Thank you! There's definitely tons of films that do gore just to go crazy with it (the slasher craze of the 80s is a big example of that), but it's always nice to see how gore can be used as a way to tell us a story. Of course, I also love splatter films too considering I love the practical effects of 80s slashers LOL
A very thorough analysis here. I enjoyed reading it. One of my favourite horror films is Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999), which has received criticism for the climactic torture scene. If you’ve seen the film, what are your thoughts?
Well said! I often feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I talk to people about horror films. I find it so strange when people put such an emphasis on the quality of the "kills" and similar, without really talking about the movie as a whole. I find myself often realizing I'm not in it for the same reasons as some.
I wonder: do you think with the algorithmic, novelty chasing culture we are creating, will Terrifier type films only become more and more common?
Hmm, good point! I think there’s certainly a possibility, especially with the rise of short-form media. Unfortunately, I do think a lot of people have grown used to the idea of instant satisfaction so the concept of more shock-value horror could become more prevalent… at the same time, I hope more films that are very “anti-anti-art” pushback. We’ll see!
I love this post. The real ones understand the language of horror and what horror has to say. For a long time I have been critical of gore, trauma porn films. But like you said, they have a place too. Even though there are movies that go overboard, we don't have to like every horror film that blesses us with it's presence. If you enjoy more character development or plot, watch those instead. It reminds me a bit of Hellraiser, where there are thresholds that you can not come back from. Therefore, don't continue to move forward into the films that you don't like.
You're completely correct! I enjoy some gore but I'm not a fan of all... but I also understand why some people love these types of movies too. It's a different type of thrill, and maybe one day I'll experience it, but right now I'm still enjoying it from the distance haha.
Hellraiser is one I probably could've mentioned here, but I think I have a separate post planned for that series.
I absolutely love what you said though: "The real ones understand the language of horror and what horror has to say." That is perfect!
I’m working on a post showing how Hellraiser is an amazing cautionary tale for addiction.
As a therapist, I use horror films to assist with trauma and other confrontations. It’s a safe media for that since you can turn the movie off. The catharsis from vicarious experiences is priceless. People don’t understand how amazing the catharsis could be!
Hellraiser is a perfect example of deeply uncomfortable gore which doesn’t feel overly gratuitous or out of place because it’s tied to contexts and concepts that bear even greater horror.
That’s why Clive Barker remains a master of horror and much of his work is unfilmable. Terrifier couldn’t even touch the disgusting things Barker writes with the same finesse or intelligence
I agree. I think Terrifier was just lazy. Hellraiser had a purpose in what was being told. Where you can learn from what Barker was talking about. In some respects, it is a cautionary tale of searching for forbidden knowledge and experiences out of a desperate attempt for transcendence.
Check out my post on Hellraiser that I just dropped today! Let me know what you think!
I loved this piece! And o somewhat agree but I do still stick by your original take that there is little to no creativity in movies like Terrifier, Centipede or even A Serbian Film - which is currently trying to rescue its own reputation with a documentary claiming it always had a deeper meaning we just didn’t ‘get’.
I’ve never liked those horrors yet I’ve discovered a love for old Troma movies which were very much the ‘nasties’ of yesterday. Ridiculous, offensive, gory, gross, with loose plots but somehow they still seemed to have a soul or a message by comparison. It goes to show that you can have fun being wild with the genre without damaging it and creating sick garbage in the process.
Terrifier, to me, and as you’ve described is horror for people who like the visuals of horror but none of the depth. Who will watch suffering without having to think too much about it. Which works perfect for our current culture which is all about aesthetics and little else.
Oh, interesting. I’d have to check out The Serbian Film thing for sure!
And yeah, I think you make a good point. I think there’s a place for horror like Terrifier, considering there’s always been a place for splatter films in the genre, but I could never get myself to really enjoy them because they aren’t my cup of of tea. I’d rather watch an 80s slasher that still had a plot AND the cool kills, but I can respect the people who also just want a quick thrill.
I definitely need to look more into Troma films too! Those are movies I could definitely see myself having fun with. I’m happy you enjoyed the read!
Superb and well-argued piece, Skyla. Of the films you mention, The Substance is the only one I actually like, although I would agree that people have the right to make all the others, they're not really for me (yeah, I'm a bit wuss). I'd be really interested in a companion piece about what is and isn't regarded as acceptable among the gore-free (or at least gore-lite) movies that prey on your mind instead, just as scary and maybe even more disturbing...
Thank you so much, Tony. That's a good suggestion. Looking into the films that rely on other forms of scares rather than gore for the disturbing factor. Hmm... definitely got me thinking!
i love this post! made me think about my favorite horror/sci-fi which is alien (1979) which definitely incorporates gore and shock, but the suspense is often what keeps the viewer terrified. i feel like the gore/violence helps with developing this alien creature to its fullest extent and the shock value is memorable as opposed to gore for gore's sake. it's the kind of movie you can watch over and over again and it still has a lot of heart and deep meaning, and very overt societal commentary.
excellent post. I like the comparrison you used contarsting how some movies use gore for the sake of shock while others use it to enahnce the plot
Thank you! There's definitely tons of films that do gore just to go crazy with it (the slasher craze of the 80s is a big example of that), but it's always nice to see how gore can be used as a way to tell us a story. Of course, I also love splatter films too considering I love the practical effects of 80s slashers LOL
A very thorough analysis here. I enjoyed reading it. One of my favourite horror films is Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999), which has received criticism for the climactic torture scene. If you’ve seen the film, what are your thoughts?
I actually haven’t heard of that! I think I’ll add that to my watch list and see how it is!
Well said! I often feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I talk to people about horror films. I find it so strange when people put such an emphasis on the quality of the "kills" and similar, without really talking about the movie as a whole. I find myself often realizing I'm not in it for the same reasons as some.
I wonder: do you think with the algorithmic, novelty chasing culture we are creating, will Terrifier type films only become more and more common?
Hmm, good point! I think there’s certainly a possibility, especially with the rise of short-form media. Unfortunately, I do think a lot of people have grown used to the idea of instant satisfaction so the concept of more shock-value horror could become more prevalent… at the same time, I hope more films that are very “anti-anti-art” pushback. We’ll see!
I love this post. The real ones understand the language of horror and what horror has to say. For a long time I have been critical of gore, trauma porn films. But like you said, they have a place too. Even though there are movies that go overboard, we don't have to like every horror film that blesses us with it's presence. If you enjoy more character development or plot, watch those instead. It reminds me a bit of Hellraiser, where there are thresholds that you can not come back from. Therefore, don't continue to move forward into the films that you don't like.
You're completely correct! I enjoy some gore but I'm not a fan of all... but I also understand why some people love these types of movies too. It's a different type of thrill, and maybe one day I'll experience it, but right now I'm still enjoying it from the distance haha.
Hellraiser is one I probably could've mentioned here, but I think I have a separate post planned for that series.
I absolutely love what you said though: "The real ones understand the language of horror and what horror has to say." That is perfect!
I’m working on a post showing how Hellraiser is an amazing cautionary tale for addiction.
As a therapist, I use horror films to assist with trauma and other confrontations. It’s a safe media for that since you can turn the movie off. The catharsis from vicarious experiences is priceless. People don’t understand how amazing the catharsis could be!
Hellraiser is a perfect example of deeply uncomfortable gore which doesn’t feel overly gratuitous or out of place because it’s tied to contexts and concepts that bear even greater horror.
That’s why Clive Barker remains a master of horror and much of his work is unfilmable. Terrifier couldn’t even touch the disgusting things Barker writes with the same finesse or intelligence
I agree. I think Terrifier was just lazy. Hellraiser had a purpose in what was being told. Where you can learn from what Barker was talking about. In some respects, it is a cautionary tale of searching for forbidden knowledge and experiences out of a desperate attempt for transcendence.
Check out my post on Hellraiser that I just dropped today! Let me know what you think!
Amazing post, thank you for sharing!
I loved this piece! And o somewhat agree but I do still stick by your original take that there is little to no creativity in movies like Terrifier, Centipede or even A Serbian Film - which is currently trying to rescue its own reputation with a documentary claiming it always had a deeper meaning we just didn’t ‘get’.
I’ve never liked those horrors yet I’ve discovered a love for old Troma movies which were very much the ‘nasties’ of yesterday. Ridiculous, offensive, gory, gross, with loose plots but somehow they still seemed to have a soul or a message by comparison. It goes to show that you can have fun being wild with the genre without damaging it and creating sick garbage in the process.
Terrifier, to me, and as you’ve described is horror for people who like the visuals of horror but none of the depth. Who will watch suffering without having to think too much about it. Which works perfect for our current culture which is all about aesthetics and little else.
Oh, interesting. I’d have to check out The Serbian Film thing for sure!
And yeah, I think you make a good point. I think there’s a place for horror like Terrifier, considering there’s always been a place for splatter films in the genre, but I could never get myself to really enjoy them because they aren’t my cup of of tea. I’d rather watch an 80s slasher that still had a plot AND the cool kills, but I can respect the people who also just want a quick thrill.
I definitely need to look more into Troma films too! Those are movies I could definitely see myself having fun with. I’m happy you enjoyed the read!
I misread All as Al and was confused for a second. 🤣
LMAOOO I can see why that would be 😭
this is an awesome read, and relevant to all kinds of art, not just film! as a writer i always hold this message close to my heart :)
Thank you, Jean! I wanted to take a step back and just review… obviously I respect all art, but sometimes I gotta look at it from another angle lol
Really insightful post. Enjoyed your analysis. Looking forward to reading more.
Superb and well-argued piece, Skyla. Of the films you mention, The Substance is the only one I actually like, although I would agree that people have the right to make all the others, they're not really for me (yeah, I'm a bit wuss). I'd be really interested in a companion piece about what is and isn't regarded as acceptable among the gore-free (or at least gore-lite) movies that prey on your mind instead, just as scary and maybe even more disturbing...
Thank you so much, Tony. That's a good suggestion. Looking into the films that rely on other forms of scares rather than gore for the disturbing factor. Hmm... definitely got me thinking!
I absolutely love this.
I'm so happy you do! <33
i love this post! made me think about my favorite horror/sci-fi which is alien (1979) which definitely incorporates gore and shock, but the suspense is often what keeps the viewer terrified. i feel like the gore/violence helps with developing this alien creature to its fullest extent and the shock value is memorable as opposed to gore for gore's sake. it's the kind of movie you can watch over and over again and it still has a lot of heart and deep meaning, and very overt societal commentary.
“It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don't shine." I couldn’t stop laughing at that! Also, thanks for a great read.
Absolutely thought this post was titled “Why Al Gore wasn’t Created Equal” 10/10 regardless!
Apologies, I read “Why AI GORE isn't Created Equal” and thought “wait, the former VP?” 🫠 don't read before coffee kids!
Sometimes critics are funny, idk 😭😭