Are horror movies getting lamer?

[DarkHuntress89]

I just say the House of the Dead and I've been noticing that horror movies are getting or proportionally stupid. The horror flicks of today are usually just rated R because of nudity. The thing that really drove me batty was that my two male friends can sit there and watch these movies and think they are the greatest things because they have over used Matrix moves and naked women. I would just like to see a good slasher movie with some good effects and no tits. Other dissapointment that I'll rant about while I'm here is movies like Underworld and the Legue of Extraordinary Gentlemen. It's really starting to depress me to see what looks like a really great movie advertise and then waste $8 to see vampires and werewolves SHOOT at each other. These are sad times that we are living in.
~This has been another rant by DarkHuntress89, thank you for tolerating.

[Vicky]

[SIZE=1][B]Some are, and sometimes we're just getting older and not getting scared. Scary movies now don't scare me, I only watch them for the music. To be honest, there hasn't been a single scary movie in ages that's gave me the creeps. I remeber watching a scary movie when I was 5 and I was really scared, now I'm just sat there yawning, or tapping my foot to the music. I dunno, it's either people getting older and used to it or the movies getting lamer, it might be both. There's still some pretty good scary films, but when I watched 100 scariest movies of all time, I was liking the 50 ranked ones better than the 10 ranked ones, because they had scary ghost in them, and The Birds... I'll admit it's not scary just gory. The Shinning isn't as scary as you would think, and a lot of the 10 ranked movies where kinda sh** for a scary movie.

So... I'd say it's growing to not be scared and the scary movies losing it.[/SIZE][/B]

[Semjaza]

Well, first of all LXG and Underworld aren't even "horror" movies by any stretch of the imagination (edited that lol). House of the Dead was supposed to be lame, I think. Especially considering the game it was based on.

There's some decent horror movies out there, but it really depends on what you go for. Some people like mean spirited stuff like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. Others like me, like movies like Cabin Fever, House of 1,000 Corpses and Final Destination 2 (first sucks, second rocks) because they have a sense of humor. Others hate those, so it's just subjective. These are all pretty recent movies too.

I'd agree that on average, though, that horror movies are getting worse. Most are made with young teenagers in mind and don't really challenge much of anything. You could always look around the foreign markets, as they've had some good stuff lately.

[Gavin]

[size=1]Quite true Semjaza, I used to be quite a bit fan of horror films but I have begun to notice that the quality is indeed slipping dramatically. I mean what was the name of the film.... Freddy vs. someone... Freddy vs. Jason, I didn't actually go see that film however several of my classmates did and they said that it was utter garbage.

I think one of the key facts to consider is TV, we all know that TV is just as violent and even more so when it wants to be than movies. I mean you watch enough guys brains getting blown out and eventually you just tune out.

It is true though that we're getting desensitised, I mean look at the film The Exorcist, 10 years ago (maybe more I can't remember) that was supposed to be the scariest movie of all time. You watch it now and your now unimpressed, however I will say that one film that did have me genuinely scared was The Ring but an awful lot of that was just shock horror that caught me off guard.

That's all I've really go to say.[/size]

[Kanariya]

[size=1][color=chocolate]Indeed, sadly scary movies are getting worse.

[quote]Freddy vs. Jason, I didn't actually go see that film however several of my classmates did and they said it was utter garabge.[/quote]
Heh, trust me. It is.

[quote]however, I will say that one film that did have me genuiny scared was The Ring but an aweful lot of that was just shock horror[/quote]
I really didn't find it scary, but yes the shocking moments did surprise me a little. Especially after you saw Katie's face look up, and her face is all dark and stuff. Wow, and to think I found that pretty cool.

Horror movies are getting worse as more as they are made, but for some reason, the comedy/horror movies always freak me out. O.o *Insert Scary Movie 4 here* It wasn't all [i]that[/i] scary, but I got a little freaked out a times.[/size][/color]

[OlgaTheDwarf]

I really think that you guys are acting pretty dumb about this whole situation, and trying to be mature. I think that yes, there's a lot of crap out there, but all in all it's like pretty much all the other types of movies out there, there are bad and good.

I'm not quite sure if you all remember, but last year 28 Days Later, a movie I would characterize under horror, was hailed as one of the scariest movies ever. Now, I don't think I would say it's the best, but it was a very good horror movie.

Another more recent movie (within the last 10 years) that is quite an impressive horror film, is Event Horizon. Think, the Shining in space. It also has probably the creepiest movie line of all time in it (see signature).

I really don't think people mature to horror films, but they are rather desensetized to them and become rather apathetic about them.

[Gavin]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by OlgaTheDwarf [/i]
[B]I really think that you guys are acting pretty dumb about this whole situation, and trying to be mature.

Another more recent movie (within the last 10 years) that is quite an impressive horror film, is Event Horizon. Think, the Shining in space.[/B][/QUOTE]

[size=1]So how exactly are we acting dumb OTD, I think everyone so far has made legitimate reasons why the think that horror movies are declining in quality and as for the mature part would it not occur to you that some of us are mature.

I'd agree with you though about [b]Event Horizon[/b] that was a good horror film, not massively scary but still a very good quality horror film. Though I think that it relied too much on graphic violence in parts to enduce fear.[/size]

[Semjaza]

I don't agree that Freddy vs. Jason was crap. If you've not seen the previous movies or been around enough to realize how long the idea for this movie has been batted around, I could see how you'd form that opinion.

Yes, it was goofy. Yes, it was full of cheese. Was it the greatest horror film ever? No. Of last year? No. But what it did do is stick two huge horror icons into a film that pulled off everything it set out to do. It was nothing but fan service and I was happy with just that, personally.

[James P. Galvatron]

Semjaza is right it wasn't meant to be the best horror movie know some good horror movies were the Scream Saga, but as it progressed it started to get more lame than scary. Scary Movie lets us notice how cheesy movies are getting they are showing us how Horror Movies are just getting more illogical and dumb they are to busy focusing on special effects and who they will cast. While Jeepers Creepers 1 and 2 were good I Know What Did Last Summer 1 and 2 were terrible in my opinion.

[Brasil]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by OlgaTheDwarf [/i]
[B]Another more recent movie (within the last 10 years) that is quite an impressive horror film, is Event Horizon. Think, the Shining in space. It also has probably the creepiest movie line of all time in it (see signature).

I really don't think people mature to horror films, but they are rather desensetized to them and become rather apathetic about them. [/B][/QUOTE]

Event Horizon? Are you joking? Sorry, but it had a good premise. It had a good opening 15 minutes. The set-up was brilliant. However, the execution was C3...cliched conventional crap, lol. It had some nifty camera angles here and there, but it just falls apart halfway through. I can appreciate what they were trying to do, the whole, "Hell in space" motif, but it bordered on outright ridiculous and not a mature science-fiction take on the horror genre.

Also, it didn't appropriately utilize the two leading players, Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne.

Neill is a very competent actor but his character and material was abysmal. And Fishburne, well, his character was nonexistent.

The ending became so cheesy and second-rate, that I had to force myself to sit through it, lol. Literally.

Event Horizon started off like a serious and intelligent sci-fi, but it degenerated into a blathery typical "Devil on the starship" execution. It was pure camp at the end, and not the good camp.

"I really don't think people mature to horror films, but they are rather desensetized to them and become rather apathetic about them. "

It's not a matter of apathy; it's a matter of the majority of moviegoers having no idea of what good horror is. Good horror is...Night of the Living Dead...John Carpenter's The Thing...Alien...Them...The Twilight Zone.

That's the stuff people should be watching.

[Pagan]

[COLOR=blue]I've been a devout horror movie watcher since before I can remember. I do remember back when I was little and watched the [I]Exorcist[/i] and [I]Poltergiest[/i] all by myself and almost died. Over the years I have seen horror movies degrade right before my eyes. It was looking pretty dim in the 80s with comical horror movies like [I]Gremlins[/i], but the 80s were saved by truelly scarey movies like [I]Aliens[/i]. The 90s started out terrible and got even worst; they began with some unknown movies that bored me half to death and then they progressed into stinky teen movie like [I]Scream[/i] and [I]I Know What You did Last Summer[/i]. Now in the new millennia I have to put up with RPHM(Role Playing Horror Movies) like [I]The Ring[/I] and [I]Fear.com[/I] where they want you to get involved. Why can't we just return to the good old monster movies like Steven King's [I]IT[/I] or maybe a revamped [I]Dark Stalker[/i]. I must admit though, that Jeeper's Creeper is half way intriguing and one of the best movies to come out of this era.[/color]

[justAfan]

We've pretty much, as someone said, become desensitized. Film makers are relying more and more on shock value and blood and guts than on the suspense. I loved Friday the 13th. But with each successor, it got lamer and lamer. Does anyone cringe anymore? I suspect that more and more people go to see Jason or Freddy for the laughs.

Halloween is, in my opinion, the last great horror film. There have been a few good ones since then, but sadly, not enough.

I know this is not a popular movie, but Blair Witch scared the crap out of me. And it wasn't shock value or blood & guts. It was suspense, true suspense. It played on my greatest fear of being lost like that with something out there. It's a good example of a good horror movie.

People will never agree 100% on subjects like this. I'm just grateful that people keep trying to make the next great horror movie and don't all go into feeding the mindless masses predigested crap.

[Brasil]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Hells Fire [/i]
[B][COLOR=blue]It was looking pretty dim in the 80s with comical horror movies like [I]Gremlins[/i], but the 80s were saved by truelly scarey movies like [I]Aliens[/i].[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

If you think, even for a second, that Gremlins was trying to be scary at all, you need to re-think that idea.

In no way was Gremlins trying to be a serious horror film...or horror at all, not even comical horror. It was a satire of Disney sensibilities. I'm not lying. Watch it again and keep Mickey Mouse in mind. You'll notice Gizmo, the cute original, spawning all sorts of horrid imitations. Think about it.

Don't concentrate on what you think it is, because what you say it is...isn't what it is. Don't be superficial.

The [i]only[/i] way for Gremlins to be scary is if you're six years old. You'll call them "giant bugs" and hide under the coffee table. I'm not lying.

It'd suit you to actually know something about the movies you're bashing.

[Guest rttocs77]

I think it all depends. I don't think horror movies are getting better or worst. There are always going to be good or bad ones. A really good one that recently comes to mind is [i]Cabin Fever [/i]. I was very surprised at how good it was. The story was very interesting and there were many scary moments. Now and forever there will always be sucky movies and great ones.

[James]

[color=#707875]Everyone has a somewhat different idea of what horror movies are anyway. I mean, there are different [i]kinds[/i] of horror movies.

There are your traditional "slasher" films. Stuff like Scream, or Freddy...I'd put them in that category. Although Freddy sort of has a comical aspect to his movies, which isn't really the same as a "traditional" slasher movie.

Then you have movies that are more cerebral. Something like The Mothman Prophecies...it's not particularly a shocking horror movie like a slasher film, but it's more of an unnerving experience. It's something that makes you wonder about things. It's not really meant to make you scream and crawl under the furniture or something.

So really, I don't think that horror movies are getting worse in general...you just have to know where to look and you have to be aware that not all horror movies are trying to do the same thing.

One of my favourite horror movies is Rosemary's Baby. I like it for various reasons...but primarily, because the audience is being taken along for the ride with Rosemary. So we feel what she feels and we see what she sees. [i]We[/i] know that there's a conspiracy (us and Rosemary), and we're always trying to support her and encourage her to reveal the truth. But nobody will believe her...considering that just about everyone is in on the conspiracy in some way.

I find those movies unnerving, but not outright scary. I like them because I kind of imagine what I'd feel like in that situation...and I think when you're watching the movie, you get a strong sense of [i]being[/i] in Rosemary's position. For me, that's a really effective element of the movie. Games like Silent Hill take the same approach -- not an outright "Boo! Scary!" but more of a slow, creeping, unnerving feeling.

This is why I'm a fan of Hideo Nakata's Ring series. None of these movies are really going to make you scream. And if you watch them often enough (like I have), they won't have any effect on you at all, really.

But they are [i]creepy[/i]. They make your skin crawl. If anyone has seen Ring 2, you'll remember the scene where we see Sadako's mother brushing her hair in front of the mirror. Sadako walks in and moves the mirror, to play a trick on her mother. And her mother smiles at her...and then the whole scene repeats. It keeps repeating over and over (like a broken tape) until finally, Shizuko turns around and looks over her shoulder at the people in the doorway.

As [i]soon[/i] as she did that...my heart was really beating quickly. I was thinking "Oh no...she's seen us! What's she going to do?"

It works really well. Again, it's not a sudden scary situation where you jump up and scream. But it makes you feel uncomfortable and frightened.

I prefer those kind of movies because for me, they're more effective.

Having said all of this...I can't really think of a horror movie that I've seen in recent times that has truly scared me (other than the Ring series). Mothman didn't really scare me like Ring did...but during the movie, I really enjoyed trying to work out what was going on and simultaneously feeling a bit freaked out by Richard Gere's character being tormented by the creatures.

In general though, I think it's just the luck of the draw. Sometimes in a year, there will be [i]no[/i] good horror movies. But then, now and again, we'll come across something that is truly frightening and that works effectively. But I don't know if this means that there is an actual trend, in terms of movies becoming lower quality or something.[/color]

[DarkHuntress89]

The biggest influence, in my opinion, to horror movies' decline is that they are more accomidated for teens now. It seems its easier for teens these days to watch rated R movies than it was a few years ago. Since then it seems that a large percentage of horror movie goers are teenagers, note the character ages in the movies themselves as well. Teens don't want that much in movies: sex, gore, and special effects. They sadly could care less about the actually story, which sadens me.......(un-needed subject change.) Kids don't read enough anymore.

[Franky]

ok the gory horrors have gotton crap!!!! but what about the arthouse thriller/ horrors such Ju-on and its western counterpart, darkwater all three of the rings they are the best ive seen in years only because i havent seen the storylines at lest 20 times before. Besides how many horrors share shock horror material lets face it theres no suprises and for every horror that comes out a sequel does with the exact same storyline

[PWNED]

I must say that Hollywood Horrors are not as good as what they used to be however the B-grade and Japanese Horrors are spot on. B- Grade astound you by how poorly they were made but they are still cool to watch because they still may keep horror themes. A perfect old example of B-Grade horror is Evil Dead which was a horror however you look at it but it was also a comedy.
A great example of Japanese horror (Like my sister stated) is The Grude- Ju-on or its american counterpart beccause they both are just creepy like the Silent Hill games. The tension builds up on you then whammy.

[Annie]

[size=1][color=darkslategray]I must say, I'm disappointed with today's horror films. They all seem like a joke to me. [i]Saw[/i], for example, was a horrifying idea. However, it really disappointed me. Sure, budgets may prevent some cool graphics and whatnot, but graphics don't really concern me. It's how the actors play their roles, and how well the story flows throughout the movie.

That's the thing that's been bothering me about movies recently, especially horror. The films dependency on computer graphics. I understand, and know, that there are some things that can only be done by computer, but too much of it takes away from the feel of the movie. Well, in this case, horror films.

I have been known to stay away from horror, and it's not because I don't like horror, but none of the recent films has quirked my interest. If I want to watch a horror film, I want to be scared, not googling over the graphics that make me laugh.[/color][/size]

[Misaki Mitsu]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=Red]i am actually quite happy with the horror films today. tho a few arent as good as they can be, i am still happy. most films just have really shioty, but if they are good i will enjoy the movie.

ever since i was little, i have always loved horror movies, now that i am getting older and the world is changing around me, i have come to like the more older horror movies. the only crappy part is that its not colored :: crys her eyes out :: [/CoLor][/FONT]

[eyesintheshadow]

yeah league of extraordinary gentle men is no where near a horror film. second, if you want to see a good slasher movie watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre.that movie is excellent. good "slasher" movie, if thats what you want, and it has a good story and good effects as well.i have to completely disagree that horror movies are getting worse. however, the old horror movies like any of the Halloween movies are excellent. the effects these days however are incredible. i have seen a lot of horror movies and i think some of them are actually better than older ones, but i have seen some that are flat out bad.

[Misaki Mitsu]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=Red]Chainsaws :: shivers and hides in closet:: that movie scared me so mcuh. i used to be a little vampire and sleep during the day and play with the hawks at night but once i saw that movie, i went to bed before it got dark. :: screams and hides her head in her sock:: i couldnt stand that movie. another movie that i just thought about was Anamyville (spelling on that i do not know) Horror. that scared me. i kept on thinking my house was alive at some point in time so i slept outside in a tent and got rid of all the clowns and rocking chairs in my house.>>> those are the kind of movies that i so badly miss. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[Excel]

I tried to watch horror films but they are not scaring me i come to those fimls for a scare but they dont! The other day I rented house of a thousand corpses that didnt scare me, horror movies are just going on and they are more like soft core porn rather than a horror movie(girls comes in meets guy gets naked shoots around whooo) I get more scared by reading stephen king books than watching movies.

[Mykul]

Yes, it is true that many of today's horror genre movies are rather shallow. However, if all you can do is complain about all the movies you've seen, you just arent watching the right movies. Did someone tell you that house of 1,000 corpses would be scary? I can see how you would come to that conclusion, rob zombie is a very accomplished director*scoff*. There is still real talent out there that you just need to find. M night Shamalan (spelling) has got to be the greatest macrabe mind ive seen since stephen king. Each one of his movies that have hit box office (6th sense, unbreakable, signs, the village) was pure genius. You can say all you want in your little whiney cool guy tone about how none of them scared you (well a few werent made to), but no other person of our age has really come up with such twisted and interesting storylines and plots.

Yes, i do agree with Excel. If you are looking for a real scare without the nudity (although he writes plenty of it) read a stephen King book. I highly suggest his latest short story compilation [U]Everything's Eventual[/U].

[eleanor]

[i]One of my favourite horror movies is Rosemary's Baby. I like it for various reasons...but primarily, because the audience is being taken along for the ride with Rosemary. So we feel what she feels and we see what she sees. We know that there's a conspiracy (us and Rosemary), and we're always trying to support her and encourage her to reveal the truth. But nobody will believe her...considering that just about everyone is in on the conspiracy in some way.[/i]

[color=darkslateblue] Me, too. *shudder* It didn't even have any traditional 'horror scenes' but to this day it's possibly the best horror movie I've seen.

Basically, Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist are the only 'horror' movies I liked. All of the recent movies that were made to somehow spook or scare the audience failed horribly with me. The Ring? I didn't even flinch. The most recent movie I saw makes me sad to even write about it: Darkness Falls. Puh-[i]lease[/i].

But then again, I don't really get scared easily by movies. Everyone rants that Halloween is amazing, and I didn't find it scary.[/color]