> I'm
> left with the feeling that ... there is such a thing as the
> horror film.
>
> Henry
Iīm amazed that horror films are held in such a low esteem here.
Of course, locating something thatīs inside films (monsters) has advantages over questioning an unreliable, anonymous audience.
But, in my opinion, genuine horror films are more than anything else themedriven. They deal with threats posed to identity and life (in general and in a more narrow sense, life as the opposite of death, the value of life), in particular life in the modern age and the human condition (what sets us apart from animals or machines).
Needless to say, that makes the genre hard to separate from other genres, especially science fiction dystopias or psychothrillers.
Itīs strange that many previous posts seem to miss the idea of most horror films: they are at the same time graphic and abstract. Yes, we see someone playing with his chainsaw, but itīs more about an abstract concept (a degenerated form of capitalism) than anything else.
I believe, horror films very often rely upon fantastic creatures, because it allows them to operate with figures that arenīt to be mistaken as a realistic character, but as a single idea or a single trait.
If I remember correctly, Robin Wood wrote that a monster threatens the status quo, Iīd say a monster questions the status quo, which deservedly sounds more philosophical.
"Itīs paint!" "No, itīs holy blood!"
... From Santa Sangre, a horror film that is IMHO more philosophical than Godard could ever be.
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