The Boogyman
I LOVE scary movies. I spent many hours watching them when I
was growing up. I was, and still am in search of the latest GOOD scary movie. I
think my love for all things scary started as a child, when I watched The Twilight Zone with my Nanny. We watched
it every day. I also think that Scooby Doo had a lot to do with it. As I got
older I remember watching the Freddy Krueger T.V. show called Freddy’s Nightmares. In high school and
college I rented countless horror films from Blockbuster. Some of my favorites
include: A Nightmare on Elm Street,
Halloween, Poltergeist, The Fog, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Conjuring,
Insidious, and Amityville Horror (the original). I don't know why I like
these movies. It may be the rush I get when I'm scared. It may be the laugh
that I have after the initial scare. As scary as these movies may be, they are
“safe.” Nothing is really going to happen to me. I'm watching something unfold
before me, but I am able to walk away from it at any given time. What are the
odds that Jason Voorhees is going to come out of a lake and murder me?
I think directors like John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, James
Wan, and Wes Craven, may he rest in
peace, are brilliant.
Tobe Hooper’s, The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was one of the most terrifying films. John Larroquette’s
narration at the beginning, coupled with the flash photography of corpses are: disgusting,
creepy, and perfectly set the stage. The way Hooper uses tight shots of the protagonist
as she is forced to sit at the dinner table while this crazy family discusses
what they will do to her, is not only scary, but artful. It is a visual
representation of what is going on in her mind.
I also like his movie,
Funhouse. This was one of the first horror movies I ever saw. It completely
played on my fear of carnies, and what happens at State Fairs. I know it’s
ridiculous. This film plays on all the rules of a horror film that were
mentioned in Scream. As Randy says, “It’s
a very simple formula!”
Another film I watched and loved in High School was, Poltergeist. I didn’t find out until
much later that this too was a Tobe Hooper imagining. Mostly, because Stephen Spielberg
was the only name I recognized at the time. This movie has Jo Beth Williams,
and Craig T. Nelson. Hooper incorporates some of his best camera work in this
film, yet played it very straight. One scene that is obvious Hooper is when Jo
Beth Williams realizes that the evil is happening again, and she must run down
the hall to get to her children before they are taken to the, “other side.” The
hall grows and grows in length, which again illustrates what is going on in the
character’s mind just like in, The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre.
John Carpenter is another one of my favorite directors. Halloween is probably considered one of
the best horror films to fans, and creators of the genre. Carpenter’s use of
one long camera shot at the opening of the film was groundbreaking. The
cinematographer held the camera, which was strapped to his body for the entire
opening. This gives the P.O.V shot a little extra, because you get the sway that
you would if you were actually walking into the movie. Not to mention it’s the
P.O.V. of the killer. This idea of one long intro shot was taken from, Orson
Well’s, Touch of Evil. Carpenter has been
praised for his work on this low budget film. It was shot in a month, and it
starred Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Janet Leigh. You know her from, Psycho, Touch of Evil, and many other
films. The idea of a serial killer roaming the streets on Halloween is
terrifying enough. Imagine if you can’t kill the guy. Halloween, is a classic. Another film by Carpenter that I love is, The Fog. This stars: Jamie Lee Curtis,
Janet Leigh, and Nancy Loomis who was also in Halloween. This is another revenge style horror film. Ghostly
pirates are in the fog and come back to get revenge on a town that wronged them
years ago. This film was also a low budget job. Carpenter seems to be great
with limitations.
I am the first to admit there are types, and levels of scary
movies. Jaws is an amazing movie. It
is scary, funny, well written, beautifully filmed, and the actors…I mean, come
on. This is one of my favorite films. Who doesn’t love the story told by Quint
aboard his boat while they wait for Jaws to surface? We are talking about
Stephen Spielberg though. Growing up I was into “slasher” films, like, Friday the 13th. Some of
these campy films can be very scary. Even though there is not a serial killer
that can’t be killed, like Voorhees, or Michael Myers, it’s still scary. If you’re like me, you were stoked when Scream
came out in theaters.
That film not only exposed the “rules” to a scary movie, but
it broke them. First of all it killed off the most famous actor in the first
scene.
A good scary movie must have a good story line. The story line
doesn’t have to be plausible, but it must resonate with me in some way. The
movie should also have comedic aspects, even if they are subtle. Think, Signs, when Mel Gibson runs around the
house saying things like, “I’m insane with anger! I'm losing my mind! It's time
for an @$#-whooping!” It’s funny. Another funny scene is when Tracey Abernathy,
played by Merritt Wever, confesses her sins to Graham in the pharmacy. You have
to love her! The movie should also be what it intends to be, scary. This
requires the film to have some unpredictability. If I can predict what is going
to happen, I’m not going to be scared.
I have gotten a lot of flack from people for watching these
movies. Some people say I'm crazy, or that my brain is going to rot, it hasn't
yet by the way. I’m still normal, and I
have not become a serial killer either. My husband hates scary movies. He didn’t
watched them much growing up. He once said, “I used to have to go look for cows
in the woods in the dark! What if I had all those scary movies in my head to
freak me out while I was out there searching by moonlight?” He has a point. I'd
probably be too chicken to go look, or I'd take a very large flashlight, and a
weapon. Lately I have not watched many scary movies and I'm
realizing that they really do stay with you! Here I am living on this beautiful
farm. When I look out the window I see this on one side of my house.
I expect to see this though.
Maybe it's just that I’m getting older. I still like a scary
movie, but I'm less likely to search for that next treasure. I'd say that James
Wan is a safe bet, and now I wait to hear what others are talking about. I'm
less likely to sit through a film in hopes it will get better after the first
10-15 minutes. I'm also picky about what types I will watch. I think I'd skip
the slasher films of my youth.
It is still very exciting to find a really good one.
XO,
T
“Was that the boogeyman?” ~ Laurie Stode
“As a matter of fact, it was.” ~Dr. Loomis
Cue Mr. Sandman.
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