Are These Horror Films?

[GhostDog]

Originally Posted by Giganticface

I have a really broad definition of horror, too, but like metternich I believe films can legitimately be multi-genre. I consider genre classifications to be additive, rather than exclusive. I consider all of the films on your list horror in some sense.

However, for the sake of discussion, if I were to give each of those films one major genre, it would be this:

Battle Royale - Adventure. Although since body parts get splattered all over the place, and children are killing each other, I'd say it's also a "gore" film, which isn't necessarily horror, but usually is. And also an exploitation film.

American Psycho - Black Comedy. Although since he murders people violently, it's a good candidate for being classified as Horror -- the psychotic killer variety, ala Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (subject-wise, not tone-wise). Since the movie is about the killer, not the victims, to me, that doesn't meet one of the core qualities of a horror film. I'd put it in the same realm as Sightseers.

Donnie Darko - Drama. However, it's also *almost* equal parts Horror. The film truly is about the victim, tormented by his own psychological plight. And it's pretty dang creepy. This one was the toughest choice for me.

Predator - Action. And to a lesser degree, Sci-Fi. However, I agree with metternich that it's like a slasher, and you could make a case that it's Horror at its core.

Terminator - Action. Although it contains plenty of horror elements -- not as typical as Predator though. Also, obviously, largely Sci-Fi.

Se7en - Crime Thriller, based on its primary plot structure. The detectives aren't really under attack by the killer, and you only find out that they are via the twist. However, it's hella gritty, and extremely influential to the post-2000 horror style that uses that crisp, desaturated look with disturbing set pieces. It belongs on horror lists, of course.

Silence of the Lambs - Crime Thriller, for the same reasons as Se7en. The main character (Clarice) isn't really under attack by Hannibal, and she's the one chasing Buffalo Bill, not the other way around. It's not structured like horror. However, the violence is darn close to horror, and Hannibal is an iconic villain in the horror genre. The scenes with Buffalo Bill qualify as horror scenes, it's just that we don't really know his victim, as she's not really a character in the film, so we don't really see it from her perspective. I do think it's closer to horror than Se7en though.

Cape Fear - It's been too long since I've seen this one, so I won't really comment. I don't remember considering it primarily horror when I saw it though -- more of a thriller with a really bad bad guy.

This is what I'm talking about. Thank you for your intricate and well-written comment.

Originally Posted by The Bloofer Lady

Donnie Darko is the closest one to what I might say is horror. Predator and The Terminator sci/fi and most of the others being crime drama. Battle Royale is sort of hard to pinpoint.

I agree with you, Battle Royale is hard to pinpoint. In fact Battle Royale is one of the main reasons for this thread.

I'm happy that things are starting to pick up.

[Sculpt]

I find categorizing films as fun.

This is the scenario... you work at a film rental place that separates their films by genre. So if I had to pick a shelf for these, I'd go:

Horror:
Battle Royale - the killing scenes are the longest part of the film
American Psycho - the title and subject are very horror in US

Sci-fi:
Predator - space alien, Arnold, big budget, lot's of gadets and effects
Terminator - time travel and what a cyborg would do, decisions and honor, very sci-fiction.

Thriller:
Se7en - rides on the film thrills, mostly about the detectives. I also consider Horror.
Silence of the Lambs - rides on the thrills and intrigue and puzzle of the killer, Hannibal and Clarice.
Cape Fear - Don't remember it well enough... but title/story is more historically Thriller.

Drama:
Donnie Darko - it's more mysterious than thriller or horror. The time travel is so obscure. It's more of a drama to me.

[_____V_____]

The Terminator - Action/Sci-Fi

Cape Fear - Thriller


Predator runs as Terminator as well but several scenes of bodies strung up completely skinned and extremely gory deaths + the stalker/slasher angle in the second half catapult it into horror.

Same goes for Se7en - the deaths and the manner in which they are found, and that sucker punch of a climax takes it into horror territory.

Donnie Darko is more fantasy/thriller than anything else. People have adamantly defended it as a horror film in the past, so I won't argue.

[ferretchucker]

It's an interesting question. Whilst I've been debating the status of Godzilla (2014) as a horror film or not, in fact I mostly agree with David Bordwell on the matter; genre is not the most useful form of classification.

Our current notion of genre derives from both literature, and from a time when films were far less saturated. It exists to help prospective consumers by setting up a series of expectations - "oh yeah, I tend to enjoy films which are sold as "horror" so I'll probably like this one." But now every broad genre is comprised of subgenres, films tend to include significant aspects of other genres in them now etc.

Take Seth MacFarlane's most recent outing - A Million Ways to Die in the West. The title suggests two things - most obviously western, but also elements of "horror." In actual fact, it's much more comedy than either Western or horror, but it features significant gore and death that could align it with horror from an aesthetic standpoint. The fact is, we rely far too heavily on these outdated terms.
Film audiences these days tend to have a pretty wide range of reference materials to draw from so categories can afford to be more specific, in my opinion.

Another example - Tarantino. So he's made gangster films, a western, a war film etc. But more than anything, telling someone that something is a "Tarantino Film" is the most useful way to sell a film to someone.

[Giganticface]

^^^
If you wrote a book, I would read it. Very insightful.

I also agree with Sculpt though. Categorization is fun. :)

[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by ferretchucker

...films tend to include significant aspects of other genres in them now etc.

...Tarantino. So he's made gangster films, a western, a war film etc. But more than anything, telling someone that something is a "Tarantino Film" is the most useful way to sell a film to someone.

Indeed, a large portion of films are very postmodern these days - mixing genres, referencing other films, talking to the camera, even self referential. I love the creativity, and new understandings, that occur with new perspectives... but in film, when there's too much of this hodge podge of subjects, genres, quick change of mood and subject, it compounds the innate gravitation of commercial film producers to fund and copy prior films; so that all films seem the same all the more.

The genre of Directors does seem to be more descriptive of a film than the genre. Do we have any Meryl-Streep-of-directors these days -- a famous director whose films are all 'directorially' very different from eachother?

[Zero]

Silence of the Lambs is horror - the rest are not.

The monkey has spoken!

[GhostDog]

I'd like to add to the discussion that Battle Royale and American Psycho made the Top 20 Horror Films of the 2000's on the horror site Bloody Disgusting.

Battle Royale

American Psycho

[thesowismine]

Gigantic Face did an excellent job, but I would like to add my take on Cape Fear as horror. The villain is truly twisted and evil, relentless, and seems to be unstoppable. He has had plenty of years in jail to plan his revenge against his lawyer, who took pity on his victim and botched his defense (shows what a monster he is): he systematically and viciously carries out his revenge with brutality and cunning. The villain fits the character of the horror genre villain. The terror of the lawyer and his family mounts ever higher 'till the haunting ending; they seem weak and powerless to stop the madman who has been hunting and toying with them. Great horror film, and Robert De Niro's best work in my humble opinion.

[Giganticface]

Originally Posted by thesowismine

Gigantic Face did an excellent job, but I would like to add my take on Cape Fear as horror. The villain is truly twisted and evil, relentless, and seems to be unstoppable. He has had plenty of years in jail to plan his revenge against his lawyer, who took pity on his victim and botched his defense (shows what a monster he is): he systematically and viciously carries out his revenge with brutality and cunning. The villain fits the character of the horror genre villain. The terror of the lawyer and his family mounts ever higher 'till the haunting ending; they seem weak and powerless to stop the madman who has been hunting and toying with them. Great horror film, and Robert De Niro's best work in my humble opinion.

I'll have to see it again. It's been too long and I don't remember much about it, other than I think I liked it. :)