Urgent Help

[johnpaul]

I have an assignment due, and I need to research an audience's expectations of a horror film.

So, if you could post what you, as somebody that would watch horror movies, expect to see when you pay your money and watch a film.

Thanks,

JP

[slayer666]

Didn't we already do this? I swear I responded to this same request in another thread a couple days ago.

[johnpaul]

I asked the question earlier, but nobody responded. Plus I put it in the film-maker thread, but figured putting it here would get more attention.

[scaryminda15]

kick arse twisted endings, awesome action, scare the pants of me, and some comedy to think everything is fine than cobam the killer, oh and some real blood effects will be awesome just a flawless movie so the viewer can focus on the movies horror espec.

[bwind22]

Ample gore (not neccesarily graphic, cheesy is good too)

At least decent acting

Unique plot

Original killer or villain

Use of real SFX as opposed to CGI that looks like crap

Good ending (I'm partial to the NOTLD "kill 'em all" sorta ending, but it's possible to have a happy ending that is also good.)

[missmacabre]

I expect a plot! and character development! Same things I expect in any movie but I also expect some well done gore. I don't like my gore too over the top most of the time.... Flashes of extreme gore tend to make a real impact on me though. Anywayyy.. I also expect good atmosphere and... good acting is a plus?

[Demonique]

I agree that plot development and character development are essential too. Good acting is a must or it doesn't matter how good the plot is - the actors kill it. Atmosphere is also an essential ingredient- whether it is old, dirty rooms as in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Saw II, or empty desolation as in The Hills Have Eyes or Desperation, or dark eerieness as in Pitch Black, The Descent or Silent Hill. The Atmosphere is a large part of the movie. Sparse use of CGI is also preferred, real SFX are much better. Sound and picture quality is also important - you can often tell a cheap movie right from the first scene. A horror movie without it's share of gore and blood is just a suspense film. I like most endings, twists are good but I hate a movie that ends and sit there thinking "what? - that made no sense at all!". I likely won't watch a movie like that again. Underlying subthemes in horror movies give them more dimension such as Dawn of the Dead (the original). It was a horror movie with a little social commentary thrown in for good measure. A movie with that kind of depth also stands out.
OK - I'm done

[Roderick Usher]

First off, if this is for a grade, you should put a little more work into your question. What do we expect or what do we want? How about listing a few options, make it look like you're trying.

Now to answer the question as best I can without any guidelines. I expect a horror movie to suck, because most of them do.

I want a horror movie to scare me. And the only way to scare me is to make me care about the characters and believe the world in which they exist. I want shocking subject matter, but that doesn't necessarily mean explicit gore (although I do like the gore.) I want originality or a fresh perspective on a cliche. I want something with heavy philosophical/political/religious meaning that is expressed in such a manner that I'm not fully aware of it's depth until after the credits roll. I want to be amazed, inspired and taken away to another place and time.

[crabapple]

What do I expect when I pay to see a horror film?

In a nutshell? Market research.

Tons and tons and tons of really obnoxious market research, but very flimsily disguised as something else.

[stenchofdeath]

When i see a horror film, i want it to live up to the hype that is usually surrounding it.

To have seen a trailer and to go into the theatre with a rough idea of what the film will be like and to be blown away by some really unique and fresh storyline i.e Hostel/ Saw.

I want to have the storyline making me believe that something is happening, when in fact at the end it's nothing like i was expecting at all.

I want a movie to be fast, full-on and in your face mentally challenging to watch i.e. Dawn of the dead (remake)

I want to leave the theatre with a "what if that really happened" thought in my head.:cool: