Anyone else getting fed up with mobile phones in horror movies?

[Heebie]

Every time I see a horror film and some hysterical teen tries to 'dial for help' - oh no, what a surprise - no signal!

I know that if they got signal every time the movie would probably end (blandly) after about ten minutes, but it just happens time after time...

 

[AE35Unit]

Ah thats one of those classic bad guy enablers. Another is the car engine. Guaranteed not to start when you need to get away in a hurry,thus letting the mad axe man do his worst on the windshield.
I guess you could call it sod's law

 

[Rodders]

Still, this might stop now that Product placement is such a big thing in modern movies. What Mobile Phone producer wants their phones to be seen not to work when needed?

 

[Heebie]

Still, this might stop now that Product placement is such a big thing in modern movies. What Mobile Phone producer wants their phones to be seen not to work when needed?

Perhaps film-makers will start inventing a generic brand of mobile phone that daft teens have when they go camping next to the lake of death and blood.

Acme mobiles maybe?

At least in Funny Games (US) the baddie made a point of disabling a working mobile phone before he got round to doing his worst. That was about the only exception I've seen in recent films.

*bleeps* low battery...

 

[j d worthington]

On the other hand, there's the sometimes wonky, witty, clever, or just plain strange use of mobiles in some horror films -- such as Paul beating off the fishy denizen of the village with his phone in Dagon (based on a genuine incident involving the producer and his wife, interestingly enough) and, since it doesn't do the trick with the first knock, complaining "I've got to get a bigger phone!" Or the use by Gilman of the light from the 'phone to find his way around the hidden chamber in Dreams in the Witch House and so on....

 

[Happy Joe]

Fed up with mobile phones... YES; everywhere, both in real life and in movies...

Lack of signal unrealistic? No; to get signal while camping/four wheeling we normally have to hike/drive to a point that is line of sight to a relay station. (Hopefully, they will never expand the coverage area. Its not like the bears/mountain lions/deer/elk are aware of the lack of signal).

Enjoy!

 

[dustinzgirl]

No phones work at my uncles other than land lines and that's only if you are really lucky, and there's only one area where mobiles work at my dad's. Most of the places I go have no or really low signals. I need to get a satellite phone one of these days.

I'm tired of horror movies that are ABOUT cell phones, mainly because they are just the same old idea with a new technology. Not very interesting.

Happy Joe, I disagree, I think the elk and bears are well aware of the lack of signal. I've had several run ins with bears in my lifetime, and if I'm alone I don't worry about it too much (sometimes I like to camp out for a night by myself, esp if my bipolar is acting up), but if I have the kids with my I take my rifle just in case I have to scare away a bear. I would never shoot a bear or elk unless there was no other way to survive.

 

[Heebie]

No phones work at my uncles other than land lines and that's only if you are really lucky, and there's only one area where mobiles work at my dad's. Most of the places I go have no or really low signals. I need to get a satellite phone one of these days.

I have visions of every serial killer in the world heading to your uncle's!

 

[Happy Joe]

I have visions of every serial killer in the world heading to your uncle's!

...on dark and stormy nights,
when you are there,
after the power goes out...
and the bears are hungry...

Enjoy!

I favor a .45 acp (officer's model), for disuasion...

 

[sdorot]

Not exactly related, but did anyone else strongly dislike "When a Stranger Calls" ?

 

[dustinzgirl]

I have visions of every serial killer in the world heading to your uncle's!

We are the serial killers.

JD: LOL Dagon!!!

Oh, and my phone is really bright. We got stuck till about five am going mud running and I used my phone to find twigs for a fire. That was fun, but we didn't bring any marshmallows.

 

[Pyar]

I think its hilarious whenever their phones don't work. Cause that means they are about to be slaughtered.

But seriously, you have to suspend your disbelief a little, a lot of these horror movies are already very outlandish.

 

[Heebie]

I think its hilarious whenever their phones don't work. Cause that means they are about to be slaughtered.

If ever I get 'no signal' again I'm going to start writing out my will.

 

[Rodders]

Slightly OT, i have to say that i'm fed up with product placement in films.

 

[Pyar]

If ever I get 'no signal' again I'm going to start writing out my will.

LOL Good Plan!

 

[Moonbat]

Having recently made a horror film, the use of the 'no signal' point was a neccessity to faciltate the last half hour of the film. It is pretty obvious, but as a writer you have to address the issue of 'why didn't they call for help' fairly quickly as when faced with death or some deranged killer most of us would instantly call for help.
Luckily the film was based on the moors so it was fairly acceptable that they would get no signal.
The flip side of this is where we are seeing mobile phones being used in (non horror) films for something worth while. Can't think of any examples of the top of my head, but I know there are some.