Great Horror Cinema

The horror film is a genre of popular entertainment which dates back to the early days of cinema. Whether in the form of Nosferatu the vampire, or serial killer Michael Myers horror has always terrified audiences with its villain’s and scenarios.

Yet recently the genre has radically changed, with film-makers now intent on gore and torture as opposed to spine tingling chills. Furthermore the horror film market has seen an increase in lacklustre remakes/sequels and prequels, which prove to be popular on opening weekend, but ultimately lack the genuine terror that the originals captured. While strong horror films such as Drag Me to Hell under perform at the European box office. This lack of imagination could be due to a number of reasons; one being that the target audience for modern horror is predominantly teenagers who demand blood, guts and nudity. Another theory that living in a modern era it is hard to conjure up terrifying monsters to scare audiences, so instead film-makers choose to update classic horror films in order to entertain a young generation. Yet many remakes such as The Hills Have Eyes and Halloween have been awarded 18 certificates by the BBFC (British Board Of Film Classification), its as if film-makers are marketing their product towards an older audience of gore hounds, fans who grew up with the originals and are curious to see how these remakes hold up to their predecessors. In this regard the film-makers are playing to the fans, but their remakes are predominantly gorier and harder versions of classic horror films.

Take for example Marcus Nispel’s remake of Tobe Hooper’s horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The remake is beautifully shot but is an empty, soulless piece of work which lacks the macabre atmosphere which made the original extremely frightening. The remake increases the gore to a stomach churning degree, whereas in the original the lack of gore but the suggestion of it are some of the elements which make it a classic.

Since the last instalment in the popular Saw franchise Saw 3D, we have seen a dip in the Torture Porn genre, this so called sub genre has played itself out, but at the time offered horror audiences extreme gore, sex and nudity in a masochistic setting. To fill this empty void we have seen a return to the more supernatural elements of horror, i.e. ghosts, haunted houses and things that go bump in the night. This has also led to the huge increase in 'found footage' films, from The Devil Inside to Sinister via Paranormal Activity 4 we are seeing new ways of telling scary stories, while the 'Found Footage' genre can be frustrating, there have been exceptions. i.e. Rec, The Last Exorcism and Monsters all excellent forays into the genre.

But as mainstream horror is populated by remakes and some bland films, there is hope for mainstream horror. Take Sam Rami’s Drag Me To Hell for example. The film revolves around a young woman who is cursed by a gypsy and in three days will be quite literally dragged to hell. With a focus on the supernatural in this case a curse, it has the character development of a 80s horror film, but the real strength of the film is in its pacing. The film feels like a roller coaster ride as it builds up tension in one scene and terrifies the audience in the next. Rami’s film feels very much like a demented version of his own horror classic the The Evil Dead 2, which in itself is a highly kinetic horror film. Drag Me To Hell is an example of how mainstream horror can be imaginative, and most importantly scary. In this respect the film feels fresh and liberating as it is not a remake, a sequel or constrained to misogyny or torture but is an original idea. Another example of fun and fresh Horror, is Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard's genre mash up The Cabin in The Woods. With the title alone, your playing with the conventions of the 'Stalk n Slash' genre, and by playing with these tried and tested areas the film-makers deliver something truly special, its one of the freshest and most enjoyable horror films of recent years.

World Horror is another area of the genre which proves to be everything mainstream horror lacks i.e. strong character development, great stories and moments of genuine terror. Because World Horror avoids the trappings of mainstream horror, it can deliver moments which are genuinely scary. World Horror also creates horror films designed for adults. Some of these works can be seen as horror’s saving grace. Take for example Swedish film Let The Right One In, where a troubled twelve year old boy befriends his new neighbour, only to find out she is a vampire. The films moments of horror are scattered throughout, instead we are offered moments of beauty and a slow, morbid atmosphere which builds to a stunning final ten minutes. When the horror arrives however, they are fantastically staged and scary. The tone, aesthetic choice and pace one would not find in a mainstream Hollywood horror film. One other example of adult themed horror is the Spanish horror The Orphanage. This is “adult” horror but in a heartbreaking way, as it deals with the loss of a child. The first half of the film expands on this theme, in which we see a vulnerable mother coming to terms with loosing her son. While the second half builds atmosphere, and delivers some brilliant horror moments. What makes the film so painful, is the mothers mourning is so strong, that it radiates off the screen. The film can be viewed as a companion piece to Nicolas Roeg’s masterpiece Don’t Look Now.

Another popular area of World Horror is Korean and Japanese horror. These works are aesthetically and thematically different from other examples of World Horror, they take Western story conventions and create strange and macabre films such as Audition and Dark Water. What's striking about Korean and Japanese moments of horror, is that they are slower paced. So the moment of horror is drawn out to a nail-biting climax. Take for example the climax in Ringu, where the antagonist crawls out of the television set; in any Western horror this scene would be handled as a jump shock, the scene is terrifying because of the way of she moves, slowly advancing towards us as if taking her time. This also taps into a deeper psychological fear of breaking barriers, as the cinema screen often acts as a barrier between the audience and the world of the film, the fact that the antagonist breaks through the screen, taps into our fears of these monsters coming to get us.

Audition is a master class in slowly building terror, and is proof of how Japanese and Korean violence can be more extreme. This is evident in the final scene, in which the protagonist is horribly tortured. The scene includes anti puncture to the eyeballs, the removal of the tongue and the hacking of limbs. This scene slowly builds the terror through the use of editing, and its lack of score, in its place is the sound of hacking and moaning. It is also through the use of the angles which at times mask the action, the audience is forced to picture the image in their mind, adding further terror to the scene.

It seems that with film-makers like Sam Rami, Thomas Alfredson and European directors that the future of horror is in safe hands, as these film-makers have shown that horror can be beautiful, funny, childlike and most of all scary. It is also proof that if there is an audience for horror whether it’s Torture Porn, Hollywood Remakes, European Horror or any other Sub Genre of horror audiences will continue to pay good money to see characters imaginatively killed on screen.

The Age of Comic Book Cinema

Over the past decade cinema goers have been treated to an array of superheroes. With each film varying in quality it seems that we are living in the age of Comic Book cinema; where big studios are plundering the comic archives for the next bankable character. We've seen Wolverine's and Men of Steel, to billionaire vigilantes and Spartan warriors. One could speculate that this increase in escapist cinema is due the turbulent times we live in, where the Cinema is a welcome retreat offering feats of daring-do. It could also be said that film-makers are realising the full potential of these characters, and that Comic Book Cinema doesn't have to be overly bright child's fare, instead it can discuss political ideas behind a flurry of masks, capes and costumes. Examples of these include the last iteration of the Man of Steel – Superman Returns, which played very heavily on the idea of a changed world.

This growing success has been building for the past few years, and we've seen other heroes than just the Marvel and DC icons. From the literary characters in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, to Iranian adaptation Persepolis its great to see more obscure adaptations reach our theatres. Yet the bulk of comic book adaptations still come from the well known characters, this has granted fresh takes on Superheroes most notably Chris Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. By stripping the Dark Knight of his campness; Nolan was able to deliver a dark, brooding and refreshingly adult take on Bruce Wayne. Thus giving us psychopathic portrayals of the Joker and bullish Bane, last seen as a cartoonish brute in Batman & Robin. With Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy seen as the watermark in Comic Book cinema, it has spurred film-makers to up their game, and deliver adaptations which please the fans. Due to this increase we have seen a roster of darker comic book films, such as Alan Moor's savage Watchmen, and Mike Mignola's Hellboy all reaching various degrees of critical and financial success.

Yet all comic book films haven't been a hit. With last summers western/SF mash-up Cowboys and Aliens failing to ignite audiences, its a reminder that not even the film-making dream team of Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard, as well as big name actors can guarantee bums on seats. Cowboys and Aliens was based on an niche comic book, and was the third in a slew of alien invasion films that summer; it could be said that audiences were tired of seeing aliens invade the earth.

Of all the adaptations we have seen, Marvel have been the domineering force in all this. Over the past five years the company has drip fed a catalogue of films, which were ultimately a trailer for this years The Avengers, which went on to become the third highest grossing film of all time. A blockbuster, that will be remembered as one of the most entertaining films of recent times. With the huge success The Avengers, Warner Brothers are again developing there own team up Superhero flick, Justice League which will reach screens in the summer of 2015, coincidently the same summer in which The Avengers 2 will be released.

With Joss Whedon shepherding future Marvel release it seems 20^th Century Fox have followed suit, by hiring comic book creator Mark Millar to shadow the studios own Marvel releases. This is a wise move not only does show the studio cares about their product, this will hopefully extinguish the sour taste left behind by Daredevil, Elektra and the two Fantastic Four films. As Daredevil and Fantastic Four are garnering reboots, it seems that the company are serious about linking their films with the overall Marvel universe.

With The Walking Dead in it's third season, David Fincher spurring fans on to fund The Goon and a host of adaptations heading our way in the coming months and years, love it or loathe it comic book cinema is here to stay.

The Return of the Intelligent Blockbuster

Every summer the Cinema going public are bombarded with an array of fast paced, explosion riddled, adrenaline punching entertainment. Popular entertainment dominates the Summer season. While the majority of summer fare can be dismissed as disappointing, lacklustre and lacking moral fibre, recently there have been exceptions to this rule. Over the past few years, there has been a shift in the kind of popular entertainment we have seen; from Dark Knights and Iron Men, through to commentaries on Social Networking and mind altering dreamscapes, it seems Blockbuster Cinema may be turning a corner. Audiences are finally getting the films they deserve, with Rise of the Planet Of The Apes, Prometheus and Inception all balancing impressive set pieces, and engaging characters. They're popcorn entertainment but aren't afraid to bust out intellectual ideas on evolution, religion and reality.

This isn't new, a revival comes every few years when audiences are tired of loud, dumb, clichéd entertainment that is only targeted toward the 14-18 market. So when a Blockbuster like Inception came along, and proved that a tent-pole film doesn't have to be void of charm and character, it was a breath of fresh air and audiences lapped it up. Here you had a director, treating the audience with respect, a plot you had to pay attention to and a pay off which people are still talking about two years later. With Inception scoring big at the box office, it was evident that audiences were hungry for something other than explosions and exposition. It seemed that studios took notice, and soon a slew of intelligent big budget films hit our screens. So from Source Code to The Adjustment Bureau via Super 8, the past few years have been great for fans of intelligent, genre cinema.

This past summer has been no exception with The Hunger Games scoring big with adults and teenagers, Chris Nolan's conclusion to his epic Dark Knight Trilogy The Dark Knight Rises, and Ridley Scott's Prometheus, all have juggled big themes of identity, anarchism, sacrifice, science and religion with an epic scope and crowd pleasing, awe-inspiring set pieces.

Some of this emphasis on high brow art is connected with the current slate of Science Fiction, Remakes and Comic Book adaptations we've seen over the past few years. Audiences may crave something new, but they also want something recognisable too. Hence why certain comic book films have deeper subtexts than just wannabe heroes dressing up in Lycra jump suits. Take for example The Dark Knight Rises, in which part of the film explores the problems lower class citizens face in times of recession. When was the last time a Blockbuster took the time to address this sort of issue? Also see Rise of the Apes discussion of our cruelty in animal testing, an allegory that is disguised in a slice of popcorn entertainment. Its moments like this that remind me that Popular Cinema still has the ability to discuss important topics.

With a roster of upcoming films that includes Looper, Cloud Atlas, Catching Fire and After Earth, it seems like there is no lack of high brow entertainment heading our way. And why not, we sat through four years of Michael Bay's Transformers series, I think we deserve a bit brains in our blockbusters don't you?

The Dark Tower Debacle

The Dark Tower. Stephen King's epic fantasy/western series. Meshed somewhere between The Lord of the Rings, and Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly it tells the tale of Roland Deschain; the last Gunslinger of Gilead and his epic quest toward the Dark Tower. Based on a series of seven books, a potential film/television series has been planned for a number of years, and has been stuck in development hell for some time. Originally planned as a television series by J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, the duo ditched the project due to the mammoth task in adapting it. Now Warner Brothers have passed on the project, this time with Oscar winning director Ron Howard at the helm. Warner Brothers deemed the project too expensive and ambitious. The plan involves releasing the first film The Gunslinger, with a television series running alongside the behemoth Blockbusters. You have to give it to Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman, they sure have ambitious plans for Roland and his Ka-tet. But why this new hurdle? Wouldn't it be easy to get a beloved fantasy series, by a popular author green lit? Especially in this post LOTR and Harry Potter cinematic climate?

Well the simple answer – no. The truth is The Dark Tower isn't a well known fantasy series, unlike Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings. Unlike those two popular books, TDT has a niche audience. Those two popular fantasy series, both book and films appeal to adults and children, yet there is nothing family friendly about The Dark Tower. With the level of brutal violence scattered throughout the series, the films rating would have to be 15 or an 18, its proven that films of that calibre usually flop. Studio's would not finance a franchise that no one has heard of.

To add insult to injury, how do you market a Spaghetti Western, Horror, Fantasy film? If the marketing is muddled or confusing, you could end up with a John Carter size flop.

While it would be great to see Roland and his Ka-tet depicted on the big screen, it makes sense to adapt The Dark Tower for television. If Game of Thrones has proven one thing, its that modern television can match the big budget blockbusters of the Cinema. Set up at HBO, the home of bold television TDT has room to blossom. Given the networks liberal views on depicting violence, the creators wouldn't have to shy away from the books more vicious scenes. Spread over two or three seasons, you could stick to the source materiel while eliminating some of the unpopular aspects of the series, i.e. Stephen King writing himself into the saga. Furthermore multi genre entertainment works better on the small screen; Firefly and True Blood are great examples of strange, niche television with a devout cult following. To help introduce audiences to this strange world, a limited run of comics could help establish Mid-World, and some of the continuity in King's overall work. Creating an awareness of this world, would bring the unknown audience into world of the Dark Tower. Although it may be a long way off I still have hope, that one day we will see a great Dark Tower adaptation, and until then we still the books over.