What Are The Things You Dislike most about Modern Horror Movies ?

[BAYLOR]

I was going to suggest Lee Marvin, then a quick Google finds that he actually turned the role down. Gene Hackman possibly.

But you're right; any actor wouldn't have played the role half so well. That thousand yard stare as he recounts his time in the water in WWII was as good a piece of acting as there ever has been.

Robert Shaw was a marvelous actor , one of the best. I wish he'd gotten to live longer then he did.

 

[BAYLOR]

Why can't we get a good old fashioned horror film , like they did back in the 1960's ?

 

[Vince W]

They tried with the Tom Cruise film The Mummy but it didn’t go down too well. Shame really, it’s not terrible.

 

[paranoid marvin]

There were some notable horror movies and tv shows in the 60s, but for me that decade was dominated by Hammer. Whilst many of their horror films were very successful, and still enjoyable to watch today thanks to the likes of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, they relied far more on visual gore and scares. They were quite same-y; a bit like the Carry On movies, with similar actors playing similar roles.

For me, it was from 1968 and through to the late 70s that horror movies really hit their stride, and we got some of the greatest of the genre ever made. Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, Jaws, The Exorcist,, Wicker Man, Halloween etc.

This period also became a fertile ground for tv horror, with BBC's Ghost Stories for Christmas adaptation (also including 'Oh Whistle'), Nigels Kneale's The Stone Tape and the sadly largely forgotten Mulrain (available on Youtube - HIGHLY recommended viewing).

Also us children got our fair share of spooky tales, with excellent shows such as Come Back Lucy, The Clifton House Mystery and Children of the Stones. Even Doctor Who got some plenty of scary stories (they were actually ordered to reign it in) with stuff like The Horror of Fang Rock and Stones of Blood.

 

[BAYLOR]

Black Sabbath 1964 by Mario Brava come to mind.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Black Sabbath 1964 by Mario Brava come to mind.

I haven't watched this movie, but the 60s was also the birth of the horror anthology genre. That must have been one of the first.


I also thought the 70s and early 80s were a great time for kids when it came to science fiction and fantasy tv. After the 60s with the likes of The Prisoner, The Avengers, Quatermass etc, there seemed to be a reluctance for showing this genre in adult slots. Which was great for us kids, because we ended up with some top notch sci-fi/fantasy authors writing adult-oriented tv for us. Chocky, King of the Castle, The Adventure Game, Blakes 7, Robin of Sherwood, The Tripods, Into the Labyrinth, Moondial, Witches and the Grinnygog etc

For me, the 1975-1985 is the golden era of children's tv.

 

[BAYLOR]

I haven't watched this movie, but the 60s was also the birth of the horror anthology genre. That must have been one of the first.

It's a terrific film, I recommend it. I also recommend Mantango A K A Attack of the Mushroom People It's terrific Japanese horror film based on the Williams Hope Hodgson story A Voice in the Night.

I also thought the 70s and early 80s were a great time for kids when it came to science fiction and fantasy tv. After the 60s with the likes of The Prisoner, The Avengers, Quatermass etc, there seemed to be a reluctance for showing this genre in adult slots. Which was great for us kids, because we ended up with some top notch sci-fi/fantasy authors writing adult-oriented tv for us. Chocky, King of the Castle, The Adventure Game, Blakes 7, Robin of Sherwood, The Tripods, Into the Labyrinth, Moondial, Witches and the Grinnygog etc

For me, the 1975-1985 is the golden era of children's tv.

Ive seen some of those.

 

[Justin Swanton]

I don't like contemporary horror movies possibly because, like everyone else, I'm jaded. Perhaps the horror genre is running its course like bobbed hair and bell bottom jeans. It becomes harder and harder to scare an audience that has seen all the scares and the dial doesn't go beyond 10 (unless gladiatorial contests are reintroduced - make Survivor a real survival game?).

 

[BAYLOR]

I don't like contemporary horror movies possibly because, like everyone else, I'm jaded. Perhaps the horror genre is running its course like bobbed hair and bell bottom jeans. It becomes harder and harder to scare an audience that has seen all the scares and the dial doesn't go beyond 10 (unless gladiatorial contests are reintroduced - make Survivor a real survival game?).

If not scare , at least write good stories.

 

[KiraAnn]

There were some notable horror movies and tv shows in the 60s, but for me that decade was dominated by Hammer. Whilst many of their horror films were very successful, and still enjoyable to watch today thanks to the likes of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, they relied far more on visual gore and scares. They were quite same-y; a bit like the Carry On movies, with similar actors playing similar roles.

Hammer was also known for cleavage and, later on, nipples.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Just watched Smile, which pretty much sums up modern horror movies. It relies on shocks and gratuitous violence for its scares. The best horror movies and TV shows (imho) have little - if none - of either. Then again it gave modern audiences what they expect and what they've paid for, and made $200m profit, so what do I know?

 

[BAYLOR]

Just watched Smile, which pretty much sums up modern horror movies. It relies on shocks and gratuitous violence for its scares. The best horror movies and TV shows (imho) have little - if none - of either. Then again it gave modern audiences what they expect and what they've paid for, and made $200m profit, so what do I know?

Ive seen Smile, it's little more than a variation on the horror flick It Follows . And it's just as un-scary as that film was.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Ive seen Smile, it's little more than a variation on the horror flick It Follows . And it's just as un-scary as that film was.

I've not seen that movie, but I did think it was similar to Final Destination and Ring, but a poor imitation of both. Which is a shame, because the premise was a good one.

Apparently its a psychological horror; obviously the definition must have changed from what it used to mean. This is as straight forward a horror movie as I've seen in some time, with no shock twists or question as to whether the antagonist is real or imagined.

But as I mentioned above, it obviously gave the audience what they came for, made a ton of cash and no doubt will have enough sequels as people will pay money to go and see.

Which is a shame really, because why would any horror movie producer produce a suspenseful psychological horror movie when they can just create another Smile and make themselves a shedload of cash?

 

[BAYLOR]

Mondern horror films that I do actually like

Cube 1997 and follow up. Hyper Cube 2002 Both have interesting story concepts both work extremely well as both Horro ad science fiction films.

The Grudge 2004 and its Sequel Grudge 2006. both of which were remakes of Japanese films and from ive heard, they compare quite well to the originals.

 

[paranoid marvin]

My favourite horror movies (not counting tv) are probably Rosemary's Baby, Edward Woodwards Wicker Man, The Exorcist and Night of the Demon. All 50+ years old.

For 'modern', I thought Doctor Sleep was very well done (but is more a thriller than horror). So the closest I've got to modern for good horror are Stir of Echoes (easily Bacon's best ever performance) and Blair Witch - but both still almost 25 years ago.


But as I've mentioned previously, the best horror stories are short, so tv definitely has the edge over cinema in this respect.

 

[BAYLOR]

My favourite horror movies (not counting tv) are probably Rosemary's Baby, Edward Woodwards Wicker Man, The Exorcist and Night of the Demon. All 50+ years old.

All great films

For 'modern', I thought Doctor Sleep was very well done (but is more a thriller than horror). So the closest I've got to modern for good horror are Stir of Echoes (easily Bacon's best ever performance) and Blair Witch - but both still almost 25 years ago.

Ive not seen either Doctor Sleep or Stir of Echos though ive heard great things about those . ive seen The Blair Witch and was less them impressed.

But as I've mentioned previously, the best horror stories are short, so tv definitely has the edge over cinema in this respect.

Anthology shows like The Twilight Zone , Thriller host by Boris Karloff and he Original Outer Limits , Rod Serling Night Gallery, tales For the Darkside, Friday the 13th The Series , Tales From the Crypt and the companion series Monsters , all did some great horror related episodes.

Anthology films like

Black Sabbath 1963
Kwaidon 1964
Trilogy of Terror 1975

If you can find I would l also recommend the the Japanese Horror films Mantango A K A Attack of the Mushroom Pople which based on the William Hope Hodgeson short story A Voice In the Night Also The Snow Woman is quite good.

 

[KGeo777]

I was going to suggest Lee Marvin, then a quick Google finds that he actually turned the role down. Gene Hackman possibly.

But you're right; any actor wouldn't have played the role half so well. That thousand yard stare as he recounts his time in the water in WWII was as good a piece of acting as there ever has been.

It is entirely performance-based horror.
There's a similar thing in Halloween 3 when Dan O'Herlihy is talking about the history of Halloween.
Night of the Demon 1957 has a lot of performance-based horror moments.

I think modern filmmakers cannot generate suspension of disbelief. They either don't try or the audiences are too jaded or the actors simply aren't charismatic enough to pull it off. There's a serious lack of gravitas in acting these days. Some of it may be due to writing but there's a definite amateur style that has come along and it gets defended by claiming it is more real than theatrical performances.

The whole point of controlling your voice and expression is to make people interested in looking at you instead of being bored or distracted.

 

[paranoid marvin]

All great films


Ive not seen either Doctor Sleep or Stir of Echos though ive heard great things about those . ive seen The Blair Witch and was less them impressed.



Anthology shows like The Twilight Zone , Thriller host by Boris Karloff and he Original Outer Limits , Rod Serling Night Gallery, tales For the Darkside, Friday the 13th The Series , Tales From the Crypt and the companion series Monsters , all did some great horror related episodes.

Anthology films like

Black Sabbath 1963
Kwaidon 1964
Trilogy of Terror 1975

If you can find I would l also recommend the the Japanese Horror films Mantango A K A Attack of the Mushroom Pople which based on the William Hope Hodgeson short story A Voice In the Night Also The Snow Woman is quite good.

I thought Blair Witch was something different, and it has in some ways been quite diluted by the many 'found footage' movies that followed.

Yes the anthologies can be very effective with their short story format. There were a number of these in the 1970s, and Creepshow and Twilight Zone movies were well done.

Tv shows can also be very effective, and some of the scariest are those that aren't on the face of it horror. Whilst 'Ghost Stories for Christmas' are some of the best remembered, other tv series like Twilight Zone and Sapphire and Steel had some of the most memorable, scariest moments in them.

 

[CrazyKB]

Most horror films are predictable, with poor scripts, bad acting and (incredibly) stupid characters. However, there have been some great films from that genera, for example The Exorcist, The Changeling, Alien or John Carpenter's The Thing, The Fly, The Decent (2005), The Hallow, The Babadook, as well as a host of other films.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Most horror films are predictable, with poor scripts, bad acting and (incredibly) stupid characters. However, there have been some great films from that genera, for example The Exorcist, The Changeling, Alien or John Carpenter's The Thing, The Fly, The Decent (2005), The Hallow, The Babadook, as well as a host of other films.

I think that stupid (or at least foolish) characters are pretty much a requirement for a horror movie. But the thing with horror is there are so many kinds. For some, just having lots of blood and gore is enough, for others they want to see a horrible looking ghost or monster, and for others (like myself) the unknown, or the thing hiding in the shadows is far more terrifying than anything a film producer could put on screen. Having said that the creatures with no faces in 'Sapphire and Steel' scared the life out of me as a kid (and as an adult too) !