So I was thinking this morning...
Its quite a feat since I am not a morning person and tend to shy from coffee unless desperate. Something about not wanting to have the caffeine addiction and my paranoid brain...
Regardless, I was thinking this morning about my views on gore in movies.
Nah, not really a soap box rant, just my views on what I like. I've made it no secret that I am not a gore hound. My favorite style of horror films are the "less is more" style. Its not every one's favorite but I assure you my twisted imagination is far more scary than anything Eli Roth can show me.
But you try Eli! And Kudos to you! You're still my adorable little elf man of horror. I may not like your movies too much but I would love to pinch your cheeks and keep you in my pocket so I bring you out for parties and dazzle everyone with your horror trivia knowledge.
I bet he's a tall man which makes what I said sound even more stupid than it did.
But I digress...because I lack coffee.
Anyways, despite not being a gore hound, I do find it acceptable. Far be it from me to turn my nose up at gore. But I'm extremely picky with my gore. I'm not a fan of torture porn like Hostel or Captivity. I'm a fan of over the top gore. Creative gore. What I like to call "Clown Gore".
The definition of "Clown Gore"- over the top craziness in horror films that would not or could not happen in real life because it probably defies physics. Things that are so outrageous that it almost makes me laugh or hiss and yell "OOOH! JEEEEEZE!"...THEN laugh.
I suppose it says a lot about society that I am laughing at something so horrific. But that is the beauty of horror films. A way to release tension. And when the gore is crazy, I can detach myself from the act and just enjoy the visuals, creativity, and craftsmanship of the gore happening. I consider horror escapism. I don't WANT to be in jeopardy and frankly I don't want a horror film to disturb me to the point where I'm not enjoying what I spent my money on. But I love to watch movies that give me a thrill. And "Clown Gore" is quite a thrill.
Here's some of my favorite movie "Clown Gore" moments to give an example of what I mean.
13 Ghosts (The Remake)
Anyone remember the "Half a Lawyer" gag? Its the money shot of the film. The sequence is a good combo of CGI and live action as well. Now, I seriously doubt you'd be able to cut a human being in half like that with such precision in real life with a glass door. There is BOUND to be some squishing somewhere. But the scene still made me sit up and yell "AWESOME!". It was unexpected and spectacular.
Dead Alive
This whole MOVIE is nothing BUT Clown Gore. The ear in the soup, the lawn mower massacre. Peter Jackson knows his gore gags which in turn make you WANT to gag. Regardless, the film takes quite the hilarious light turn and makes you squick at the same time. Once again, I don't see many things in this movie happening like that in real life. In fact I don't WANT to see that happening in real life. But the creativity is tops and the splatter is quite fun.
The Evil Dead Series
Spam in a cabin anyone? This was the birth of splatter horror and definitely some of the best over the top effects in horror films. The stop motion in the first one is cheep but fun and effective. Its the fantasy aspect that gets you. Its not real but its not SO fake that you don't get involved.
Silent Hill
The scene where Pyramid Head rips the skin off of Anna's naked body is insane! I honestly did not expect that. Not only does he rip it off in one movement but he then THROWS it at our heroes?! What the hell, Pyramid Head! You have some anger issues. Actually everyone in this movie has anger issues. That scene along with some nasty bits with barbed wire at the end turned what could have been an average video game film into some fantastic horror.
This Scene really needs to be watched.
Reanimator
Do I REALLY need to mention which scene? Seriously? Okay I'll give you a hint. It involves a little head..I mean that both literally and in inuendo.If you guys don't know what I'm talking about, then go rent the movie, NOW.
This isn't the ONLY gore I like mind you but if I'm going to choose a movie based strictly on gore, I'm going to choose a film where a guy's head explodes in a Technicolor dream over a long realistic, gruesome, torture scene.
There is an argument that over the top gore can take you out of the reality of the situation. And it can in some cases. "Clown Gore" would not work in films like Se7en, Last House on the Left, or Funny Games (just for the record, I have not seen Funny Games past random clips). But that's not what those films are about. I consider those films more along the lines of horror drama than straight pure horror. They focus more on the reality of the situation rather than the sensationalism.
Now, while I do love over the top gore in horror films, I do believe that a movie needs more than JUST over the top gore to make a horror film great. The above films were mentioned because I found them all to have interesting story lines and fun characters I care about. Without that you pretty much have the equivalent of a kindergartner finger painting with roadkill.
I'm sure someone out there would love that image.
So..thoughts on my incoherent Rambling?
