dotinthesky | Horror Films Are Alive

Critters 4, you SUCK!

It should be obvious to horror film makers that the secret to a good film is a strong story and well-rounded characters. There is, after all, so many case studies to pour over and be inspired by. But, somehow, most people who make horror don't seem to know this. Either they are there to treat the genre as a cash cow (film makers behind empty vessels like Friday 13th, etc) or because they come from a long line of bad horror influences and don't know what makes a good scary story.

To me, it seems very obvious. Take any good horror film you have seen and think of the reasons you like them. I guarantee that your conclusion will be:

a) the film had at least one very strong and memorable character (Psycho, The Shining, Misery, Silence of the Lambs)
and/or
b) the film had a tight story in which a cast of reasonably well written characters revolved around (Rec, The Descent, The Innocents, The Haunting)

What you'll also realise is that nearly all these films (perhaps even all?) spend more time hinting at gore rather than explicitly showing it. And none of them descend into gratuitous torture scenes to scare you (that's left to film makers who can't figure out a way to scare you). Even the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre did its tricks by making you think you saw a horror when in fact it was happening off screen. It's that tried and true adage: what we can imagine is far scarier than what we can see.

Which brings me to the new Canadian film Pontypool, which I saw last night at FrightFest. It's a mostly perfect exercise on how to create horror with just a few actors and a small budget. It leads you through a bleak and snowy Canadian day where a small regional radio show in the basement of a church becomes the epicentre for news on "apparent" zombie attacks nearby. The film plays with the viewer's expectations while building on the three main characters relationships and responses to what's happening around them. It would probably work just as perfectly on the stage, thanks to the action never leaving the same few square metres nor relying on CGI. It combines characters that you care about, such as the alcoholic grump DJ Grant Mazzy, with an intriguing story that depends on your imagination to create the horror.

One of the film's producers was present and we learned that him and his partner had been planning for years to get this story onto the big screen. It's based on a novel (part of a trilogy) and, thanks to its success, a sequel is now in the pipes. It got me thinking of Julia by Peter Straub, a novel that would make a great horror film too (somebody tried before but it wasn't very good, apparently). I can live in hope that one day somebody will give it a go again now that I know there are still good people out there making films like Pontypool.

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Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed it. :)

I'm glad I'm on the same page as you and C.J. ;-)

I recommended it to a couple of people and then I got THE FEAR that they wouldn't like it and would be unhappy about having spent £11 on a ticket to see it. Everyone does seem to have liked it, though!

If they didn't like it, they are NO friends!

People in my screening applauded it. And the producer was very approachable afterwards.

Amen to all of that.

"Pontypool" was amazing. It's the kind of ultra-tight script that should make most screenwriters feel ashamed that they're really not thinking these things through.

You should come over one day/night for "The Haunting of Julia" - I've got it on VHS. It's really piss but it might help with your obsession.

I wish I knew how to go about doing an adaptation.

I'd love to see "The Haunting of Julia", though I'm also scared as to how much it's going to heart my memories of the book. Oh well, I guess that's life. If anything, I'd like to see where they got it wrong.

I wish I knew how to go about an adaptation too. The guys behind "Pontypool" took years and I imagine that's exactly how long it takes to get right a story you love.

I found that they changed so much from the book that it made very little difference to my retrospective enjoyment.

But yeah, I can imagine it's very very hard work to do it right. :/

Oops, I meant "hurt" instead of "heart". :-P

That sounds like it should be an emo lyric...

But yes, I guessed that. ;D

hahaha. Wonderful post. The premise in Pontypoll is hilarious. I have been gone & out of net access for the past 5 weeks, actually I got back a week ago. I call it a vacation in hell. I had to deal with some demons, that's my story and I'm sticking too it. It is amusing to note that much of the so called behavior can be attributed directly to the very same virus that infected Pontypoll. You have me thinking loudly inside my own head!hummm... I don't know if you have been reading me but I have mentioned a film "Engkwentro." A good friend of mine is the assistant director, Bianca. If you ask me, it's success is as a film owes mountains of coconuts too her. She is a cinematographer and was involved in the screen play also. Pepe Diokno, the director and screen writer deserves a lot in the visionary and guts category too. It's a Filipino film noir. The Subject is ballsy. It is based on a true story of two brother Gangsters from different gangs in Davao City. Over the past ten years the Philippines has had a large problem with ex-judicial killing - i.e. state sponsored vigilantes. The ex-judicial killings are now under investigation by the palace but no one talks about it and the people there turn a blind eye. All I am saying is that there may be better ways to reduce crime but the subject is damn near taboo. "Engkwentro" was invited to the Venice Film Festival. The movie is an indie film and they are trying to raise funds to format it a professional size. I know these people and people close to the subject. I have been very supportive of the effort. Every little bit helps if you feel like sponsoring. Bianca is working on a comedy right now but will be leaving for Venice in a week. The showing of the film is Sept. 12th. Here's some links if you have an interest. Thanks bro, I loved this post. You are so right about horror films. The last one Bianca was raving about was "Drag Me to Hell" (Sam Raimi). She was disappointed in the new Transformer's movie for lack of story line and character development. Block-buster VFX squeals do seem to lean on the VFX at the expense of storyline. Over the past 5 years, I haven't gotten to see many films, been dealing with the Fiancee/business/and that artwork... Once the Fiancee jumped ship it took a year to get back in motion again. grrrr

Here Check Engkwentro out, thanks:
http://engkwentromovie.multiply.com/
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168472/Film-Review-Engkwentro

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out!

http://bandaloop.livejournal.com/391068.html?mode=reply
There's forces to be reckoned with as we Drink & dance & screw hehehe - I Love the song. I hate that they disabled embedding! Baliw Taka! Ungas! hahaha!

I can't wait to see Pontypool - did the producer say if/when it would be on general release?

No, it wasn't mentioned. But I imagine it won't be long, based on the good word of mouth and screenings.

I love a good horror film, though sadly they're few and far between. Actually, a good cheesy horror fim can be fun as well - one of those old black and white ones with acting that doesn't even rise to the level of wooden can be entertaining, in an odd sort of way.

I don't mind a cheesy horror too - but not always. A well-written scary one will win the day, always.

I watched Pontypool a few days ago, and it's one of the best films I've seen in a while.

It's definitely one of the best scary ones to come out. Why it's so hard to make a good horror film is a mystery to me.

Horror Films Are Alive

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