Recently, I wrote up a survey about horror movies (and the people who love them) so that I could write a feature-style news story. I had promised to post my completed story to all who responded, but I had to leave so many good responses out of it that I decided to do something else. My survey had 25 questions and what I thought it would be cool to do is post 1 question a day with ALL the responses I received. So . . . that's what I'm doing. Here's the first question and all the responses to it people sent me. Check back tomorrow for question number 2!
Question 1: What do you consider to be a horror movie?
ZUZI W. (Illinois): slasher type.....thinking hostel
JASON B. (Ohio): That's pretty broad, but I'd say the primary criteria is: the main character(s) are in mortal danger from some preternatural force. That force can be anything from demonic possession to ghosts to aliens to vampires to zombies to serial killers to even mental illnesses. The setting does not matter at all, as horror movies can take place anywhere and any time.
MISSY B. (Texas): anything that causes fear/or disgust to the viewer
KRISTOPHER B. (North Carolina): Any thing that has blood, guts, and gore
REBECCA G. (Illinois): anything with a good amount of scares, blood, gore, guts...classic makings for a great horror film
BRENNA C. (Florida): It’s hard to put into words…basically anything with an unusual killer/monster who commits very unusual/brutal crimes. Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees never robbed anyone but they have been known to decapitate. Movies with eerie music and moods.
SAM W. (Florida): A movie that attemps to freighten viewers while on the edge of their seats. Attempts to bring out fears of normal humanity onto the screen.
GEORGIA A. (Illinois): Any movie that is supposed to cause fear for the viewers, or that contains traditionally scary things such as zombies, monsters, killing...
MYKEL D. (Michigan): a movie that makes you stay awake in bed.
SEAN A. (Illinois): A movie that involves something that would scare a person mentally or emotionally, however can have any element of emotion such as comedy, wit, satire, and tradgedy.
OBERON (Iowa): The sort of thing Hammer did -- Gothic in nature, rather than the chainsaw genre
FELIPE S. (Arkansas): something with murder/mystery, scares you and worries you and sometimes make u unbearable to watch what is going on
JACE W. (California): A horror film has many levels and so it covers more genres than just "horror". My basic definition of a horror film is that it's an illusion.
An effective horror film sets up a situation where the viewer is made uncomfortable and anticipates being scared based on the atmosphere, subject, music and direction of the film. The filmmaker takes the role of illusionist, and if done right, the viewer suspends their disbelief and is pulled right into the situation.
A horror film, at least a good one, will actually "haunt" the viewer, and stay with them for some time after the film has been viewed.
Many times there is misdirection involved, and sound plays one of the most important roles in any film. Close your eyes while watching your favorite horror film, and you'll find that many of the same feelings surface. Turn the sound off and you'll find the opposite.
STEVEN H. (California): Horror is also an expression. So to know the definition of a horror film is to know the feeling of horror itself.
A "horror movie" can actually be different types of films. There are films full of suspense keeping you at the edge of your set and practicly digging your nails into the person next to you. Then there is just plain creepy that can make the hair on your neck stand on end and cover your body in goosebumps. There are also shocker films where your heart ends up right in your throut. Last but not least there are gory films which can make you very weak to your stomach. All of these types of horror films are still horror films. I consider these all horror films and if they scare you or not is up to the Director and your personal fears.
MASON L. (California): My definition: A horror movie is a movie that is more scary than funny. Usually there is allot of blood and often a supernatural force. A horror movie should make you squirm.
TOR H. (California): As a horror snob I think the only films I find truly horrifying are those that take the audience to a place of discomfort. Although this is often determined by the audience, I'd say that if a filmmaker holds as their primary objectives: shock, body count and cool factor they are making a darkly themed carnival ride not a horror film.
So what goes into the category of true horror in my book?
examples:Irreversible, the original TCM, Repulsion, Audition.
TRAVIS S. (California): I guess the obvious defination of a horror film is nothing more than a story that fills you with fear...fear of a videotape, a demon child, a killer with a chainsaw, a death note, a cannibal, a hospital, a new husband.
The best horror films tap into your subconcience in unexplored ways...sure there is the over the top crash through the window type of scares, or even the cat jumping on the counter cheap scares...but the really good ones poke a little place in your heart and mind you might not have been aware of...and man oh man you don't know what's going to happen next and you don't know why you're still watching it...
Also, the best horror films are completely sincere. Whether its B-Movie cheese or torture-porn or a ghost story the movie has to set-up and adhere to its rules. Otherwise the filmmakers have broken their contract with the audience and deserve to be locked under the stairs with the other bad children.
TOM M. (California): A Motion Picture that intends to unearth fearful emotions from its audience using dark forces such as the paranormal, extraterrestrial, or human beings with extaordinary capacities for evil.
KEVIN P. (Illinois): A movie that forces us to look at the darker side of the world; its focus can be either supernatural, which is a play on our subconscious fears and desires, or deal with darkness on a realistic plane, in that case a reflection of conscious and latent fears or yearnings. An example of the former would be Dawn of the Dead, in which the catastrophe heralds a collapse of civilization and a breakdown of all human bonds. The Silence of the Lambs exemplifies the latter in that neither of the films' antagonists posses powers outside of the realms of human possibility; yet both Buffalo Bill and Lecter personify both the physical and mental threats our persons face in this world.
And, there you have round 1. Below are the URL's of several people, mainly fellow filmmakers, who provided me with answers. Please check out their sites and send a little support their way. Thanks and see you tomorrow!
Posted by Vampira at December 31, 2006 01:11 AM