Is the Genre really Horror or is the Genre Murder

[jackfaire]

When is the last time you saw a movie that was labeled as a Horror movie where that didn't mean "someone is trying to kill people"

Death isn't the only scary thing in the world and yet it seems to be the only thing Horror movies are about.

It was the thing that struck me about the Purge Movies.

All crime is legal for 24 hours. So why are people only killing? That's the least satisfying crime of all.

If we had a real life purge. I would go loot an electronics store getting every piece of electronics I wanted. Then I would rob a grocery store stocking up on a year's supply of non-perishable items. Grab movies, video games etc. Treat it as a shopping spree where everything is free. The next day go back to work and earn money for the things that can't be stolen.

That would decrease crime because essentially you would remove the need to rob and steal as people's money would stretch further now.

But I digress. Horror shouldn't only be death. Horror movies should be about ruining a person.

Watching someone's life spiral out of control is horror.

The Net is more of a horror movie than Hostel is.

Rape as a plot point would be a horror movie.

Actually horrifying things.

They would be scary.

Most horror movies have devolved into "let's see how many creative ways we can kill people"

I recently saw the movie Vertigo for the first time. It's a legitimately terrifying movie. Where the man is essentially being driven insane.

Where are these movies? Thirteenth Floor was a Sci-Fi Horror movie where a man trying to solve the murder of his boss realizes truths about his own existence that induce an existential horror. Dark City.

There are amazing flicks that use the "True Nature of our Reality" to great effect.

But these movies are almost never labeled as Horror. In fact these days a movie is only labeled as Horror if a bunch of people die.

So is Horror really a genre if only a very specific class of movie are touted as being of that genre?

[mjr]

So why are people only killing? That's the least satisfying crime of all.

Probably some sort of endorphin high or something. That'd be my guess.

If we had a real life purge. I would go loot an electronics store getting every piece of electronics I wanted. Then I would rob a grocery store stocking up on a year's supply of non-perishable items. Grab movies, video games etc. Treat it as a shopping spree where everything is free.

Then you'd get attacked by someone else, and all the stuff you just looted would be stolen from you. Possibly at the cost of your life.

Actually horrifying things.

They would be scary.

I get your point, but under this definition "Titanic" could be considered a "horror" movie.

Where are these movies?

I think some of the movies you're talking about have possibly been re-classified as "Suspense" or "Thriller".

Though it's not a movie, if you ever get a chance, watch "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Final Escape". THAT is horror, in my opinion. The ending will mess with your mind.

Though there were movies made in the 1950's that were kind of like "horror" of their era. There was one about a giant tarantula.

So is Horror really a genre if only a very specific class of movie are touted as being of that genre?

I would have to say yes. I'm not a fan of "horror" movies (especially the gore/slasher fests that are "modern" horror movies), but would there are some movies that people might classify as horror, and others may not. Jaws, for instance. Some may consider it "Suspense" or "Thriller".

You do pose an interesting question, though, Jack.

But what would you consider "Tales from the Darkside"? Would you consider that series "horror"?

What about classics like Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", or Bram Stoker's "Dracula"?

[wolfie]

Though it's not a movie, if you ever get a chance, watch "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Final Escape". THAT is horror, in my opinion. The ending will mess with your mind.

Don't want to spoil it, so I'll be vague. Is that the one set in a women's prison, where one prisoner keeps trying to escape (hide in laundry truck, etc.), and the horror of the ending is what happens at her last meeting with the guy who was going to help her escape?

[mjr]

Don't want to spoil it, so I'll be vague. Is that the one set in a women's prison, where one prisoner keeps trying to escape (hide in laundry truck, etc.), and the horror of the ending is what happens at her last meeting with the guy who was going to help her escape?

That's the one.

[TheHuckster]

Rape as a plot point would be a horror movie.

Rape is a seriously traumatizing thing to watch, plus such a movie would be rated X and would likely not be very profitable as a result. Rape is just something that's very taboo and especially disturbing to most people, more so than murder and torture. Writers and directors simply don't want to go there.

There have been some horror movies that at least involve kidnapping and torture. The antagonist's goal is not to kill, but to keep someone alive under gruesome pain. It's not my cup of tea, but they're out there.

But, really, what it boils down to is besides rape and torture, there really isn't much else besides gruesome death that can describe horror. I mean, besides having Thanksgiving with your in-laws, but for some reason they keep categorizing that as comedy.

[jackfaire]

But, really, what it boils down to is besides rape and torture, there really isn't much else besides gruesome death that can describe horror. I mean, besides having Thanksgiving with your in-laws, but for some reason they keep categorizing that as comedy.

I would have classified the movie The Net as a horror movie. I consider Frankenstein and Dracula to both be horror. Horror is Existential by nature.

That's how I would define a horror movie. If it's main thrust is to dissect, warp, or destroy a person's existence that's a horror movie.

The Net does this. It takes an existence and shows how it can go wrong. In this case a loner, like myself, that spends most of their time online only having friends online, ordering and shopping online leading a solitary life. At the time that movie came out that was my life. I lived at home with my parents but I was pretty sure that once I graduated High School I would living like Sandra Bullock's character.

The idea that someone could use my own personality type to destroy my life and make it hell was horrifying to me.

I think a movie should be defined by it's Core.

Alien is not a Sci-Fi movie. Nor is it usually sorted into Sci-Fi areas. It's considered a Horror movie. Sci-Fi is the environment not the genre. Lost in Space is a Sci-Fi movie because it's primary thrust is the Sci-Fi.

I think the rise of IMDB is part of why the genres have seemed to expand. Every listing now doesn't just list the primary genre each one lists every genre it could fall under and you the viewer have to decide what it fits under.

Netflix does the same asking you after you rate it "do you often like horror comedy romance" Instead of just filing it under it's main Thrust.

[Blue Ginger]

I get your point, but under this definition "Titanic" could be considered a "horror" movie.

Dear Dog, Titanic is horror to me. Romantic, mushy blah. I couldn't think of another movie that makes me want to get the 4 hours of my life back. (How long was the extended edition? I've tried to wipe it from memory from my sister making me watch it.)

I can't stand slash 'em up movies. To me they are gross but not really scary because I can generally pick who is going to be next. And most of the time everyone or nearly everyone ends up dead.

But The Net, Dark City and anything done by Alfred Hitchcock or Stephen King is closer to horror. Especially if it is a slow build of tension and you can't tell what is going to happen next. Creepy, scary and horrifying. I would love to see what Hitchcock would have done with modern technology, especially the internet. He would probably have made The Net look like a small misunderstanding.

[mjr]

I couldn't think of another movie that makes me want to get the 4 hours of my life back.

I can. Back in my early 20's I was dating a girl who basically drug me to go see "Gone With The Wind"...but she brought her friend with her, IIRC.

anything done by Alfred Hitchcock

Seriously...see above about "The Final Escape". I think you can even find it on YouTube. The version from the 1980's.