Explain a horror movie and why it has merit.

[ASoron0424]

Horror movies are usually looked at by a lot of movie critics as being kind of the bottom of the barrel (a notch or two above romantic comedies) in terms of quality (which is justified when you think about it, I think more than most genres, the ratio of good horror movies to bad ones really works against its reputation - and I guess in terms of straight-to-video movies, it's the easiest genre to engineer). So just for the sake of a new discussion, how about some of you defend horror movies in general?
What would you say to someone who says there's no artistic merit in a film whose primary intention is to evoke fear and discomfort from its audience?

Or, preferably (to me at least), just argue your point as to what makes horror movies significant, why they're a good art form, what do they deliver that other genres don't, etc.

Or explain why one movie in particular has a lot of merit, that'll work too.

[BooBerry]

Horror flicks are amazing for a lot of people because they get a chance to safely feel an emotion that they'd never feel unless something horrifying happened to them in reality, which no one wants. People enjoyed being scared because they feel afraid, but also know it's ok, which makes it something to laugh at. In my opinion, wether intentional or not by the filmmakers, horror movies are a great mix of suspense, drama, and comedy.

A lot of people just forget the comedy part until something makes you jump and then everyone turns to look at each other, then everyone laughs.

As for why people like us, die hard horror fans, enjoy the genre so much, that seems to vary from person to person. I enjoy it because I like being scared and I love watching my friends and family being scared.

[skybrick]

I enjoy horror movies because I have an odd enjoyment for people dying on film.

[Knight]

I don't and wouldn't defend the horror genre. I'm a realist and realize most horror films are complete garbage. Entertaining garbage, but garbage nonetheless. If someone were to come up to me and say 'Hey, the horror genre has no artistic merit!' I would simply laugh in their face for stating the painfully obvious. Of course there's more than a few exceptions.

But seriously, who needs 'artistic merit' in all of their films other than pretentious film students and critics?

[ASoron0424]

I don't and wouldn't defend the horror genre. I'm a realist and realize most horror films are complete garbage. Entertaining garbage, but garbage nonetheless. If someone were to come up to me and say 'Hey, the horror genre has no artistic merit!' I would simply laugh in their face for stating the painfully obvious. Of course there's more than a few exceptions.

But seriously, who needs 'artistic merit' in all of their films other than pretentious film students and critics?

Well, besides entertainment, what do you think about other values it may have? I don't mean to offend anyone on the board, but knowing myself, I think it would be safe to say that most of the people who are die-hard horror fans aren't the biggest risk-takers. I would imagine there's some kind of fulfillment there for people who really aren't prone to going out and doing shit like that on their own (myself for example). I think I get a kick out of seeing those four-minute chase scenes (like the one at the end of the TCM remake, through the woods and then the meathouse) because I know I'm not gonna do anything in an average day of my life that's gonna give me that kind of rush.

But I guess on the other hand you could argue that most of the people who are die-hard fans of the genre are thrillseekers and are ALWAYS doing outgoing, crazy shit to get their heart racing and their adrenaline pumping; and so they would therefore probably just enjoy that similar (though diluted a bit, obviously) experience in horror movies.

[RIP]

Sounds like ASoron0424 has a paper to write.

[ASoron0424]

Sounds like ASoron0424 has a paper to write.

No, sir, RIP, but I'd think the same thing. I'm just kind of bothered with the typical kind of dumb-dumb topics on the horror-talk board, and the fact that nobody makes new ones.
Not to blow smoke up my ass (as pleasurable as it may be), but who can't use a bit of intellect and maturity from time to time when discussing something they're passionate about or seriously interested in?

[steelba]

Asron you are Cptn Splding aka Nosferatu.
That is why you've been belnding seemlesly.
Did anyone subscribe to your Manitee porn?

[ASoron0424]

Asron you are Cptn Splding aka Nosferatu.
That is why you've been belnding seemlesly. Yeah I was abit slow but I gotcha.
Did anyone subscribe to your Manitee porn?

Fuck.


No......
No one yet.

[steelba]

:mhehe:


It's cool, but you've been spotted.

[ASoron0424]

:/ I'm starting to get a bit confused...

but anyways; what're your thoughts on the subject, steelba?

[RIP]

I would say that the horror genre is arguably the most pure of all genres, because it has a very clear and precise objective, to scare you. Having said that, there are very few truly good horror films. (The same can be said of comedy)

[dead breed]

Asron you are Cptn Splding aka Nosferatu.
That is why you've been belnding seemlesly.
Did anyone subscribe to your Manitee porn?

I was thinking the same thing. The sig is what made me wonder...

[steelba]

I was thinking the same thing. The sig is what made me wonder...

It's him.
He makes the exact same kinda threads too :2far:

[ASoron0424]

It's him.
He makes the exact same kinda threads too :2far:

Oh, noooo, no, no, I swear, lol, I got on this site like last year but haven't started using this sn since the end of summer break. lol, I swear, ask fright, maybe he'd know somehow, I'm not Nosferatu.

[ASoron0424]

lol, I agreed to what you said about Manitee porn because I thought it was just a joke.

[Misfit]

i wrote a paper on battle royale once for one english courses......i may or may not have quoted frights review for the film :ahheh:

[steelba]

i wrote a paper on battle royale once for one english courses......i may or may not have quoted frights review for the film :ahheh:
Plagiarist :D

[Misfit]

Plagiarist :D

nope i quoted him and gave the reference......

[steelba]

You can't handle the Truth!!

[Godfatha]

The best horror films are the ones that have something to say about the world/society at large beyond 'Boo.' Usually it's a conservative something being said, but the attempt is being made at the very least.

But a lot films, I'd just reiterate what Knight said. Not all films need justification, because they dont aspire to be anything more than a means of wasting 2 hours.

[skybrick]

I'm just kind of bothered with the typical kind of dumb-dumb topics on the horror-talk board, and the fact that nobody makes new ones.


The only reason why this thread is on the downside right now is because there are terrible horror movies out there right now, when summer rolls around I expect it to be hot like it was before. Plus nobody has posted those crazy UHM games that I love to participate in. wink wink.

[thetaterman666]

excuse my poor grammar and punctuation for starts.I am sick and tired of people smashing on the horror film industry saying it has no merit.It's funny that you say that.So are you from the 1920's maybe 1910.Last time I checked horror films are putting money in making top boxsellers so they can produce you little pathetic movies about some princess or whatever.I am sorry we cannot candy coat your reallity and make it all sugar and spice and everything nice.I agree horror films are good when they have a good message.what alot of people fail to realize is all horror films carry a message.Sometimes it's not for us to understand the message.I hate when I here some refer to horror films as garbage while they sit back and watch the latest action movie about some government conspiracy and think it's cool.their is enough corruption reading the newspapers at least horror films bring an imagintive side to make a boring reallity a little more exciting.Here is another that makes me sick.watching people play their childrens violent actions on horror films or thinking all people who watch horror films think that way or act out in some stupid way.Wake up it's not the horror films fault.It's just another excuse for conservatives to blame someone besides their own movies and way of thinking so they can sleep right.If you don't like horror films you have no merit to be here and you are garbage to me.okay.matter of fact I love horror films and I thank my dad everyday for introducing them to me when I was a kid.Thought I am anti-violent and yes that is possible an anti violent horror film fan.Did you realize that half of the special effects and stunt artists that do your FAMILY movies also work in the horror film department.So for the sake lucio fulci.I am saying this you have no merit on this site.About the industry right now.What I am seeing alot of is these home movie type horror filoms are kind of ruining.the sequels to movies that are expenditures that could be going towards new and bright ideas.Why remake hellraiser?It was a perfectly good horror film.If they try to remake phantasm I am going to be pissed.The tall man cannot be copied.They tried to make another anthony Perkins it's impossbile.His acting abilities cannot be reached even now that he is passed away.I have heard news on romero working towards a new zombie flick which is gonna be awesome.I wasn't crazy bout dawn of the dead but, I do want to know what happened to the survivors on the island.I just joined this site.I am a bodybuilder going pro,a vocalist working on his solo horrorpunk album.I dream to be a great horror film director someday like Lucio Fulci or even to be an artist Like savini.I am here to stand up for horror films.I am here to stand up for this site and I hope you all welcome me.If you have any questions email me.If you want to call horror films garbage and say they have no merit which in a sense is also a way of destroying the imagination and future of entertainment.I will love to argue with you and you will lose.

[FrighT MasteR]

Wow, this post is old :oogle:

[Necromancer]

:starefreak:

[Metapher]

Everyone seems to be digging up old stuff.

[skybrick]

Just like zombies the old threads will rise from the dead.

[Sutter Kane]

Horror appeals to people because it gets us in touch with our fight or flight instinct. That wild animal part of our brain that remembers running from predators on the plains and in the trees before we evolved into modern day humans. Its fucking exciting. Give me Nekromantik over He's Just Not That Into You any day of the week.

[C.H.U.D.]

Most horror movies really do suck on a "good filmmaking" level. I just tell people that a lot of them might not be great films in general, but they can be a hell of a lot of fun. After all, we watch movies to be entertained right?

For example, one of my favorite movies is "I Drink Your Blood". It has horrible special effects, bad acting, a plot that a 6th grader could come up with, etc. It's a shitload of fun though...because it features Satan worshipping hippies that go on a killing spree after getting rabies from meat pies. There's also people taking some bad acid.

I bought the film because it was a fun time, not because it was a "good" movie.

FYI, I Drink Your Blood is currently available on DVD and was made in 1970.

[Titanosaurus]

Horror movies are good. They have merit. The end. :D

[Lemmywinks]

I grew up on the genre and have loved it since I was 8 years old. Don't feel I have any need to defend that. If I was to have to defend any movie or two for having a sort of merit that would be Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. Night for its take on civil rights and Dawn for anti-consumerism. When I first saw Dawn all I knew was the blood and guts and was to young to understand the story. After viewing it over the years growing up I saw it more than just the great effects and zombies but for the statement it made that stands true even today.

[slimeisacharacter]

Horror genre, and to a lesser extent Sci-Fi, are the best genres to truely test the boundries of special effects and CGI's potential and push a little bit further. Alot of the greatest FX ideas used in the industry over the years can trace their history back to some FX guy with a low budget and big ideas working on a horror or scifi film. These ideas are seen in other genres, stuff as small as a new way to texture a CGI background in a romance flick to more realistic blood and gore in an action film.

[steelba]

how about some new threads instead of resurecting ancient ones!
Blasted n00bz0rs :mad: :mad: :mad:

[woodenheart]

dslasher called these 'zombie threads'...:giggle:

[slimeisacharacter]

how about some new threads instead of resurecting ancient ones!
Blasted n00bz0rs :mad: :mad: :mad:

But, then we would miss your inspiring comments, oh great one. :nod:

[Misfit]

:dsp: noobs getting out of hand

[3/6]

Most horror movies really do suck on a "good filmmaking" level. I just tell people that a lot of them might not be great films in general, but they can be a hell of a lot of fun. After all, we watch movies to be entertained right?

For example, one of my favorite movies is "I Drink Your Blood". It has horrible special effects, bad acting, a plot that a 6th grader could come up with, etc. It's a shitload of fun though...because it features Satan worshipping hippies that go on a killing spree after getting rabies from meat pies. There's also people taking some bad acid.

I bought the film because it was a fun time, not because it was a "good" movie.

FYI, I Drink Your Blood is currently available on DVD and was made in 1970.

movie sounds bad ass

[steelba]

But, then we would miss your inspiring comments, oh great one. :nod:
ok atleast that was funny :hi5:

[slimeisacharacter]

ok atleast that was funny :hi5:

:tiphat: