What do you look for in your horror?

Zombienosh

something i've been thinking about for a while...

I've always been a fan of horror, but horror in itself is a vast genre and covers a lot of different things. I've noticed when i'm browsing the horror section lately, i'm always looking for new films, ones I haven't seen and I don't really research them before hand so what attracts me to films? what do I look for in a good horror?

These days there's a lot to consider when making those curious impulse horror buys, The name and the cover art is an initial attraction, flip it over, basic plot outline and some scenes should further attract and lastly I check the price, sometimes if its a gorey sounding film I'll check the ratings (I pretty much never buy a horror under the 15's rating, unless its and old-skool one)

I've found over the years the kind of horror I seem to be drawn to, sometimes the films that attract me most are kind of sci-fi horror crossovers, creature features if you will. I'm a huge zombie lover. I've noticed though I love any horror film that has some sort of creature or unusual threat. Either that with/or a lot of mystery. Suspense and general thriller horrors about fact or mad killers etc rarely interest me, unless the story is boosted in excitement by huge amounts of gore.

I'm fairly interested in the disturbed banned flicks that get around. pushing extreme to the limits.
Overall though, I'd say im a creature feature zombie guy.

How about you?

liah

Kind of the same as you, especially in terms of the ratings thing. I don't really see the point of watching a horror that a child won't be afraid of, I'm 22 and I'm meant to be scared, so that stuff isn't going to work!

I tend to like supernatural and psychological horrors, though, and zombie movies are always fun but I don't think I'd necessarily pick them over anything else, ie. I'm not a massive fan of the "x of the dead" series (or anything Romero, really). [REC.] was more my style in the zombie genre. I particularly like Asian (lots of Korean) horrors, at least the good ones, they bring something that I don't think any other area of the world has brought, though I'm not sure why. Stuff like Tale of Two Sisters, Epitaph, the original Eye (not amazing but for some reason I'm still very drawn to it).

Also very fond of the Stephen King types, especially the Mist, being his latest triumph. Thought that was fantastic. But I still have a soft spot for the oldies, like Dolores Claiborne/Misery/The Shining, etc.

I don't mind survival horror sometimes either, was quite surprised with Eden Lake, am dying to watch it again but I haven't had an opportunity to watch it on my own in awhile.

I love the variety in horror, though.. but I'm sick of people thinking all horror is crap because of the stuff America churns out!

Zombienosh

I have to agree with the Asian cinema point, They really do perfect the art of chilling storytelling. some of my favourite of late are, Ju-on grudges 1 & 2, R-Point, The Eye, The original Ring.

trustno1

I am looking to be scared. Sounds like an obvious answer in relation to 'what do you look for in your horror' - but thats about it. Myself and my brother watched far too many horrors when we were younger (we got to see a lot of films that came out and then were subsequently banned - and are now back out again - all on VHS of course that we used to put in the fridge to cool down so our parents didn't know that we had looked at them ). So now absolutely nothing scares me.. and I am always trying to find the one film that will. Some films that I watch do shock (Martyrs for example) but thats about it.

I mainly enjoy Zomibe\infected type flicks (Dead Snow, REC, 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead remake - blue zombies in the original just look stupid now). Any of the foreign films that I have bought have mostly been dissapointing (Frontiers, Switchblade Romance etc) so I tend to look at a broader range of reviews before investing!.. I also like checking out films that were made with a smaller budget to see how they manage to get the scares in (Splinter and Hush spring to mind) and sometimes these tend to be better than the bigger budget flicks.

Karl Hungus

What I look for in a horror is a good film. You're right in saying that Horror is a vast genre, and there's many different niches and styles incorporated into that, but I can't say that I prefer any one particular sub-genre over another because there's as many examples of great films in each. There's also as many examples of rubbish to boot. Modern or classic, foreign or English language, zombies, ghosts, slashers, or whatever else you have, it doesn't really make a huge amount of difference except from what I feel in the mood to watch at the time, all I really look for is a good film.

I don't particularly look to be scared, but something genuinely atmospheric can be terrific (The Orphanage, The Mist), I can appreciate a film that might not be particularly great but present something original and different from it's contemporaries (Pontypool, Deadgirl), or sometimes I enjoy being unsettled and disturbed (Martyrs, Inside). I love a film where I can really feel for the characters (Let The Right One In), I don't really have a specific type I look for, I just appreciate a good horror film for what it is.

I think it's perhaps easier to define what I avoid in a horror, which is generally remakes, sequels, or cash-ins. The current craze of remaking iconic horrors are the kind you won't see me watching, or when the likes of Saw and Hostel struck gold, the wave of idiotic cash-ins that emerged, or the numerous Saw sequels, I'll generally avoid like the plague. Anything unoriginal tends to bore me as well, it doesn't matter how well done a film is sometimes, if it's going through the motions typical for a film of it's type, I'm just not interested.

Otis Driftwood

I dont really have a particular horror type that I would prefer though having said that,most of my top 10 favourite horrors are pre 1990 so if thats a type then I guess that would be it.

When I watch horror,I want it to give me some kind of reaction.Be it fear or disgust.Something like Martyrs gave me a reaction like very few movies have ever done.It stuck with me for days afterwards.The only other ones that immediately spring to mind are Mordum and Cutting Moments.Cutting Moments is only about 18 minutes long but it is an unbelievible headfcuk,I dont have the words to describe it.

I use another forum quite a bit and get most of my referrals from there.Iv very rarely been let down by a recommendation from the guys there.I constantly search for the most extreme,most depraved movies commited to celluloid.I do however draw the line at real death and mondo movies like Traces of Death or the other real death stuff,that isnt entertainment and that kind of stuff cannot be unseen.

I will generally give all zombie movies a chance,Im a huge freak for them even though I cant remember the last new zombie movie I really enjoyed.

I like the category 3 Asian movies like The Untold Story or The Ebola Syndrome although that market has too gone very stale of late.There are still some undiscovered gems out there that I have yet to see.The faux snuff movies like the Guinea Pig series or Tumbling Doll of Flesh are pretty throwaway but fun as curiosities.

Im a bit of a dork for Italian 70s and 80s horror.The slew of video nasties that came from Italy is unbelieveble and this like the US during the same time period was horrors golden age for me.Italy alone produced horror/exploitation classics like Suspiria,Zombie Flesh Eaters,New York Ripper,Cannibal Holocaust or the slew of Nazisploitation movies,which is really surprising giving the size of the country and the relatively meagre budgets.

Of course there is the 70s and 80s slasher and exploitation movies from the US.The likes of Maniac,The Prowler,Friday the 13th or Last House on the Left are just some of the fantastic films that came out in that era.Sadly I dont think that age of quality horror will ever some again so Im reliant on the classics.Lucky for me there are loads out there,some fantastic like the above,some like House on Sorority Row,not so fantastic.

I realise the above is a bit of a mish mash but like I said in the first line,I dont have a type.

niallon

I'd share similar tastes to a lot of users here and horror fans in general. Similar to ned, I can't resist a good zombie flick, they genuinely scare me at the thought of "What would you do?" in such a scenario. No matter whether it's zombie/zom com/action with zombies, there's always an ongoing sense of dread.

Slashers are great too and to me are one of the most important sub genres when it comes to "What I look for in a horror". Slashers tend to be handled too lightly by most directors. In a big way this is due to the likes of the Scream series, lingering too close to parody and harming their own credibility in the process. Director's such as Argento and Carpenter knew how to handle their slashers. Carpenter is one of the greatest examples with Michael Myers. Myers was an unstoppable killing machine, no emotion, no expression, no weak spots. Myers is a million miles away from the clumsy tripping stalk and slasher from the Scream series.

The biggest problem with modern slashers is the persistence from directors to make sure and replicate all the ingredients of the two original Western slashers, Halloween and Friday The 13th. Watch any modern slasher and there's guaranteed to be either the Whodunnit killer or a family connection between a lead and the killer. So much work is going into these minor details that the main body of the script is being ignored. I cannot remember a single recent slasher where the killers motives, having been revealed in dramatic fashion, were actually any way realistic in permitting the rampages they then embarked on. Even Scream, all three of them, couldn't bring about decent motivations for the scale of the killings featured within. Either don't explain it á la Halloween (pre-Halloween 2 obviously) or have all the right motivation and all the right buttons pushed á la Friday The 13th.

Otis Driftwood

niallon wrote: »

The biggest problem with modern slashers is the persistence from directors to make sure and replicate all the ingredients of the two original Western slashers, Halloween and Friday The 13th. Watch any modern slasher and there's guaranteed to be either the Whodunnit killer or a family connection between a lead and the killer. So much work is going into these minor details that the main body of the script is being ignored. I cannot remember a single recent slasher where the killers motives, having been revealed in dramatic fashion, were actually any way realistic in permitting the rampages they then embarked on.

Totally agree on the above which is why I loved Laid to Rest so much.No convuluted plot twists just a straight up stalk and slash gore fest.

Giggity!

niallon

nedtheshed wrote: »

Totally agree on the above which is why I loved Laid to Rest so much.No convuluted plot twists just a straight up stalk and slash gore fest.

Giggity!

And it's at the very top of my post exams watch list!

There's really so little in the vein of straight up slashers too though. Halloween, Friday The 13th. A couple of the eighties slashers deserve mention too, My Bloody Valentine, Silent Night, Deadly Night for all of it's cheese! But it really comes down to Friday and Halloween for the first and last examples of great American slashers, of course this is a lot down to the fact that they created clichés that were then worn to the ground.

One modern slasher I'd give honourable mention to is Hatchet (2007). Really great throwback material to the eighties heyday as well as filling up on some modern effects and post slasher era humour.

Zombienosh

I'd say out of all the different types, Slashers would be probly be my least favourite type horror, I wouldn't really find any interest watching any slasher post 1980s

niallon

AlcoholicA wrote: »

I'd say out of all the different types, Slashers would be probly be my least favourite type horror, I wouldn't really find any interest watching any slasher post 1980s

I'd agree for the most part but still suggest Hatchet, really enjoyable slasher!

MudSkipper

I love horror in almost all it's forms and have no particular favourite subgenre, it's all about the film and for me what a good horror should have in spades is tension / atmosphere / foreboding / etc. Be it a slasher stalking his next victim, how will they survive these fast zombies or the psychological creep out movies asia seems to excel in, it's the atmosphere of a movie that keeps me watching.

Dont get me wrong, I love a bit of gore, but it's nothing without the build-up and anticipation that something bad is gonna happen.

Admittedly I sit through a lot of crap ones (of all sorts) as I always try and look for the best in any movie...... and hope for that hidden gem that is so obscure but yes some did not deserve anyones attention (or their budget!)

Some types of horrors that have the shock value or are unsettling (by reputation) i.e canibal holocaust, men behind the sun, etc, I tend to hold off on watching until I'm mentally prepared, no point in watching them for the gore alone, it;s the depravity of mankind thats the most shocking in them. I've passed up on some italian nazi sploitation movies for that very reason :eek:

Otis Driftwood

The Nazisploitation ones are mostly pure cheese.Stuff like The Beast in Heat,SS Experiment Love Camp or Ilsa the Wicked Warden,while morally objectionable are pretty tame all in all.

trustno1

nedtheshed wrote: »

The Nazisploitation ones are mostly pure cheese.Stuff like The Beast in Heat,SS Experiment Love Camp or Ilsa the Wicked Warden,while morally objectionable are pretty tame all in all.

Was that SS Experiment Love Camp supposed to be a horror?!.. I saw it at the weekend and it was shockingly boring..

Otis Driftwood

Its borderline horror/exploitation.Most of that particular subgenre that I have seen are all pretty damn boring.

Men Behind The Sun is a different kettle of fish though.The first one is a brilliant movie,the second and third ones are a bit crappy (the second features a drawn out and very graphic autopsy scene on the real cadavar of a young boy,not my thang).The 4th - Nanking Massacre - is a very good film though.It features alot of real life footage about that massacre and is a tough enough view in places.Tartan released it a few years ago in its uncut form.The other 3 have never gotten an uncut release in the UK/Ireland.I picked up a limited to 3000 boxset of all 4 movies a couple of years ago on ebay.It was released through I think Tokyo Shock.

MudSkipper

was thinking of 'Salo or 120 days of solom' when mentioned the nazisploitation.... havent seen it, or men behind the sun, need to mentally prepare for those

Otis Driftwood

Salo isnt nazisploitation or horror but it is a rough enough movie.Its also very misunderstood.Personally I liked it but its definitly a marmite movie.

MudSkipper

nedtheshed wrote: »

a marmite movie.

have to remember that one

spooky donkey

I prefer horrors with a supernatural twist to them. The slasher serial killer films feel too much like a crime thriller than an actual horror, I know they are horror just not what I grew up on.
Most of the horrors I grew up on where the 80`s and a lot of them has ghosts, zombies, vampires and such in them.

Zombienosh

spooky donkey wrote: »

I prefer horrors with a supernatural twist to them. The slasher serial killer films feel too much like a crime thriller than an actual horror, I know they are horror just not what I grew up on.
Most of the horrors I grew up on where the 80`s and a lot of them has ghosts, zombies, vampires and such in them.

That's generally how i feel, i need some sort of surrealism or escapism in my horrors.

Zombienosh

I picked up Martyrs today after so many people had mentioned it!

Karl Hungus

AlcoholicA wrote: »

I picked up Martyrs today after so many people had mentioned it!

Hope you enjoy it!

Otis Driftwood

AlcoholicA wrote: »

I picked up Martyrs today after so many people had mentioned it!

Awesome-o.

Zombienosh

well... that was interesting. ****ing amazing, and weird.