Horror Films Are Good for Body and Mind Andy Marken October 30, 2024
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We're a statistical improbability. And now they want to see who will be the luckiest among the lucky. - Zoey Davis, Escape Room, Columbia Pictures, 2019
With so many elections going on around the world this year - 97 countries - including the ugly one here in the US, we needed some solid/safe escape from the creepiness and grossness of the real world.
We did what any normal/smart person would do we dug into the whole idea of horror films. That included watching a couple of the new ones and revisiting some classics.
Of course, that meant we had the family room and big screen to ourselves because the wife won't have anything to do with blood, guts or gore.
Don't get us wrong, we're not really into violence, religious stuff or messy gore for the sake of gore.
But
Source - 20th Century Fox
Still, the little chestbuster in the first Alien was a helluva' shock to the system but Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) didn't back down from the challenge.
The biggest problem for us is how to categorize a film as a horror movie.
Sure, if Stephen King is listed in the credits, you're pretty sure of what you're watching because he's widely regarded as the master of horror.
Of course, if you bring up Alfred Hitchcock, it's a little tougher because most think of him as a master of suspense, not horror.
Source - Shamley Productions
But we feel classics like Psycho, Frenzy and The Birds are solid horror films because they showed us the dark side of people and showed us threats that people couldn't control. Hitchcock's use of shadows and audio signs and music put you on the edge of your seat because you knew bad stuff was going to happen.
One way to identify a movie as a horror film is that it will have sequels or even become its own sub-genre.
Source - Continental Distributing
For example, directors, actors, writers and crews can thank George Romero for releasing zombies on us again and again and again when The night of the Living Dead was released back in 1968.
We've enjoyed it every time we've watched it, even though we were really p***ed at the end. Ben (Duane Jones) did a fantastic job of trying to protect folks from the zombies only to walk out into the morning light and have some idiot kill him just to be on the safe side.
Really ticked us off!
We're not into much of the franchise stuff but we all know that when one project earns money, more will follow.
Having a creepy villain like Freddy Kruger or Jason is a place to start but what they really need is a damsel in distress or scream queen to put the film over the top.
Source - Compass International Pictures
Jamie Lee Curtis (who probably got her scream from her mother in Psycho) is our favorite, and the one who took the fight to Michael Myers from 1978 - 2022.
Being tough, attractive and driven made for a suspenseful, terror-driven and interesting story that gives people someone to cheer for when they show you that you can stand up to and take fear head-on.
There are a lot more good/great horror filmmakers and, thanks to global streaming media services, we're able to share/experience projects from around the globe.
The films have always been produced and available, said Allan McLennan, CEO of 2GDigital. However, the low-budget projects were often given limited distribution because of their being produced in a specific language.
But with today's advanced AI-enabled localization services, he continued, studios and streamers can quickly, accurately and economically make them available in any language so people everywhere can enjoy/experience them as though they were produced in their home country.
Consistent - Streaming has opened up new opportunities for folks who like to experience feature films so they can be surprised and shocked in whole new ways beyond projects being simply brutal and gruesome.
Sometimes (often) it's difficult for industry executives and experts to accurately define when a film fits in the horror genre.
But with the movie magic, advanced technology and the global reach/exposure we have with a broader spectrum of horror film types, they're becoming more important release valves for folks in every walk of life and every corner of the globe.
Whether it's filled with ghosts, monsters, masked stalkers or deep-down personal fear, filmmakers often find it difficult to pinpoint what terrifies the audience. That's rather important because it helps determine if the film gets greenlighted or not and whether the project will be profitable or another studio/streamer write-down.
The major components of horror films are spine-chilling music, precise tension and suspense and shops like A24, Blumhouse and others have gotten very good at getting the mix right.
To understand the genre better, we turned to film data research expert Stephen Follows.
It turns out he is putting the final touches on his Fellows Horror Report 2 , the most comprehensive study of the genre around.
While he's a nice normal guy, he has spent a lot of time gathering and analyzing data on every horror film ever made. The report, which we aren't promoting, covers everything from development, production and distribution as well as profitability. Fellows noted that horror films are perennial favorites with filmmakers because they are fun to make, can be developed/delivered more quickly on a lower budget and can make money.
Yes, But - Okay, so not everyone likes/appreciates a really good horror film the same way; but streaming services are able to adjust their library offerings for people in countries where interest/demand is highest so they can capture/retain larger audiences.
The final point is obviously most important and that's because folks young/old
