You asked me why I like
horror movies. I've thought about it, and here's your answer:
There are many reasons, but
mostly because I like being scared. Just like some people eat hot
foods because it makes their body create natural pain killers (called
endorphin), I like the feeling of being scared. I have some of the
most horrific nightmares that anyone has heard about. If I watch a
scary movie, and it feeds those nightmares, then I'm happy. I like
waking from a heart-pounding nightmare going "Holy crap!",
looking around as I try to get my bearings, and decide if it was a
dream or not. I like staring out the window at the moonlit trees,
allowing my imagination to scare me, wondering what that shape is...
did it move? Does it have wings? IS IT THE MOTHMAN!?
One of the reasons I like to
be scared, is that I will try to conquer my fears. If I'm having a
nightmare where some blood-red, slime-dripping, multi-limbed creature
is stalking me through dim industrial tunnels lined with pipes, and
wires in order to peal off my skin and devour my soul, in my
nightmare, instead of running, I'll turn to fight it, or look for a
safe place to hide. I'll still be scared to death, but I want to
show courage in the face of evil. I may dream I'm at the top of the
stairs leading into a poorly lit, dank basement, with full knowledge
that there are two ghosts down there who mean me harm, but I'll still
slowly walk down those stairs, the terror increasing with each step,
not knowing what will happen, in order to confront the ghosts and ask
them why they are here, in my house. Part of that is because I may
be able to help them find peace, part of it is that maybe I deserve
my fate, and part of it is that I want to know, whatever the cost,
just so I'm not scared anymore. I will also do this when awake, when
I get the "heebie-jeebies", just to prove to myself that
I'm imagining things, and there isn't anything there. There usually
isn't.
Another reason I like horror
movies is that I want to see how the story unfolds. As the director
tells the story, will my imagination latch on, amplifying the
emotions the movie produces, or will I say, "Pfft", that's
stupid. Is the director creative in stimulating those emotions, or
does he employ cheesey "BOO!" methods, which startle, but
don't scare. Can the director build suspense, through his pacing of
the story, the use of sublte music, and by eliciting a believeable
performance from the actors? One of the best horror movies I've ever
seen was "Silver
Bullet". When Marty is alone on the abandoned bridge,
shooting off fire works, and the werewolf starts after him...he
frantically tries to defend himself with the only thing he has, his
last rocket. He can't run away... He drops the box of matches, but
has one left in his hand that he's trying to light as the werewolf
approaches. He's able to shoot the werewolf in the eye, and then
escape in his souped-up wheelchair, but is the werewolf chasing him?
How fast can a werewolf run, especially a pissed off werewolf? As
he's climbing the lattice up to his window, will the werewolf get
him? Even after he's "safe" in his room, what's to stop
the werewolf from climbing up after him and tearing him to shreds in
his own bedroom, like he did to the woman earlier? That was a well
done scene, and the viewers believed that the actor (Corey
Haim) was actually crippled. I want my imagination to be carried
away.
Then there's the gore
factor. I don't really go for gorefests, but that can be
entertaining, and if sparsely used, downright terrifying. For
instance, the slaughter scene in Bone
Tomahawk stayed with me long after the movie was over.
There's a lot of comedy in
horror movies, usually put there to break the tension, just so the
director can start building the tension afresh. During An
American Werewolf in London the werewolf is haunted by the ghost
of his best friend who says things like, "Have you tried talking
to a corpse? It's boring.", while he's chomping on a piece of
toast. You need the visual for the full effect. Then again, horror
movies can be insanly funny because they are so outlandish, and
unbelieveable, as in Dead
Alive.
The reveal: This is when we
get to see the monster. Finally. Most horror movies stretch this
out, allowing the viewer's imagination to fill in the blanks of the
horrific events for awhile. When we do see the monster, it's a scary
treat, like in Cloverfield.
Best monster reveal ever? Chief Brody is tossing scoopfuls of dead
fish and guts into the water when the shark breaks the surface, maw
gaping. His reaction? The time worn phrase, "We're gonna need
a bigger boat." Another good one is The
Thing, or The
Thing. The creature is so alien, yet familiar, and it scares the
crap out of you.
Plot twists: Most horror
movies have a see-through plot twist at the end. The heroine endures
frightening torture and finds all of her friends killed in various
horrible ways, but finally manages to kill the serial killer, and is
slowly walking away, feeling safe, when the serial killer sits up.
Or his friend, the OTHER serial killer swings the sickle at her
throat. Or the friendly Sheriff who rescues her is the father of the
man she just killed, and now he wants revenge. Whatever. Done
before. Boring. But sometimes, the plot twist at the end is
unforeseen. In The
Ring, the heroine falls into the well and finds the decayed
corpse of the little girl (imagine being in a well with a corpse!)
who has been causing all the ruckus. The girl is able to tell her
story, and her body is laid to rest. The movie is over, the music is
happy, Mom is giving her son a bath, and as an afterthought, the son
asks his mom, "What happened to the girl?"
Mom: Samara?
Son: Is that her name?
Mom: Mm'hmm
Son: Is she still in the
dark place?
Mom: No. We set her free.
Son (with some surprise):
You helped her?
Mom: Yeah
Son (agitated): Why did you
do that?
Mom: What's wrong, honey?
Son: You weren't supposed
to help her!
Holy shit!!
Anyway, that's why I like
horror movies. I hope you grow to like them too, and anytime you
want to watch one, I'm ready.
