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I'm sure there is a name for the particular genre of horror, but I don't know it. But what the heck is with these horror movies that have no plot other than to create a situation in which (often completely innocent) people are made helpless and tortured by psychopathic bullies.
What does it say about our society that we condone such movies as cinema and what does it say about our society that there is a definite and very strong market for these movies?
I'm honestly confused and appalled by them. Perhaps this makes me weak and overly sympathetic, but I don't even begin to understand people getting off on the torture other human beings.
They had an interview on the radio the other day with the lead actress in a new Australian movie in which a guy turns her down when asked to be her date to the prom, so she and her father (who are in an incestuous relationship) kidnap said guy and torture him. As far as I could ascertain, that was the entire plot. I had to turn off the radio, but not before they discussed how it was for the actress to put herself in a role where, among many other things, she pins the guys penis to a chair and lobotomises him with an electric drill. She enjoyed it by the way.
I actually still feel ill thinking about the radio interview 2 days later, hence this post.
If someone can explain it to me in a rational way, can explain why they or others watch this kind of thing...? I just honestly don't understand and I'm glad I've never been taken to watch something like this.
I know I have an incredibly low tolerance for violence in film/TV unless there is a good/evil trope to go with it. I am more than aware of that.
This isn't an incrimination on anyone who watches said horror films, it is an honest line of inquiry. Why?
What does it say about our society that we condone such movies as cinema and what does it say about our society that there is a definite and very strong market for these movies?
I'm honestly confused and appalled by them. Perhaps this makes me weak and overly sympathetic, but I don't even begin to understand people getting off on the torture other human beings.
They had an interview on the radio the other day with the lead actress in a new Australian movie in which a guy turns her down when asked to be her date to the prom, so she and her father (who are in an incestuous relationship) kidnap said guy and torture him. As far as I could ascertain, that was the entire plot. I had to turn off the radio, but not before they discussed how it was for the actress to put herself in a role where, among many other things, she pins the guys penis to a chair and lobotomises him with an electric drill. She enjoyed it by the way.
I actually still feel ill thinking about the radio interview 2 days later, hence this post.
If someone can explain it to me in a rational way, can explain why they or others watch this kind of thing...? I just honestly don't understand and I'm glad I've never been taken to watch something like this.
I know I have an incredibly low tolerance for violence in film/TV unless there is a good/evil trope to go with it. I am more than aware of that.
This isn't an incrimination on anyone who watches said horror films, it is an honest line of inquiry. Why?
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I have to admit that I quite 'like' reading (not viewing) reasonably extreme 'hurt', but I have my limits. And that sort of thing just, eww.
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Mind you the reason I struggle with cop shows in general is because there are people harming people. SPN on the other hand is scary monsters harming people and good guys chasing them with guns and somehow that doesn't bother me near as much as a general theme.
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It's always kind of interesting to see what people do/don't like--e.g. you not liking where people are harming people, but being more okay with monsters.
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My fairly recent understanding is that the movies like "Saw" - of which the seventh in the series was just released here in 3D - are of a similar level of violence, torture and horror. But the fact that they've reached no. 7 in the series and are still making money, must mean the market is there. I just don't understand it at all. *hands*
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I think they referred to the "Saw" movies as "torture porn" in the movie review in the paper today. Maybe that is a genre then. I thought it was just the reviewer's turn of phrase.
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a) Horror movies - both the gore/sex and the psychological type
b) Teenage chick flicks
I'm the first person to admit that I enjoy (in terms of fanfic) h/c and "get off on it". But, as you've correctly pointed out, there's got to be backstory, characterisation and all that to it. Violence for the sake of violence just *shudders*
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Movies like Saw or even Final Destination (what is it about those movies?! Watching people die in the most horrible way possible?!)...I admit that sometimes I like gore, but I like it when it's exaggerated (for example Kill Bill) so much that you cannot believe it's real, if you know what I mean. I also like zombie and slashers flicks because it makes me laugh. But I like getting a good scare out of ghost stories.
But I still don't understand why such movies keep going on, and why there is an industry for it :S
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I know people get off on the fear and the scares, and in the typical horrors I can accept that, but not from these type of movies. I think that begins to tap into a whole different area of psyche and whatnot, and honestly, I find it hugely disturbing.
It's a massively sad indictment on our society, and I think it's a cop out to umbrella it under "free speech" or "art." People are too blasé about things these days and it seems like there's no limit to what's acceptable now.
I think that's really sad.
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I can't watch it either. Not torture for torture's sake. Can't stand the Saw movies (though I did like the first one because they was more of a thrilled and quite clever). I like schlock-horror - more kind of comedy horror - if that's such a thing. But it has to be either really well done or so badly done it's hilarious...
I remember studying Texas Chain Saw Masacre in college and actually couldn't watch it. It's considered a classic of the genre.
Different stroke for different folks I guess.. *shrugs*
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Clearly, I have a kink for the genre. That being said, films like Saw and Wolf Creek, among others, categorically do not interest me. I haven't seen a single Saw movie, and Wolf Creek left me utterly bored and cold.
I think, for me, the kink needs to be supported by an attachment and connection with the characters, the comfort side of the equation, and some extreeeeeemely specific factors in play when it comes to the torture. Put it this way -- you could rip Sam Winchester down to studs and I wouldn't bat an eyelid, but flick Dean in the ear and my pants ignite. Or you could exact the same suffering on them both, and I would yawn over Sam's pain but wear the rewind button off the remote over Dean's. Kinks are as many and varied as the people who have them. And despite being a Dean!torture!whore, there's a great deal of Dean!torture in fanfic that squicks me because it fails to hit my particular kinks in the particular fashion I require to get ignition.
Maybe for some people, pure pain for pain's sake is enough to get them off. Not enough to get me off, but each to their own. *shrugs*
Kinda like Wincest. It ain't my bag, but if it flies your kite, it flies your kite. Who knows where the underpants smoulders come from? Not I. )
But not even Dean Winchester getting his penis pinned to a chair would be alright with me. Ewww. No, thank you.
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I can't see the appeal myself. I love a good H/C fic, but I'm pretty much all about the comfort. Hurt without that makes no sense to me.
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I don't watch horror movies much at all and when I do I'm very very very picky (like, I'll watch Scream but never ever ever would I watch any of the Saw movie).
That movie you wrote about here sounds gruesome and what's the point of a movie like that?
DO NOT WANT!!