Editorials
[Readers’ Choice] 7 Things You Should Never Say To Horror Fans!
The horror genre isn’t exactly what you would call highly regarded, and the legions of fans that support it are no different. As horror fans, we are occasionally looked down upon by the general population, but that’s probably because they’re jealous we have a legitimate passion for something, right? Telling someone you’re a horror fan (especially if you work in an industry that has nothing to do with horror at all like I do) can be a coming out process all on its own. People react strangely to it, and some people react worse than others. I decided to take to Twitter* and ask the horror community what they were tired of hearing from non-horror fans, and boy did I strike a nerve! Here are seven of the most prevalent responses I received from all of you.
*I plan on making this a recurring series of posts where I ask a question on Twitter and post the responses in a post here, so if you would like a chance to be included in a future post start following me on Twitter at @TracedThurman.
1. “There’s Too Much Gore!”
Lots of horror movies have gore. I personally love gore, but that doesn’t mean a horror movie has to have it in spades in order for me to like it. These people know what’s up.
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting it’s gross! You’re gross!
— Carolyn Poddig (@SoCalRamen) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “I can’t watch horror movies because of all the gore.” So many great horror films are light on blood & gore.
— Alexandr S. (@alexsamocha) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman when the only thing non-horror fans talk about is the gore. There’s so much more to horror movies than JUST gore.
— Tim Schilling (@timjschilling) April 5, 2016
2. “You Must Like Actual Blood Too!”
I actually get a little faint at the sight of real blood. I’m glad to know I’m not alone!
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting a friend once cut her finger & I looked away & she said, “but u like horror movies, I thought you liked blood”🙄
— Efrain Franco (@efie) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting A co-worker, after finding out I liked horror films, recommended a site that showed crime scene & autopsy pics.
— Matt Wedge (@MovieNerdMatt) April 5, 2016
3. Anything Sexist
Not only is it offensive to act surprised when a woman says she likes horror, it’s fucking rude. Don’t assume that all women love romantic comedies and musicals (though it’s okay to love those things to…I do). Horror isn’t just a man’s genre. It’s everyone’s genre!
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “Horror is for, and only watched by, teen boys.” Not historically true. Easy, tired way to denigrate the genre.
— Lindsey Decker (@alindseydecker) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “I’ve never met a woman who likes horror.” Bullshit. You probably just haven’t spoken to enough women.
— Theresa DeLucci (@tdelucci) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman@BDisgusting “How can a nice girl like you like horror?” Because being a girl and a horror fan are not mutually exclusive.
— Brittany Sandler (@besandler) April 5, 2016
4. A Generalization of the Genre
There are tons of horror movies out there, and they all have a wide variety of traits. You can’t generalize any genre, and horror is no different. Also, it’s not as dumb as people make it out to be (though it certainly can be). And just because you didn’t like Saw doesn’t mean you don’t like horror. That is one type of horror film. Find the sub-genre that suits you. You’ll find something you like!
People making overarching generalizations about the genre based soley on wide releases like The Gallows, Ouija, etc. @TracedThurman
— Eric O’Polka (@Stickie_22) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman “Horror is only about mindless, emotionless deaths.” That horror can’t have depth, story, or meaning. Done hearing that.
— Matt Donato (@DoNatoBomb) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman@BDisgusting “I don’t like horror. The last horror movie I saw was Saw 3 and it sucked.”
— Suskel & Ebert (@bodegaboxoffice) April 6, 2016
5. Insinuating That There’s Something Wrong With Us
Horror fans are people, just like everyone else. Just because we enjoy a good horror film doesn’t make us lesser people. If anything, our shared passion for an underrated genre brings us closer together as a community. Some of my best friends are horror fans. Don’t belittle us just because you don’t get it.
@TracedThurman “What is wrong with you.”
— girl introvert (@girlintrovert) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “Ha, I thought you were normal!” 😔 I get revenge by sending them scary gifs at night 😜
— The Horror Hunter (@horror_hunter) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “Why do you like horror? Is there something wrong with you, like, mentally?”
— Chad (@chadiscollins) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “You’re a psychopath”
— Michael Roberts (@michaelpavicic) April 5, 2016
6. “Horror Is Stupid and For Stupid People”
Just because we like horror doesn’t mean we’re stupid. Many horror fans also liked films like The Revenant and Carol this year (Seriously, go see Carol. It was robbed at the Academy Awards). “Smart horror” also exists, and if you don’t believe that then you clearly don’t watch enough horror movies.
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting those movies are crap, no real story there. You should watch something like (insert dry art house film here)
— Candy Dax (@iamcandydax) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “horror movies are for dumb people who cant understand (insert any Best Picture nominee @ the Oscars that year)”
— bloodyblackout (@bloodyblack0ut) April 6, 2016
7. “X Movie Is Not Even Scary!”
Out of all of the responses I received on Twitter, this was the one that was brought up the most. People seem to think that if a horror movie isn’t scary, then it isn’t good. Our own Jess Hicks wrote a great piece on this exact topic a few months ago and I even wrote another one asking readers what even qualified as scary anymore. A horror movie doesn’t have to be scary to be good. Fear is subjective, and what one person may find terrifying may have no effect on a different person. And to all of you non-horror fans out there: jump scares do not qualify as “scary.”
@TracedThurman Four dreaded words: “This isn’t even scary”
Note to non-horror fans: Horror doesn’t have to be scary to be fun.— Kevin Sommerfield (@krsommerfield) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “that’s the worst movie ever! it wasn’t even scary!”
— Cody Landman (@cody_landman) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman “Horror movies suck because they’re not scary. They are just blood and guts and jumpscares.”
— SKUNKROCKER (@skunkrocker) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman @BDisgusting “It isnt even scary…” Not all horror movies have to be scary to be brilliant!
— Dean (@z3anogo) April 5, 2016
@TracedThurman@BDisgusting When you mention your favorite movie & they say: “that’s not even scary, there aren’t any jump scares.” 😒
— H ä x a n (@Haxan_Aok) April 5, 2016
Do you agree with many of these people? Let me know in the comments below and share what you are tired of hearing from non-horror fans! We need to be heard!
Editorials
‘Immaculate’ – A Companion Watch Guide to the Religious Horror Movie and Its Cinematic Influences
The religious horror movie Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney and directed by Michael Mohan, wears its horror influences on its sleeves. NEON’s new horror movie is now available on Digital and PVOD, making it easier to catch up with the buzzy title. If you’ve already seen Immaculate, this companion watch guide highlights horror movies to pair with it.
Sweeney stars in Immaculate as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith who is offered a fulfilling new role at an illustrious Italian convent. Cecilia’s warm welcome to the picture-perfect Italian countryside gets derailed soon enough when she discovers she’s become pregnant and realizes the convent harbors disturbing secrets.
From Will Bates’ gothic score to the filming locations and even shot compositions, Immaculate owes a lot to its cinematic influences. Mohan pulls from more than just religious horror, though. While Immaculate pays tribute to the classics, the horror movie surprises for the way it leans so heavily into Italian horror and New French Extremity. Let’s dig into many of the film’s most prominent horror influences with a companion watch guide.
Warning: Immaculate spoilers ahead.
Rosemary’s Baby
The mother of all pregnancy horror movies introduces Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), an eager-to-please housewife who’s supportive of her husband, Guy, and thrilled he landed them a spot in the coveted Bramford apartment building. Guy proposes a romantic evening, which gives way to a hallucinogenic nightmare scenario that leaves Rosemary confused and pregnant. Rosemary’s suspicions and paranoia mount as she’s gaslit by everyone around her, all attempting to distract her from her deeply abnormal pregnancy. While Cecilia follows a similar emotional journey to Rosemary, from the confusion over her baby’s conception to being gaslit by those who claim to have her best interests in mind, Immaculate inverts the iconic final frame of Rosemary’s Baby to great effect.
The Exorcist
William Friedkin’s horror classic shook audiences to their core upon release in the ’70s, largely for its shocking imagery. A grim battle over faith is waged between demon Pazuzu and priests Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). The battleground happens to be a 12-year-old, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose possessed form commits blasphemy often, including violently masturbating with a crucifix. Yet Friedkin captures the horrifying events with stunning cinematography; the emotional complexity and shot composition lend elegance to a film that counterbalances the horror. That balance between transgressive imagery and artful form permeates Immaculate as well.
Suspiria
Jessica Harper stars as Suzy Bannion, an American newcomer at a prestigious dance academy in Germany who uncovers a supernatural conspiracy amid a series of grisly murders. It’s a dance academy so disciplined in its art form that its students and faculty live their full time, spending nearly every waking hour there, including built-in meals and scheduled bedtimes. Like Suzy Bannion, Cecilia is a novitiate committed to learning her chosen trade, so much so that she travels to a foreign country to continue her training. Also, like Suzy, Cecilia quickly realizes the pristine façade of her new setting belies sinister secrets that mean her harm.
What Have You Done to Solange?
This 1972 Italian horror film follows a college professor who gets embroiled in a bizarre series of murders when his mistress, a student, witnesses one taking place. The professor starts his own investigation to discover what happened to the young woman, Solange. Sex, murder, and religion course through this Giallo’s veins, which features I Spit on Your Grave’s Camille Keaton as Solange. Immaculate director Michael Mohan revealed to The Wrap that he emulated director Massimo Dallamano’s techniques, particularly in a key scene that sees Cecilia alone in a crowded room of male superiors, all interrogating her on her immaculate status.
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
In this Giallo, two sisters inherit their family’s castle that’s also cursed. When a dark-haired, red-robed woman begins killing people around them, the sisters begin to wonder if the castle’s mysterious curse has resurfaced. Director Emilio Miraglia infuses his Giallo with vibrant style, with the titular Red Queen instantly eye-catching in design. While the killer’s design and use of red no doubt played an influential role in some of Immaculate’s nightmare imagery, its biggest inspiration in Mohan’s film is its score. Immaculate pays tribute to The Red Queen Kills Seven Times through specific music cues.
The Vanishing
Rex’s life is irrevocably changed when the love of his life is abducted from a rest stop. Three years later, he begins receiving letters from his girlfriend’s abductor. Director George Sluizer infuses his simple premise with bone-chilling dread and psychological terror as the kidnapper toys with Red. It builds to a harrowing finale you won’t forget; and neither did Mohan, who cited The Vanishing as an influence on Immaculate. Likely for its surprise closing moments, but mostly for the way Sluizer filmed from inside a coffin.
The Other Hell
This nunsploitation film begins where Immaculate ends: in the catacombs of a convent that leads to an underground laboratory. The Other Hell sees a priest investigating the seemingly paranormal activity surrounding the convent as possessed nuns get violent toward others. But is this a case of the Devil or simply nuns run amok? Immaculate opts to ground its horrors in reality, where The Other Hell leans into the supernatural, but the surprise lab setting beneath the holy grounds evokes the same sense of blasphemous shock.
Inside
During Immaculate‘s freakout climax, Cecilia sets the underground lab on fire with Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) locked inside. He manages to escape, though badly burned, and chases Cecilia through the catacombs. When Father Tedeschi catches Cecilia, he attempts to cut her baby out of her womb, and the stark imagery instantly calls Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s seminal French horror movie to mind. Like Tedeschi, Inside’s La Femme (Béatrice Dalle) will stop at nothing to get the baby, badly burned and all.
Burial Ground
At first glance, this Italian zombie movie bears little resemblance to Immaculate. The plot sees an eclectic group forced to band together against a wave of undead, offering no shortage of zombie gore and wild character quirks. What connects them is the setting; both employed the Villa Parisi as a filming location. The Villa Parisi happens to be a prominent filming spot for Italian horror; also pair the new horror movie with Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood or Blood for Dracula for additional boundary-pushing horror titles shot at the Villa Parisi.
The Devils
The Devils was always intended to be incendiary. Horror, at its most depraved and sadistic, tends to make casual viewers uncomfortable. Ken Russell’s 1971 epic takes it to a whole new squeamish level with its nightmarish visuals steeped in some historical accuracy. There are the horror classics, like The Exorcist, and there are definitive transgressive horror cult classics. The Devils falls squarely in the latter, and Russell’s fearlessness in exploring taboos and wielding unholy imagery inspired Mohan’s approach to the escalating horror in Immaculate.
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