By Ryan Williams
“You’re probably wondering where you are. I’ll tell you where you might be. You might be in the room that you die in.” — Saw, 2004
We all like to be scared, right? Well, okay, some of us more than others. Based on box office results from the past few years, however, it appears that number is growing. Usually shot at break-neck speed, with low budget in mind, horror films are now reaching out to wider audiences–expanding beyond their long-time core teen audiences to a more diversified population.
Horror flicks have long been one of Hollywood’s safest bets. From low-budget Corman-esque slashers to studio-friendly, supernatural, Japanese remakes, these films consistently fill theater seats without breaking the bank. Take, for instance, the 2004 Halloween hit The Grudge, the picture ended up being made with its cost around $10 million. And, after a successful Halloween-season run, it raked in upwards of $110 million. Along the same lines, the teen-friendly Final Destination boasted a modest budget of $25 million, and doubled its worth at the box office–bringing in over $50 million. And we’re not even counting what these films did overseas, on DVD, or on cable.
But perhaps the horror genre’s most impressive trait is its ability to reinvigorate franchises over the course of time–just look at movies like The Fly or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. A recent 2003 remake of the grisly 1974 original took Leatherface to new heights–bringing in a whopping $80 million and generating an entire new generation of fans. The franchise not only survived the long break, but it actually flourished. Film business folks have long been aware of this upward trend–just look at other successful franchises such as Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street–and most recently, Saw, a claustrophobic thriller surrounding the frenzied solving of a puzzle. Within a year of Saw’s reported success, Saw 2 is already making its way to the screen. And, in each of the three noted franchises, the original film has successfully spawned a sequel release within the last two years. In fact, two of them teamed-up for a super-sequel: the lucrative 2003 double-punch installment, Freddy vs Jason, in which the horrific leading men face-off.
But what, exactly, is so entertaining about fear?
Good screenwriters know that fear generates a core emotional response that actually changes the body’s chemistry for a short period. This shift, in turn, creates thrilling moments that build tension, and then eventually release it. Horror films are emotion-based experiences, and focus less on plot and more on an audience’s specific expressive reaction. To do this, they employ several tried-and-true techniques:
Set ‘em up Pay ‘em off…
We’ve all watched that scene where the terrified girl heads down the dark hallway toward a lone, rickety door, right? You know–the very one she shouldn’t open? But she does…and–AAAAH!–something, or someone, ‘gets’ her! Much like comedies, this style of filmmaking sets an audience up for an emotional experience by introducing elements, and then paying them off in a ‘horrific’ beat. The real scare, however, doesn’t just come from her opening the door, but rather from the tension that was quietly building throughout the scene. In turn, these small unnerving moments crescendo into an abrupt reveal that elicits a genuine scare—pay off.
I Think I’m Being Stalked…
At our core, we’re all animals. And while the trappings of society have made it easier for us to protect ourselves from the more natural predators such as lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!), the instinct to avoid becoming prey is layered deep into our psyche. Good horror films, in turn, tap into this exact emotional experience. They often create viscerally dangerous situations, allowing an audience member to share in the experience of being hunted–right along with the main character. Additionally, the audience is allowed more knowledge of a given situation than the terrified characters that are kept in the dark. As a result, the fear is heightened and the pay-off is much more intense.
Really Scary Bad Guys…
Because a horror flick’s antagonist plays the key role in driving audiences to the theater, these movies don’t require movie stars. Why would they, when we all know that the real star is the ghost, killer or dangerous creature lurking behind every corner? Creating a unique antagonist, with even more unique approaches to malevolence, is not only applauded, but required. So much so, in fact, that most horror franchises are totally defined by their relentless villain, just look at: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien and Friday the 13th.
[PAGEBREAK]Types of Horror Films:
So, let’s take a look at some of the popular storytelling structures for horror films. While many of these certainly cross into other sub-genres, most horror flicks fall into the following four categories:
Creature Feature – This type of horror film must recreate the sense of being hunted. Whether a rabid animal, horrifying alien or faceless monster, Creature Features elicit that feeling that there really is something lurking in the woods. The goal of the main character is relatively simple: survival.
Key Features:
Example films include Alien, Jaws and Dawn of the Dead.
Slasher Flicks – This sub-genre is very closely related to the Creature Feature. In theory, many of the principles are at play: the predatory base, the savagery and, certainly, the unpredictable response. But what makes this group of films especially scary is its ability to establish a recognizable killer–a person. Rather than becoming animal food, victims fall prey to the whimsy of “human animals”–villains dedicated to killing for fun and without remorse.
Key Features:
Example films include the Scream Trilogy, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween.
Supernatural Horror – This is often called the Haunted House genre. Supernatural thrillers are usually restricted to a single location and a succinctly determined set of cultural ‘rules.’ Additionally, they benefit greatly from an audience’s fear of the unknown. Generating a number of unpredictable responses and linking them to deep-set mythology, this group of films harkens back to–probably one of the earliest forms of entertainment–storytelling around the campfire.
Key Features:
Example films include The Grudge, The Ring and Final Destination.
Psychological Horror – Usually slow, methoedical, and maddening, psychological horror films often examine the breakdown of sanity in the main character. These stories highlight the darker side of humanity and tend to save gore for the other genres. A much more subtle journey into evil this type of horror exhibits understated film techniques and long, sickeningly quiet moments.
Key Features:
Example films include The Shining, Jacobs Ladder and The Silence of the Lambs.
Whether you like blood and guts, or the soft whisper of a serial killer’s voice, the horror film makes for an exciting movie-going experience. Understanding why an audience is scared, however, may help you stomach the experience just a little more. With movies like The Fog and Saw 2 now in theaters, I encourage you to see if you can rise above the film’s mechanics of fear.
