Subject: Re: The Psychology of Sado-Masochism in Horror Films
>>but it might be worth considering that the makers of most horror films are
ooperating on commercial assumptioons rather than philosophical ones. An
unresolved ending leaves open the possibility
for a sequel -- and the money that awaits at the box office.>>
Maybe I am sounding a bit too cheerful when it comes to approaching the
genre of the horror film. I am not denying that in some films like the
"Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" series, the genre of
horror--which I tend to overlap with psychological thrillers and mysteries a
lot due to atmosphere and plot development reasons--the sense of an
indefinite ending will always leave room for more sequels and follow-ups to
come. However, I was also wondering about other stuff such as that
pertaining to other films like "The Others" and "A Tale of Two Sisters"
which simply do not allow for any sense (or possibility) of a sequel with
their endings. Ironically, the indefinite nature of these very endings in
their filmic narrative structure--with the characters remaining in a limbo
space in their continual sufferings, and their desire not to get out of it
either because they cannot or do not want to--simply cannot allow for a
sequel. Think, if "The Others" had a sequel, would not that then become a
farce more than the serious atmospheric piece that the movie was originally?
As I would see it, within films with less of the commercial edge to them,
and having a more serious twist to their themes and such (I return to films
like "The Others" and "A Tale of Two Sisters" which are my favourites among
the recent additions to this genre), sadism and masochism seems so pervasive
and ironically 'normal' as much as
we wish the characters to get out of it, simply because it may have been
taken for granted that suffering is natural, and the desire for happiness is
not 'natural'(or at least, the fulfilment of the desire for happiness does
not come naturally) though conventional. Do pardon my unnecessary
"preaching" in such formulaic terms of "black versus white", if this sounds
like it.
Kevin
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