KRTThere seems to be a new trend in scary movies lately. Where the actors used to run for their lives until most of them are cut down, now they just get tortured onscreen-like in “Saw,” “Hostel” and “Saw II.” In the new movie “Slither,” people become mutated monsters after slimy aliens crawl down their throats. Are scary movies becoming more violent and grotesque, and is this what people want?
“I like them just cause I like horror movies,” Allie Stack, junior elementary education major, said. “It entertains me. It’s not stuff you normally see-it’s well thought out. I’d never come up with it.”
Some Cabrini students suggest that horror movies need more violence to surpass previous ones. While the famous shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” didn’t need to show the knife touch poor Mrs. Leigh, now some movies may need more to get the job done.
“It’s because directors are trying for more shock value,” Nick Weiss, junior business administration major said. “They’re trying to top the one before it. Like, ‘Saw II’ had to top the first ‘Saw.'”
If horror movies are getting more violent, then is this violence welcome? Do people go to see “Saw” for its plot, the promise that there will be blood or for that see-saw pun?
“I don’t particularly like the violence. I like horror movies for suspense. It’s good as long as it goes with the plot,” Stack said.
In the same sense that explosions are added to make action movies better, horror movies may try to add blood splatter to appeal to their fans. That is why some people believe that movie companies try to market violence to those who have taste for violence on the big screen.
“Cause unfortunately that’s the only way to make money,” Dominick Domdimarzio, senior political science major, said. “You can’t regress and make it better. It’s all economics.”
Of course it could be that people like to be scared. Watching horror movies can release endorphins that acts similar to morphine.
If horror movies are adding more violence, then how does this affect the people who watch them? In other words, serial killers are known for torturing animals in their youth, so are movies like “Saw” and “Hostel” just giving them ideas? It could be a matter of personal responsibility.
“It’s an expression as far as people go. Someone can always be inspired – positive or negative. The person’s going to have to be really unstable already,” Weiss said.
For whatever reason you watch horror movies, several more are coming this season. In the tradition of horror movie sequel, there are rumors of another “Saw” movie being made. Also, a movie based on the series of horror video games “Silent Hill” is coming April 21.
Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
