Thoughts on Modern Horror

[JDFP]

The problem with horror movies these days is that it is all about gore, T&A (tits and ass for the great unwashed), and a bunch of unrealistic supermodel looking people never over the age of 30 running around in the film. To number # 1: Some good gore is never bad, but if the film is run by gore, and you have no plot, you have no decent script, you have no decent story to tell, all the gore in this world will not save you. Compare "Hostel" to "The Exorcist" for example. "Hostel" was all about screwed up, crazy-as-hell, gore. "The Exorcist" certainly had its extent of pea-soup pouring moments (and at the time stabbing yourself with a crucifix screaming "Jesus f**k me!" was completely over the top, hell, I'd argue today that it's still over the top). "Hostel" is a messed up gore-fest of just "eww...". However, "The Exorcist" still scares the shit out of me because (especially for the 70s) it had PLENTY of disgusting moments but it wasn't driven by the disgusting moments -- it was all about the story. The story, and the character interaction within said story, has to drive a film first and foremost. Everything else is nothing if you don't have a good story to tell. Max Von Sydow is a brilliant actor (by the way, the only actor I know of who has played a priest, a knight, Satan, and Jesus all together. How many other actors do you know of who have played BOTH Christ and Satan?) and really brought amazing development to the "The Exorcist". Who will remember "Hostel" twenty years from now? To Number # 2: I'm a 28 year old guy, so I'm never going to complain about really good T&A. Give me some Winona Ryder with a...., er, ahem, nevermind. What I am wanting to say is that yes, sex plays an important role in anything. We're sexual creatures. All of us as humans. But, good horror doesn't have to be driven by T&A and sex. Take the original "Twilight Zone" in the 50's for example. There was NEVER any T&A in the original "Twilight Zone", and yet the "Twilight Zone" managed to tell some of the finest horror stories ever developed and even to this day, in my humble opinion of course, some of the finest segments of science-fiction and horror to this day. Rod Serling, Richard Matheson, they all knew it was about the STORY -- give the story credit. The character interaction will flow from the good story, a story worth telling, and if it's really worth telling -- you don't have to pile it up with insane amounts of ridiculous gore for "shock" value and you don't have to pile up any T&A for effect for those of us guys who enjoy a damned good looking gal... Don't get me wrong, there ain't a damned thing in the world wrong with being a guy and seeing Winona or Keira Knightly and thinking "Hmmm...." to yourself, but good horror is NOT about T&A. It's all about the story. I don't know how many times I can express that... it's all about the story. Tell a good story, everything else will fall into place. To number # 3: It seems that the vast majority of movies today (especially horror flicks) are all about people in their 20's who are all extremely fit, all extremely good looking, and all insanely horrid actors. Don't get me wrong -- there are a minor few younger folks who are decent actors/actresses, but it just doesn't seem to be about the craft anymore. Personally, if I see a movie where all the actors/actresses look like supermodels, I just shake my head and sigh and say: "Here we go again..." -- I'm sorry folks, but it is just not realistic. Yes, people want to see 'pretty' people on screen -- but those of us who want to see life realistically want to see real people from all backgrounds. Anyway, I'm drunk off my bloody frakkin' arse. I've been downing Budweiser and smoking non-filtered Pall Mall's all night. I just felt like expressing some stuff (Thanks to Bud helping me out) that has been on my mind as far as modern horror goes for some time. I don't want to really start an argument with anyone. I respect all the folks here, these are just some of my own personal thoughts, my own personal opinions. I welcome anyone else to express their thoughts on "Modern Horror"... personally, I'm going to grab another beer... j.p.

[strayrider]

The problem with horror movies these days is that it is all about gore, T&A (tits and ass for the great unwashed), and a bunch of unrealistic supermodel looking people never over the age of 30 running around in the film. Though I have edited out 99% of your comments, they are 100% true. Horror is today, as it was 20-years ago, based on the T&A factor, in general. Films like Dawn of the Dead are exceptions to the "rule" and, in fact, set the bar for films in the horror genre. I believe that is why we enjoy them like we do. Weak story = strong T&A. How many Romero films relied on T&A to tell the story? -stray-

[Yojimbo]

I salute JDFP for his well written take on the state of Horror today as compared to the past. Much of the horror of today is meant for an audience with no imagination. T&A and gore are very easy ways to capture their attention, just as big explosions and lots of glossy CGI is often used in films of today instead of solid plots and well written scripts. Budweiser and non-filtered Pall Malls - way to party down old school. I want to hang out with this dude!

[MoonSylver]

Agree 100%. Not a new phenomenon though. The genre has been rife w/ gore/T&A trash that doesn't have much else to offer. For some reason though, back in the day these seemed more entertaining than modern efforts. Maybe because they were low budget, unpolished & unrefined, vs. the ones today that seem slicker, more crass & blatantly commercial? Just my thoughts.

[Doc]

Agree 100%. Not a new phenomenon though. The genre has been rife w/ gore/T&A trash that doesn't have much else to offer. Yeah, I was going to ask that. Wasn't it always like, that? Always 90% crap and 10% gold? Wasn't around back in the day so, I'm wondering.

[Danny]

Though I have edited out 99% of your comments, they are 100% true. Horror is today, as it was 20-years ago, based on the T&A factor, in general. Films like Dawn of the Dead are exceptions to the "rule" and, in fact, set the bar for films in the horror genre. I believe that is why we enjoy them like we do. Weak story = strong T&A. How many Romero films relied on T&A to tell the story? -stray- i'll take your point one step further amigo! Years back when i first started college i had a great film professor who taught us all the neat little obvious bits at the start like showing us the opening to x men and the concentration camp on screen manned by ss troops states "world war 2, germany" on the screen and hed pause it and go "are we so stupid we need to be told that?", anyway one day we got onto horror movies and he got talking on the 6 point system. Basically EVERY horror film is a cheap 6 point story that ,if you think about it can be thought up in a good 10 minutes on the shitter. i cant remember them off the top of my head but at a guess it goes like: 1:change of circumstance 2:isolation 3:Challenge to overcome. 4rotagonist is beaten down. 5rotagonist overcomes challenge. 6:resolution, normalcy is restored/ the twist is implemented and no-one is safe. EVERY horror film uses that 6 point plan, but it may be in a different order or contain less than all 6 but it never deviates. -then theres the optional ones when writing. -if the group splits up someone must die. -if anyone besides the protagonists have sex they must be punished. -the police are all unbelieving idiots/ or a single cop will believe the protagonists. -the first signifier of safety is a sign for someone is about to die. -all cars must have a technical fault. i could go on and on with these, i really could. Honestly horror is the most cookie cutter genre there is. You just arrange certain ingredients to get an instant movie dean kain would jump to star in. Thats not to say i dont enjoy them, but i certainly dont want to make them anymore, but yeah, not to rant and get all tangential but stuff like T and A doesnt make me roll my eyes anymore, its in the rules dude. shame its few and far between that anyone invents new ones anymore.

[MoonSylver]

Yeah, I was going to ask that. Wasn't it always like, that? Always 90% crap and 10% gold? Wasn't around back in the day so, I'm wondering. Yeah, it was...but even the crap in the old days had a certain "jene se qua", a certain CHARM that's hard to describe. They were so ERNEST they had HEART. The ones these days just seem so ...SOULLESS... i could go on and on with these, i really could. Honestly horror is the most cookie cutter genre there is. You just arrange certain ingredients to get an instant movie dean kain would jump to star in. Mmmm...true that...could say that about a few genres. The Chick Flick. The Buddy Comedy, etc. I can think of a couple that have gone extinct too like the Action Flick & The Martial Arts Flick (hmmm I'm noticing a trend here, like the 80's....) Oddly, there's something strangely reassuring about formula movies. The cinematic equivalent of comfort food? All I know is when I watch a Friday the 13th movie (for example), I know pretty much what to expect & all long as all the tropes are present, then I'm satisfied. Not all food has to be filet mignone...there's room in the world for candy bars too.

[Tricky]

Im not into modern horror at all,occasionally you get the odd gem like dog soldiers,28 days later or the descent (all british horrors strangely enough) but all the ones that appear from the other side of the atlantic are essentially torture porn splatterfests with unrealistically good looking casts,cliched plots,no soul & a complete lack of originality,or even worse........poor remakes of old classics

[Doc]

but all the ones that appear from the other side of the atlantic are essentially torture porn splatterfests with unrealistically good looking casts,cliched plots,no soul & a complete lack of originality,or even worse........poor remakes of old classics Don't forget them typical ghost-type horror films. Yeah, it was...but even the crap in the old days had a certain "jene se qua", a certain CHARM that's hard to describe. They were so ERNEST they had HEART. The ones these days just seem so ...SOULLESS... Sure, thats not just nolstagia? Although, out of curiousity can you give me examples?

[MoonSylver]

Sure, thats not just nolstagia? Maybe...but I like to think I can be subjective enough to tell the difference...? Although, out of curiousity can you give me examples? Geez...where to begin...? The Friday the 13th series is a prime example to me. Motel Hell springs to mind. Humanoids From the Deep popped to mind for some reason It's Alive Blood Diner Reanimator The Evil Dead I could go on & on... The difference to me between the older movies & the modern ones is the modern horror films feel very "Hollywood"...they have a built in cynicism that just feels...very par for the course. I get the same vibe from them that I do reboots, remakes, you name it. Something about the old ones felt very subversive, sort of underground, like you were in on something special that it seemed no one else knew about. I'm rambling again...