Genre Flicks that make you feel like absolluuuuuute sh*t - Does that Count?

[Romero&Juliet]

I mean, when you're watching really depressing, nasty flicks like I, zombie, or Men Behind The Sun.. stuff that's more geared towards being an absolute downer and fucking with its audience...

Is that good horror?


Essentially, the gnere is built on scaring the viewer - and that can't always be a good experience! While watching Men... earlier, it occured to me that it's mood and presentation could be the closest thing that a jaded horror fan could get to the 'reallll thing'.

Obviously, its a really, really graphic flick.. and not even the fun kind, either!

Is it worth your time? Wouldn't you rather watching some harmless slasher? Am I making ANY sense at all?

[XpatrickX]

getting to a person's emotions is a critical point in being able to get into a movie. if a movie can get to you enough to make you vomit or depressed...i'd say it's more than likely filled the purpose that the director and writer intended. i'm pretty weird about this too though....i'll use a non-horror example though because it's all i can think of right now....

Happiness is a movie that is definately a depressing story. the first time i saw it i hated it because it leaves you feeling pretty bad. BUT i watched it again months later when i was in a great mood and absoluely laughed quite a bit and loved it. It seems like if i watch a depressing movie in a really good mood i love em, but if i'm already down a bit i hate em.

but yeah i don't think we make any sense. especially me on this one.

[Talking Text]

Men behind the sun maybe the only flick that i don't "like" just because of it's nastyness. Then again, seeing real bodies on screen is no likeable thing.

As for your question, i beleive it still counts as good horror, maybe even great. Why should it have to be an enjoyable time to make the film good? Don't get me wrong here, your question was a good one, but i still count a lot of nasty films as good.

That's why i'm a big toetag fan and keep in touch with them as often as i can. Great guys.

[jagged halo]

Are you guys talking about the 1988 MBTS???

[Talking Text]

I don't know when it came out, but it's about the way the Japanese during the war.

It's not all dead bodies, i may have exaggerated there, sorry! But yeah, there's real dead people shown in it. That's all that gets me, don't like to see real death. Although, it is interesting.

[pig farmer]

I hate Men Behind the Sun. It didn't entertain me at all, and that is what I look for in horror movies. I love cheesy movies and actually scary movies just the same, as long as they entertain me.

I don't find exploitation movies fun or intriguing or anything like that. I guess there are certainly audiences that love that type of movie, but it's not for me.

[jagged halo]

Originally posted by Talking Text
I don't know when it came out, but it's about the way the Japanese during the war.

It's not all dead bodies, i may have exaggerated there, sorry! But yeah, there's real dead people shown in it. That's all that gets me, don't like to see real death. Although, it is interesting.

That's the one I was thinking of, I must admit it is pretty grim, it's certainly not easy on the eye.

[countchocula]

The horror genre isn't limited to mindless entertainment or duodenal chills. Mood pieces are perfectly acceptable. While it's not sickeningly graphic (or even "scary," for that matter), Ginger Snaps never fails to depress me. I consider it to be good horror.

[jagged halo]

With respect Count I can't quite understand your reference to duodenal chills?.

[countchocula]

Well, genre films don't always have to throw punchy shocks at the viewer. Dead Ringers never resorts to "jump" scares, but it's good nonetheless.

[jagged halo]

Maybe so, but duodenal?, that's an ulcer, I used to get them all the time when I was a kid.

[countchocula]

"Duodenal" is also an adjective relating to the stomach. I was going for a synonym for "visceral." "Duodenal" is definitely more of a medical term, but I felt that it applied to the point that I was trying to get across.

Yeesh, this thread is giving me an ulcer. ;)

[jagged halo]

Lol!;)

[rogelioduron]

Well i felt like shit when that crazy Mthfker hatched the fat kid with the snikers bar in the back with a big axe just for being annoying....i felt like shit!!!!!!

[Talking Text]

That type of gore is supposed to amuse and entertain, men behind the sun is very different. I don't reccomend you see it.

I'm not calling you a wuss or anything though, people have different tolerance levels and it may just be me who finds mainstream slashers amusing.

[jagged halo]

Men Behind The Sun is hardly escapism, after all that's what the genre's all about isn't it?.

[Talking Text]

I'm not too sure what you meant by that, but i agree with you. I was talking about the gore on films such as friday the 13th.

See Rogelioduron's post title.

[jagged halo]

I mean horror films as a whole are there to entertain us, you can escape from reality, MBTS doesn't quite fit the criteria, I'd go as far as to say it isn't a horror film at all, more a documentary than anything else.

[Talking Text]

Horror films arn't always supposed to "entertain" the veiwer. If you want to get away from reality watch some gay crap on t.v.

Sometimes i'll watch something like August Underground's Mordum or Men Behind the Sun to give me a slap in the face, to say "That's what reality's like !"

There's nothing wrong with the truth, just because a horror movie actually is grim and macabre doesn't mean it's bad. Men behind the sun is an excellent film, an important film and it's not a film used for mere entertainment.

PS. I too like entertaining films, but there's nothing wrong with daring, truthful films like these either.

And yes i know mordum is fictional, but it's also very real.

[jagged halo]

Originally posted by Talking Text
Horror films arn't always supposed to "entertain" the veiwer. If you want to get away from reality watch some gay crap on t.v.


That's not exactly what I was referring to, nevermind I'll leave it there I think :rolleyes:

[Cronos]

I found Ginger Snaps to be quite depressing

also after finished Cannibal Holocaust and Ferox i was really depressed

i dont think there has really been anything else that has really effected me

[Talking Text]

Originally posted by jagged halo
That's not exactly what I was referring to, nevermind I'll leave it there I think :rolleyes:

Well you only took a small section of my post for your quote.

You were on about escapism, you said that horror films are only there to entertain, as a form of escapism.

I disagreed.

[jagged halo]

Originally posted by Talking Text
Well you only took a small section of my post for your quote.

You were on about escapism, you said that horror films are only there to entertain, as a form of escapism.

I disagreed.

That's not what I meant at all, maybe I didn't articulate myself well enough. The aforementioned isn't a horror film in the conventional sense, it is a documentary, it depicts real life events and images which actualy took place therefore it isn't an escape from reality. Horror films are a form of escapism.

[Talking Text]

They used medical cadavers in parts of it, that's all. And a real cat, i think.

It's not a documentary, maybe a shock mockumentary/horror film. Thats as far as i would go though.

[rogelioduron]

Well..just to clear my point out (Not that anyone cares) i love slasher movies..and Horror movies..and Mockumentaries and i can take a good share of slashing and dashing and slicing and then some...but in this special part of Friday the 13 part 5 if you see this movie..This fat kid was not killed by jason...he was killed by a crazy motherfucking mental patient who was pissed at him for being so damn annoying...so....i felt bad about the kid..thats all.

[Talking Text]

Originally posted by rogelioduron
Well..just to clear my point out (Not that anyone cares) i love slasher movies..and Horror movies..and Mockumentaries and i can take a good share of slashing and dashing and slicing and then some...but in this special part of Friday the 13 part 5 if you see this movie..This fat kid was not killed by jason...he was killed by a crazy motherfucking mental patient who was pissed at him for being so damn annoying...so....i felt bad about the kid..thats all.

No, i got what you were saying, good for you if you felt sorry for him. I wouldn't.

Like i said, that's entertainment gore. If you felt sorry for him what are going to be like if you watch men behind the sun?

That was what i was saying, will you people stop arguing with me?!