HORROR MOVIES 101

This Is Interesting..

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Re:This Is Interesting..

Thats a good list... sparked me to think... what horror movie doesn't play off of tired cliches? Even the really good ones I've seen seem to borrow from age-old horror cliches in some way...

Dr_Gor:

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Re:This Is Interesting..

seely:

Thats a good list... sparked me to think... what horror movie doesn't play off of tired cliches? Even the really good ones I've seen seem to borrow from age-old horror cliches in some way...

There's the constant argument about whether or not we've run out of TRULY original ideas, and I think it has some merit. Maybe we have run out, but only for now. We're way overdue for some groundbreaking new genre or form of entertainment. Right now it's the technology that keeps changing, and we keep fitting our entertainment to that technology instead of really changing what the entertainment is. Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

Because I dont really mind that horror movies are playing off of those stereotypes. For one, I'm sometimes comforted by a really bad horror movie that hits all those stereotypes and is blissfully clueless as to how unoriginal it is. And for another, it's given way to some really good twists on those cliches. look at Scream for a particularly obvious example.

And then, there are things like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, which has been remade so many times it's almost the film version of a jazz tune, with each director/writer riffing on the central theme while expanding or altering the scope. I'm actually working on a blog post about this(and Invasion in particular) that will hopefully be up soon, so by then maybe I'll be able to expand a bit more.

Re:This Is Interesting..

Indeed... I think that its become to really easy to create a successful variation on a theme.  Audiences don't seem to mind paying to see something they have seen ten times before in different guise... until people stop watching it, I think we're going to see more of the same.  And I agree with your point about technology--there seems to be a trend to make a movie bigger and better rather than more original.  Just look at all the unnecessary remakes in theatres now.  There's actually a slew of b-flick horor movies being remade slated for release this Halloween.  Why?  Its cheap, easy and people will watch it.

TheWorkingDead:

There's the constant argument about whether or not we've run out of TRULY original ideas, and I think it has some merit. Maybe we have run out, but only for now. We're way overdue for some groundbreaking new genre or form of entertainment. Right now it's the technology that keeps changing, and we keep fitting our entertainment to that technology instead of really changing what the entertainment is. Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

Because I dont really mind that horror movies are playing off of those stereotypes. For one, I'm sometimes comforted by a really bad horror movie that hits all those stereotypes and is blissfully clueless as to how unoriginal it is. And for another, it's given way to some really good twists on those cliches. look at Scream for a particularly obvious example.

And then, there are things like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, which has been remade so many times it's almost the film version of a jazz tune, with each director/writer riffing on the central theme while expanding or altering the scope. I'm actually working on a blog post about this(and Invasion in particular) that will hopefully be up soon, so by then maybe I'll be able to expand a bit more.

Re:This Is Interesting..

quote user="seely"]

Indeed... I think that its become to really easy to create a successful variation on a theme.  Audiences don't seem to mind paying to see something they have seen ten times before in different guise... until people stop watching it, I think we're going to see more of the same.  And I agree with your point about technology--there seems to be a trend to make a movie bigger and better rather than more original.  Just look at all the unnecessary remakes in theatres now.  There's actually a slew of b-flick horor movies being remade slated for release this Halloween.  Why?  Its cheap, easy and people will watch it.

Actually, I thought of a pretty good example of using cliches while also subverting them. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If you go back and watch it, notice how Leatherface enters the frame each time. He always pops up right BEFORE you expect it. Tobe Hooper sets it up so that normally you'd expect a drawn out, tense sequence, maybe a false scare or two, and then throws the scare at you before you can even get properly tense.

Re:This Is Interesting..

   Here's another good one!   I disagree with this list and feel like MOST of the top ten should be replaced.   Also numbers 1 and 2 should be reversed...   Tell me what you think...

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                                                                                        < GOR >

Re:This Is Interesting..

   By the way,   HAPPY HALLOWEEN  Everybody!   I trust that you are all enjoying our favorite holliday in your own unique way!   What a wonderful time of the year!

   And again I wish to thank each and every one of you for coming here to talk with me about Horror Movies!   I Love each and every one of you and I would like to fondle you also...

                                                                                 < GOR >

Re:This Is Interesting..

Dr_Gor:

   By the way,   HAPPY HALLOWEEN  Everybody!   I trust that you are all enjoying our favorite holliday in your own unique way!   What a wonderful time of the year!

I was once again, for the third year in a row, at a friend's house watching a horror movie marathon for Halloween.

I came in to see the end of what seemed like one of the worst movies ever, Triloquist.  I'm kind of glad I didn't have to see any more of it than I did, but curiosity makes me wonder how bad the rest of it really was.  The ending sure was horrendous.

Then the best movie I saw that night was Santa's Slay.  Surprisingly amusing.  It promises Santa beating the shit out of people, and that's sure what it delivers!  Some surprising celebrity cameos too.

Then we saw Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, which was supposed to be good, but was quite a disappointment.  Mostly because he doesn't even slay any monsters until like the last twenty minutes.

After that it was Anaconda 3: The Offspring.  I've never seen either of the first two Anaconda movies, but I'm sure this had to be the worst so far.  The CGI is absolutely atrocious.

Re:This Is Interesting..

Risselada:

Dr_Gor:

   By the way,   HAPPY HALLOWEEN  Everybody!   I trust that you are all enjoying our favorite holliday in your own unique way!   What a wonderful time of the year!

I was once again, for the third year in a row, at a friend's house watching a horror movie marathon for Halloween.

I came in to see the end of what seemed like one of the worst movies ever, Triloquist.  I'm kind of glad I didn't have to see any more of it than I did, but curiosity makes me wonder how bad the rest of it really was.  The ending sure was horrendous.

Then the best movie I saw that night was Santa's Slay.  Surprisingly amusing.  It promises Santa beating the shit out of people, and that's sure what it delivers!  Some surprising celebrity cameos too.

Then we saw Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, which was supposed to be good, but was quite a disappointment.  Mostly because he doesn't even slay any monsters until like the last twenty minutes.

After that it was Anaconda 3: The Offspring.  I've never seen either of the first two Anaconda movies, but I'm sure this had to be the worst so far.  The CGI is absolutely atrocious.

   You are supposed to watch GOOD Horror Movies on Halloween !   Next time just ask me and I will give you a list...

                                                                                    < GOR >

Re:This Is Interesting..

Dr_Gor:

   You are supposed to watch GOOD Horror Movies on Halloween !   Next time just ask me and I will give you a list...

                                                                                    < GOR >

Haha, not at this one.  They only pick the worst, most mockable films out there.