1 thing you'd still like to see in a horror film.

[twoguysandafilm]

Hey Everyone!

I'm pretty new to HDC and thought I might get acquainted with you all by starting a conversation. So, here goes...

What is one thing you would like to see in a horror film, that you haven't yet?

Also, in your opinion what's the most over played thing?

TGAAF

[The Villain]

Something i'd like to see that i havent yet? That's a really hard question. A lot's been done. Most over played thing though, the mirror gag. If you dont know what i mean by that it's when a character looks in the mirror and there's nothing behind them and then they look away and look back and there's now someone in it. It's been done way too many times and with way too many variations that its obvious and boring.

[Sistinas666]

I'd like to see Sofia Vergara topless in any genre, but horror the most so she runs and jiggles.........(srry, imma perv)


Welcome to the forum, btw.....

[fortunato]

This is an interesting question, because as jaded horror fans this question is always in the backs of our brains, fueling our complaining, but is rarely ever addressed directly. I think deconstructing the cliches is always important, taking apart the things that have become tired and uninteresting; Hitchcock did it, Romero did it, Hooper and Carpenter did it, etc. I guess it'd be nice to see some larger-scale revolution like that today. We get some here and there in smaller films, but we're definitely stuck, with few exceptions, in a bad cycle in Hollywood horror right now.

[twoguysandafilm]

I guess it'd be nice to see some larger-scale revolution like that today. We get some here and there in smaller films, but we're definitely stuck, with few exceptions, in a bad cycle in Hollywood horror right now.

I completely agree with you. A change in today's formula would be a nice way to enter into a new era of horror.

"The Villian" - I also agree that the mirror gag is over played. As a whole I think that the slasher film has seen its heyday and is worn out. I never usually like those films as much anyway.

What about this wave of "Real" or for lack of better term paranormal activity style films, is that where we are going? I tend to find them very gimmicky myself.

[crabapple]

I'll tell ya--I would like to see an infusion of "other material, themes and tones" in horror. The typical horror flick sort of swims in its own gruesome obsessiveness and exists playing variations of one note. Too much "pure horror" and not much real humor and character or even story depth. Too much primal fear and a focus on that as the "only topic of horror."

I would like to see other material, organic stuff, that breaks that up and loosens up the feel of the material.

[fortunato]

I'll tell ya--I would like to see an infusion of "other material, themes and tones" in horror. The typical horror flick sort of swims in its own gruesome obsessiveness and exists playing variations of one note. Too much "pure horror" and not much real humor and character or even story depth. Too much primal fear and a focus on that as the "only topic of horror."

I would like to see other material, organic stuff, that breaks that up and loosens up the feel of the material.

Absolutely, crabby. All horror needs to be rooted in something in order to transcend the mere genre. There's an interesting book by David Skal called The Monster Show, and his main thesis states that times of great social, cultural, and/or political turmoil are shortly followed by a revolution in horror films; these waves are reactions. So given the chaos we're living in now, perhaps we're due for a new golden age of horror.

[sfear]

This may sound crazy but I'd like to see someone qualified, like Richard Matheson or Stephen King, touch up the Nutcracker and turn it into a really good horror film. Not a major revision; there's enough creepiness in it already that all you'd need is some subtle creativity and BAM I think you'd have another classic on your hands.

What's been over done are these stories where, yeah, maybe there is a ghost and maybe there isn't. You decide. Blah, I like the stories where the ghost or whatever supernatural element your dealing with is real. I like psychological thrillers as much as anybody but wishy-washy ghost stories --- :eek:

[twoguysandafilm]

Nutcracker as a horror flick might be interesting.

I'll tell ya--I would like to see an infusion of "other material, themes and tones" in horror. The typical horror flick sort of swims in its own gruesome obsessiveness and exists playing variations of one note. Too much "pure horror" and not much real humor and character or even story depth. Too much primal fear and a focus on that as the "only topic of horror."

I would like to see other material, organic stuff, that breaks that up and loosens up the feel of the material.

I think genre blending is great but I'm also on board with a horror film revolution! The problem I think with adding a lot of humor into a horror movie is that it lightens the mood too much. Unless you use creepy humor and then its not really accomplishing what you are talking about.

so for example give me two movies you'd mesh together.

[The Villain]

I dont see why Horror should be blended with anything. Why can't it live on its own? I'm all for more character development and depth but why fuse other genres into it?

[crabapple]

Fortunato is correct...It's not so much "genre blending," really, as just taking a piece in the horror genre and giving it depth and resonance and roots in aspects of culture other than this "universal fear of death" which being basic to everyone's consciousness is an "easy out" for a horror filmmaker and an excuse to make something that's basic, simple and boring.

Take a movie like "The Howling," that's a really interesting flick and a lot of fun to watch. Not only is it rather funny but there are strong elements of pop psychology and marital infidelity in the story--not to mention some strong dashes of post-traumatic stress disorder in the main character--

...and all of this detail is taking place within a story that also delivers on the solid meat-and-potatoes horror goods like monsters, violence and suspense. It gives you the elements of a basic genre product but also much, much more, and arguably it is a very good film. I think it's good because it gives your brain much to think about; you are not merely "feeling the fear."

The price of such a movie? Well, it takes time and effort to write something like that. I would love to see more people delivering not just the bare minimum but a bigger and tastier enchilada. One gets the impression that many in the audience have never tasted a really tasty enchilada, and don't know what they're missing!

[sfear]

I don't see anything wrong with it. Isn't FRANKENSTEIN a blend of sf and horror?

[The Villain]

Scifi is a little different then blending let's say action or comedy. They're both pretty close to each other.

There's nothing wrong with blending genres at all, i just don't think it's necessary for every horror movie.

It would be nice to see more horror movies that created an element of fear though. An atmosphere that what you're watching is actually scary and could potentially frighten you instead of just endless jump scares and annoying horror "action" sequences.

[sfear]

Scifi is a little different then blending let's say action or comedy. They're both pretty close to each other.

There's nothing wrong with blending genres at all, i just don't think it's necessary for every horror movie.

It would be nice to see more horror movies that created an element of fear though. An atmosphere that what you're watching is actually scary and could potentially frighten you instead of just endless jump scares and annoying horror "action" sequences.

Yeah, I agree with much of what you say, but something like comedy and horror can work if done right. Check out Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein to see what I mean. I don't think sf and horror are all that close to each other however. SF is to varied and versatile to be a close cousin of horror. But as THE THING and ALIEN have proved the two are easily meshed.

You're right though, not every horror movie need be blended with another genre to be original, but blending can be a way to avoid stagnation by, say, dumping ghouls on the Somme or sneaking vampires into the O.K. Corral.

Your last point hits the thumb right on the nail, which is why Robert Wise's THE HAUNTING just might be the scariest movie ever made, at least to me.

[fortunato]

There's nothing wrong with blending genres at all, i just don't think it's necessary for every horror movie.

I'm definitely not arguing that horror must be blended with another genre to be great. I don't believe that at all, but like crabby was saying above, it must be grounded in something more than genre tropes. Nosferatu was rooted in Germany's fear of the rest of the world, of foreigners; Godzilla was a reaction to the atomic bomb; Rosemary's Baby played on the anxiety of its generation; etc. This is what I would like to see in popular horror cinema today, films that are fueled by and deal with latent societal and cultural fears, that in being contemporary in that way, they become timeless.

[The Villain]

I'm definitely not arguing that horror must be blended with another genre to be great. I don't believe that at all, but like crabby was saying above, it must be grounded in something more than genre tropes. Nosferatu was rooted in Germany's fear of the rest of the world, of foreigners; Godzilla was a reaction to the atomic bomb; Rosemary's Baby played on the anxiety of its generation; etc. This is what I would like to see in popular horror cinema today, films that are fueled by and deal with latent societal and cultural fears, that in being contemporary in that way, they become timeless.

Ok now that i will definitely agree with.

[Doc Faustus]

I think Kevin Smith's Red State deserves some credit for at least trying that.

[fortunato]

I think Kevin Smith's Red State deserves some credit for at least trying that.

I'd still like to see it for that reason. I know that I've heard complaints that the film rather lazily and facilely makes a spectacle of religious fanaticism. Do you think that's the case at all?

[The Villain]

I'd still like to see it for that reason. I know that I've heard complaints that the film rather lazily and facilely makes a spectacle of religious fanaticism. Do you think that's the case at all?

I think that movie just lost it's point entirely as it went on

[twoguysandafilm]

Red State was good for the most part. I thought it started strong and faded as it went on. The one thing I do love is how it was distributed. As an indie filmmaker myself, its great to see an evolution in the system.

--
@2guysandafilm

[Doc Faustus]

It sort of petered out. But it was brave of Smith to switch genres and brave of him to address one of the most dangerous forces in the American psyche. I really liked it and stand behind it for that reason, warts and all.

[fortunato]

It sort of petered out. But it was brave of Smith to switch genres and brave of him to address one of the most dangerous forces in the American psyche. I really liked it and stand behind it for that reason, warts and all.

Excellent. I'll have to Netflix it, then.