrio666]

Atmospheric, but not like The Ring.

More like The Haunting (1963), Cat People (1942), The Brood (1979), and The Descent (2006).

Movies that have a plot to go along with their scares.

[slayer666]

I too like a creepy atmosphere far more than blood and gore. But if I had to put my finger on one thing that differentiates the great horror films from the forgettable, it would have to be the degree to which the viewer is drawn in to caring about the characters. I see horror making the mistake of offering simplistic one-dimensional characters more than any other genre. When this happens, the movie ceases to be scary, as I have little emotional involvement. As the characters become little more than props to be victimized, the movie loses its impact.

[Roderick Usher]

what Slayer said.

If you can't empathize with the characters, no amount of grue, gore, scares or atmoshphere can save a film for me. But if you actually care for the characters you can quite litereally get away with murder. I want the characters to live and breathe.

I want to see real reactions to terror.

I want a single phrase to send shivers up my spine.

I want someone to make movies about what scares them... this will usually translate to scaring the audience.

I want something Gothic and Contemporary at the same time.

I want acting to be emphasized as much as the make-up fx.

I want to see shades of gray instead of good vs evil.

I want things to end on a bleak note.

[Spec7ral]

I pretty much like everything. I can fully appreciate an no-plot no-brain no-acting splatterfest as much as I can appreciate a twisted-plot well-acted mind thriller type horror. Shit is mad real out there, people how tons of great ideas and i like em all (except for the pure shit)

[HungryJoe]

I'm with Spec7ral on this one. I watch everything, sometimes a good splatter film is what the doctor ordered.

Characters are very important in movies though, if you can't relate to the characters then you can't experience the true horror.

[crabapple]

Thinky. I like being able to interpret what I am seeing instead of having explanations spoon-fed to me. I like a few loose ends here and there that are never resolved or explained. I like characters that every so often do something quite unexpected and out of character.

[urgeok]

i want one to suprise me .. take me where no other film has taken me before

(and i dont mean in a 'faces of death way')

i want characters i can care about ..
i want as much attention paid to the score and lighting as to the screenplay, acting, and fx.

i want to feel wonder .. i want to forget i'm watching a movie.
i want to see something beyond my own imagination.
i want something i can remember and think about long after the movie ends.




or - barring any of that - tits .. lotsa big bouncy tits.

[the_real_linda]

erm....to get scared????

[Elvis_Christ]

I love the exploitative splattery bloodbaths. Intensity, atomosphere and great characters are the icing on the cake. I love shit like Maniac, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and The New York Ripper.

I really dig the crazy demented comic book style stuff its done well like House of 1000 Corpses and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2.

[Disease]

I want a good music score, something that realy adds to the movie and the atmosphere. No obvious scenes of jumps, at least 5 human deaths, a good plot, and some tits.

[bwind22]

Lots of blood & unique kill scenes. A cool killer/monster/villain. Boobs are a must.

[Elvis_Christ]

i think asia has the creepy ghost thing down

Definatley overkilled it.

[Raym Hensley]

I want mystery in my horror movies.

[Tisha]

I want a movie that makes me check under the bed and search the closet before going to sleep. Maybe a few nightmares about it would be nice, too. I want one to SCARE me, but I've seen so many that it's really hard to find .

[vanlutz]

Something new and original.