# Horror movies and Hollywood



## zappatton2 (Sep 7, 2011)

I started writing this thread as a boost for the movie "Attack the Block". I am a BIG horror movie fan, but I'm not usually big on alien-themed ones (obviously, the movies Alien and Aliens are pretty big exceptions), but I grudgingly watched this because I had heard good things about it. Well, it far exceeded my expectations, really great movie, and a bit topical after the riots in the UK.

Now, on to what my post turned into: Is it just me, or, as a horror fan, has Hollywood completely forgot how to make good horrors? The vast majority of the great horror movies I've seen in the past few years either came out in the 70's/80's or were filmed in Europe. If they are North American, the good ones never seem to see the inside of a theatre and tend to be very indie. 

It seems everything that hits the theatres around here is a remake of something that was infinately better the first time around (Jason does not run, and he CERTAINLY does not take hostages). Now I look for subtitles, just watched the German "Cold Prey" trilogy, it is everything a modern slasher should be. What happened to good horror that I can watch in the theatre??!! It does happen, but it seems so unfortunately rare these days, maybe I'm just getting old...

Okay, rant over.


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## SilenceIsACrime (Sep 7, 2011)

Totally agreed. Seems that the only people with imaginative movie ideas _aren't_ in Hollywood. In my mind it has a lot to do with how movies are made nowadays - too much of horror movies rely on CG effects/shock value as opposed to making a decent story and finding compelling ways to freak out the audience. I will certainly check out that movie you mentioned though!

Though I am not gonna lie, I am SUPER stoked for the prequel coming out for The Thing.


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## Guitarman700 (Sep 7, 2011)

Slasher movies=/=Horror movies.


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## SilenceIsACrime (Sep 7, 2011)

Guitarman700 said:


> Slasher movies=/=Horror movies.


 
Touche.


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## technomancer (Sep 7, 2011)

Guitarman700 said:


> Slasher movies=/=Horror movies.



Unless they are done by John Carpenter and titled Halloween or Halloween II (NOT the shit remakes) 

Can't think of a recent horror movie that was any good though...

That said I do have high hopes for the new remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark


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## highlordmugfug (Sep 7, 2011)

technomancer said:


> That said I do have high hopes for the new remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark


That and The Thing both have me stoked.


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## MFB (Sep 7, 2011)

technomancer said:


> That said I do have high hopes for the new remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark



Well then you may be in for severe disappointment, I for one hated it


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## Explorer (Sep 7, 2011)

There's two different systems in place, either independent or Hollywood, with different goals. Independent makes things which are artful. Due to funding, Hollywood won't make something which doesn't appear profitable.

However, independent doesn't mean good. There is a ton of crap out there, including "The Human Centipede" (bad biology, dumb premise), and there are all kinds of films which never even make into distribution, being released directly to DVD... if at all. 

Going further, I don't know if there are that many horror movies which are developed by major studios, as opposed to being distributed by studios.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Sep 7, 2011)

I think the newest horror flick I really liked was _Haute_ _Tension_, which is French and had its US release in 2005.

EDIT: Scratch that, El Orfanato is from 2007, and I dug that. Still not American, though.


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## ittoa666 (Sep 8, 2011)

I wish there were more movies like evil dead and the like. Love comedy horror.

It really is too bad that most horror today is just cliche garbage. I mean, when did gore get scary? If you ask me, no gore or even blood is intense. Also the fun factor of horror is almost completely gone. What happened to that?


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## Explorer (Sep 8, 2011)

Inspired by this thread, I just watched a movie I've had on my list, _The Crazies_. It was definitely a good surprise.

And now I'm watching _Carriers_, which in spite of its _Zombieland_ leanings, is pretty amazing as well.


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## zappatton2 (Sep 8, 2011)

If you like comedy horror, you NEED to check out "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil", one of the best of those sorts of flick in a while, I think I liked it even more than Shaun of the Dead. Similar sort of movie though, straddling the line between comedy and actual horror, I really can't say enough good things about it. Sort of a take on the redneck killers and college kid campers, but with a very interesting switch


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## Demiurge (Sep 8, 2011)

It can also be said that, as we have a lot of horror movie history behind us now, fresh ideas are running out. Additionally, I think that we're more desensitized to shocking imagery because of our collective exposure to the real world and, well, the horror movies that we have seen in the past. It just takes more to scare us.

The major studios in Hollywood, they want/need to make blockbusters to stay afloat: to spend $100M in order to triple their money and maybe push a few indies through as tax writeoffs. A movie that's original and just pushes enough buttons to be legitimately scary is just way too much for the mainstream audience that will get the studio their desired nut.


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## Explorer (Sep 8, 2011)

Demiurge said:


> A movie that's original and just pushes enough buttons to be legitimately scary is just way too much for the mainstream audience that will get the studio their desired nut.



Having just finished Carriers last night, I have to say that this movie was greatly distressing. A lot of horror movies do try for a sense of humor, but this one had me palpably feeling ill because of the realistic fears it raised. Extremely well done. 

I don't think it did well at the box office, and that's not surprising.


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## holland1945 (Sep 12, 2011)

They don't make good horror movies because good horror movies are rated R. R doesn't do as well in the box office as PG13. I agree they don't make good horror movies these days for the most part. I do like some of the more recent indie films. Attack the block was a good movie. The guy who played Moses is staring in a new HBO original series. Tucker and Dale vs Evil is a great comedy horror. I suggest both movies for the horror/comedy horror fans. Also do for a good modern zombie film.


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## AySay (Sep 12, 2011)

Demiurge said:


> Additionally, I think that we're more desensitized to shocking imagery because of our collective exposure to the real world and, well, the horror movies that we have seen in the past. It just takes more to scare us.



People thought that Paranormal Activity piece of shit was scary though...

I haven't seen a single supposed horror movie in the last 5 years that was even slightly "scary". It's all the same regurgitated stuff.

I mean how many fucking mirror and shower scenes can they redo in all these movies?

-look in the mirror...nothing there...look down...look up...loud sound+ digitally altered face.

-look in the mirror...nothing there...look down...look up...nothing there...turn around...loud sound + digitally altered face.

-look in the mirror...nothing there...look down...look up...nothing there...turn around...nothing there...look back...loud sound + digitally altered face.


I need some kind of true psychological horror movie, but those don't make money, so they won't be made.


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## The Grief Hole (Sep 12, 2011)

I thought REC (from Spain) was a good flick with some genuine moments of horror. e.g. When they are seeing the first of the survivors being attacked. Some of the French movies are excellent but maybe quite extreme for some. I personally found Martyrs very hard to sit through. Same with inside.

I am struggling very hard to think of a recent Hollywood horror that I really like. I think the last one I genuinely enjoyed was probably Hostel.


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## Scar Symmetry (Sep 12, 2011)

Another guy here super-stoked for The Thing prequel and the Ridley Scott-Directed Alien prequel 'Prometheus', if it is indeed an Alien prequel. If it's not... it's still top of my most looking forward to.


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## highlordmugfug (Sep 12, 2011)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Another guy here super-stoked for The Thing prequel and the Ridley Scott-Directed Alien prequel 'Prometheus', if it is indeed an Alien prequel. If it's not... it's still top of my most looking forward to.





I concur.


There's footage that was showed at Comic Con that sounds a lot more interesting, but I haven't seen it/found it yet. :|
First Footage From Ridley Scott&#8217;s Prometheus Makes Our Space Helmets Explode! | Underwire | Wired.com
Spoilers in that btw, but also:
"And then we see Charlize Theron doing pushups naked."


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## MFB (Sep 12, 2011)

I watched "Grave Encounters" not too long ago, and the premise reminded me of "House of Leaves" and it was actually a really good film. I'd recommend checking that out if you want something a little different.


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## Ancestor (Sep 30, 2011)

zappatton2 said:


> I started writing this thread as a boost for the movie "Attack the Block". I am a BIG horror movie fan, but I'm not usually big on alien-themed ones (obviously, the movies Alien and Aliens are pretty big exceptions), but I grudgingly watched this because I had heard good things about it. Well, it far exceeded my expectations, really great movie, and a bit topical after the riots in the UK.
> 
> Now, on to what my post turned into: Is it just me, or, as a horror fan, has Hollywood completely forgot how to make good horrors? The vast majority of the great horror movies I've seen in the past few years either came out in the 70's/80's or were filmed in Europe. If they are North American, the good ones never seem to see the inside of a theatre and tend to be very indie.
> 
> ...



yeah, it's true. there's a lot of rehashing old stuff. very few original ideas. 

i have a couple of ideas for horror movies that i think would be good. 

i would like to see a movie about a kid who starts to play guitar. he get into it heavily and eventually decides to order a custom guitar. he searches around on the internet and eventually settles on little known company to build his dream axe.

he orders it. he waits. it is taking much longer than the builder promised. the kid starts to panic. he's afraid that he just threw away a bunch of money. but finally the guitar arrives.

the kid starts practicing more than he ever did before. he become inseperable from the guitar. his grades slip. he doesn't want to hang out with his friends any more. his parents are getting worried and pissed off.

one day the kid notices that he is developing some spots and bumps on his hands and arms. the places where his hands and arms come into contact with the guitar. he ignores it. the spots get worse. he starts to use a bunch of different antibiotic creams. he's trying to treat the spots himself, but they are getting much worse.

by now of course he has a suspicion that the guitar is causing this problem. the skin issue becomes too bad to ignore. he goes to the dermatologist. it turns out that he has skin cancer. the doctor makes an appointment for him to have surgery.

in the meantime the kid still wants to play the guitar. he probably figures that he might as well because he's getting the surgery anyway. his parents are beside themselves. they take the guitar and lock it up. but the kid is resourceful. he finds the key to the closet that holds the guitar and is playing when the parents aren't home. by now the kid isn't attending school. his condition is severe enough that he can stay home.

you may wonder why woudn't the parents just throw the guitar away? well, of course, they have to keep it around (with the original finish) to prove the guitar messed this kid up so they can sue the manufacturer.

anyway, the kid finally has the surgery. his hands and arms are all fucked up from all the skin that had to be removed. it hurts terribly for him to touch anything. but... you guessed it... he's still playing the guitar every chance that he gets.

the parents find someone who will test the finish on the guitar. of course, they leave the guitar with the lab tech. this doesn't sit well with the kid, but what can he say? they'll know he disobeyed them and placed himself in jeopardy deliberately.

the parents have found that there is a carcinogen on the guitar. the kid is having severs withdrawals from his axe. he's playing the old one, which sucks. he can't afford a new one. not too good. he wants to keep playing the custom guitar, even though everyone is becoming more and more certain that's what fucked him up in the first place.

and then... i'm getting tired.


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## Explorer (Sep 30, 2011)

As in other lines of fiction, I wonder if there is an index which categorizes horror motifs. The body horror of the previous post falls in line with other examples of the trope....


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## vampiregenocide (Oct 1, 2011)

I personally liked 'The Human Centipede'. I felt it had all the elements modern horrors are lacking.

I wrote a huge essay actually on where I think horrors have gone wrong, but I can't find it.  Basically I think it comes down to a couple of things; we expect our films nowadays to be smooth, polished pieces of high definition beauty, which means the effects have to be top notch to even have a chance of fooling the audience. The films of the 90s and before were more gritty looking, and so more amateur effects could be hidden by the quality of the film. Now an audience expects to see the alien in every little detail, and when you do that you start to notice all the nuts and bolts and the mystery is gone. Alien set the precedent in terms of hiding a lot from the audience and maintained that fear of the unknown. The Thing had novice effects compared to now but he way it was shot and done completely practical next to modern CGI (which is impressive, but few people are rarely fooled by it) but because it was tangible and the actors were there with it, it was scarier.

Also many films tend to end up becoming action flicks. Just because it has monsters and gore in it doesn't mean it is a horror. Aliens is a perfect example. After this film, all the alien films became horror flicks. When the protagonist has big guns to defend themselves, horror seems a little weaker.

There are lots of other points that make them worse, such as bad acting or too many pop culture references overshadowing a title. There's also something I call 'The Ripley Effect' which is all those films where you have a boring, strong female lead that is trying to be the tough girl. Only Sigourney Weaver could pull that off, nowadays it gets boring.


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## Explorer (Oct 1, 2011)

I generally think of only certain kinds of movies as horror movies, but I watched something last night which had things which are grounded in the real world. 

Anyone ever see _Slumdog Millionaire_?

What about the vids in the horrifying topic here about that Russian drug Krokodil?

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/politics-current-events/172971-krokodil-drug-eats-junkies.html

I guess "horror" films are films which allow us to experience horror, but which allow us to do so safely. Like small children reading books like "The Runaway Bunny," and being able to deal with the scary subject of separation from one's parent(s) by experiencing it at a distance by using a bunny and a bunny mother to discuss it, horror movies let us experience some things without being too real.

Not that I don't love horror movies, mind you. I just realized that when I can sit through a typical horror movie, but have to pause a major release because I don't want to see what's about to happen, there's obviously a disparity of horror....


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## BigBaldIan (Oct 1, 2011)

Explorer said:


> I generally think of only certain kinds of movies as horror movies, but I watched something last night which had things which are grounded in the real world.
> 
> Anyone ever see _Slumdog Millionaire_?



Yes, my other half is Anglo-Indian, she's been back to India on several occasions, myself only once. My overwhelming impression was of a country that has crashed headlong into the 21st century without solving some intrinsic problems of the 20th, roads, sanitation, refuse disposal, electricity.

I still want to go back there, as it truly was a humbling experience.


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## SenorDingDong (Nov 10, 2011)

Hollywood + Horror = 



All the good horror movies coming out in the past decade have been independent films.


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## Explorer (Nov 11, 2011)

I've been thinking about this, and I realized that not many movies are financed by big studios in the first place, instead of being developed and financed elsewhere, and then acquired by the big studios for distribution. 

As money has gotten tighter, even things like the hugely successful new run of James Bond films with Daniel Craig couldn't get financing together.


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## Guitarmiester (Nov 13, 2011)

MFB said:


> I watched "Grave Encounters" not too long ago, and the premise reminded me of "House of Leaves" and it was actually a really good film. I'd recommend checking that out if you want something a little different.



I saw Grave Encounters a few days ago. It wasn't what I expected. It started off almost as a comedy and quickly made a turn for a pretty crazy movie.


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## SilenceIsACrime (Nov 28, 2011)

SilenceIsACrime said:


> Totally agreed. Seems that the only people with imaginative movie ideas _aren't_ in Hollywood. In my mind it has a lot to do with how movies are made nowadays - too much of horror movies rely on CG effects/shock value as opposed to making a decent story and finding compelling ways to freak out the audience. I will certainly check out that movie you mentioned though!
> 
> Though I am not gonna lie, I am SUPER stoked for the prequel coming out for The Thing.



So, not that I care about getting neg rep, but would whoever gave it to me care to explain how I am "way off?" I am honestly just curious seeing as these are basically all opinions here....


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## flint757 (Nov 28, 2011)

SilenceIsACrime said:


> So, not that I care about getting neg rep, but would whoever gave it to me care to explain how I am "way off?" I am honestly just curious seeing as these are basically all opinions here....



You got negged for that. It sounds pretty spot on to me


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