Some Key Elements Of Horror Movies (From My Perspective)

[CanDB]

I watched parts of a low budget movie last night, and even though it wasn't a good movie (and not worth specifying), it did give me some weird feelings here and there. For me it hit upon two things that have a solid impact on how I react to the horror side of the film:
1) I did not know any of the actors/actresses
2) It turned out to be based on a true story

Those things make a difference of how "engaged" I get with horror, and how long after I will get goose bumps, or at least, some afterthought.

Sure there's other big ingredients, including plot, special effects, use of sound. But that's to be expected. But for me, there's something creepy about a true story, and people I do not recognize on screen.

My all time scariest movie is still The Exorcist. It's about 40 years old, and it just seemed to hit the right nerves when it came out. It was based on a true story, but altered (girl vs boy, and other)....and though I did know some of the actors involved, they were not all known commodities.

Think of Blair Witch or Paranormal Activity, as movies with some scare power, made cheaply and with folks we didn't know. They are based on true stories, but there is an element of "possibility" (pending one's beliefs) involved.

As for the "true story" element, lets just say I have always been more creeped out when I know the story is real, or could be. Conversely, even a scary type of show that is totally unlikely doesn't stay long in my head.

Anyway.....what are your thoughts on this topic?

[DenverBlood]

I agree not knowing actors tends to help. Sometimes it just flat helps in movies period.

As for the true story I used to be that way. But there are movies like Haunting in Connecticut and Amityville Horror(remake) that are just bad.

Conjuring though I think claimed to be based on real events and was great.

I guess it can go either way.

But for me horrors have been pretty bad for 7-8 years now. Mainly because they are all demonish now which is pretty unrealistic.

I prefer slashers because those can happen much easier in real life.

[Rancid]

I am a horror film enthusiast and have seen more than I can remember. The Exorcist is one of the greats; particularly because it has believability and was made available and accepted by mainstream audiences.

Jaws was another great example of a movie that scared a lot of people.

My favorites are all french films, Inside, Martyrs, Haute Tension, and Dard Divorce. Although not as believable, they pack a punch and leave a profound impression many will never forget. Irreversable and Baise Moi are both really good french horror films also, but perhaps a little too strong for the average viewer. Frontiers and Grotesque are good and scary, but maybe a little too strong also.

I also really liked and would recommend a couple of more mainstream films: Crazy Eights, Ichi the Killer, Dumplings, and American Mary; all on Netflix.

I have also seen all the Nasties and so-called 'banned films'; and most of them are not any good and the 'banned' designation is just to try to get people to watch them. Cannibal Holocaust, Fetus, Murder Set Pieces, A Serbian Film, Nekromantic 1 and 2, Human Centipedes, Men Behind the Sun, Cannibal Ferox, The Butcher, and Animal Soup, and others I have seen are not very good.

[HUMCALC]

I HATE horror flicks, but if you're going to do it right, then they need to go back to the Alfred Hitchcock days. Your imagination can scare you, far worse than an actual detailed horror scene can

[Rancid]

I HATE horror flicks, but if you're going to do it right, then they need to go back to the Alfred Hitchcock days. Your imagination can scare you, far worse than an actual detailed horror scene can

I do like the old ones also. I am not a fan of Hitchcock as much as some of Vincent Price's movies. I recently added the Kolchak: The Night Stalker on my Netflix watch list from 1974. Another really good old one is Freaks, from 1932.

[HUMCALC]

I do like the old ones also. I am not a fan of Hitchcock as much as some of Vincent Price's movies. I recently added the Kolchak: The Night Stalker on my Netflix watch list from 1974. Another really good old one is Freaks, from 1932.

I LOVE the Kolchak movies. "The Night Strangler" is a great movie. "Them" is a great flick, as is "Forbidden Planet". Although my ALL-TIME favorite is "Silver Bullet", for obvious reasons

[Dennis.1960]

I've been into horror movies just about my whole life and have always preferred the ones that rely on imagination to fill in blanks...the subgenre I don't even watch are slasher/gore...to me that's just a cheap device to go for the easy gross out. I agree with an earlier post about no-name casts and movies based on (supposedly) true events being more believable. My faves are ones I usually watch every couple years in October...

Blair Witch Project
The Ring
In the Mouth of Madness
Paranormal Activity 1 & 2
Alien
Aliens
Pit and the Pendulum
The Haunting (original b&w version)
Serpent and the Rainbow
Masque of the Red Death
House of Wax
The Shining (tv version directed by Stephen King in the late 90's)