Horror Minus Horror

It's time for horror talk!

I was just watching a discussion by the red letter media dudes about one of my favorite horror flicks, The Re-Animator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAPeMftLe_o

They addressed something I've talked about before, and still agree with.

A horror story can be tested for its strength by looking at it WITHOUT the horror. Take out the horror element, and look at what's left. Are the characters strong? Is there conflict or some kind of tension between them? Are there interesting relationships and some kind of situation happening aside from the horror stuff?

In Re-Animator, they point out, there are interesting dynamics that could be made into a movie WITHOUT that nutty Dr. West and his zombie-creating formula. There's a young, broke but talented medical student who's dating the Dean's daughter. Another Professor and friend of the Dean is lusting after that girl too.

Boom! An interesting set of characters and a situation that takes a sharp turn into the bizarre.

In Jeepers Creepers, it's a sassy brother and sister heading home for a break from College. There is tension based on a bad breakup the sister's just had, that her brother wants to know about. She's not talking, but we see that she's dreading going home and having to explain this to her parents.

Spoiler alert - that turns out to be the least of their worries!

In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the friends' roadtrip to a family cabin and the annoying wheelchair-bound brother provide just enough meat…if you will…to make the story feel quite real.

In the original Halloween, without an escaped Michael Myers and his driven Doctor-turned-hunter, we have a teenager who…is babysitting on Halloween night.

Er…that one may be an exception. Much as I LOVE that movie, there's not a ton going on. But generally, I think there oughtta be!

What do you think?


—




It's been a brutal year or so with all the shocking deaths of fairly young music legends.

RiP to Gordon Downie, Canadian rock legend, writer and activist. It's a very sad day up here. I talked about Gord and the Tragically Hip about a year ago:

http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2016/aug/17/a-canadian-tragedy/

take care all,
talk atcha again soon.

-Banes