Don't Like Horror Films Based On Gore?

International cinema gives you one extreme to the next, what do you choose?

BY COLIN ENQUIST

I love my horror films! They take a lot of bad press, be it because they are reportedly “all the same” by critics or by people who have no desire to watch them and just dislike the genre. This does not mean that ALL horror movies are worth a viewing and it is usually the worst films of the genre that people point to when giving an excuse for shrugging off horror movies altogether. “Oh, I don’t need to see all that pointless violence and blood” or “they are all the same” are the two most common responses that I hear from friends who don’t want to see a horror film with me. As I try to get them to give this film or that film a shot, I get looked at like I am crazy (which I probably am!) and because of this I've finally decided to change my tactics.

Some people don’t like the visceral, repulsive, blood-spattered style of the Saw series, Hostel series, The Devils’ Rejects , Wolf Creek or other films like them which have such graphic imagery you are left feeling uncomfortable. A few of the top horror directors out there don’t even care for the sub-genre of horror, aptly dubbed “torture porn”. George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead) states "I don’t get the torture porn films", "they're lacking metaphor”, and Stephen King defends it "sure it makes you uncomfortable, but good art should make you uncomfortable". Not all American horror is based in the sub-genre, but a good chunk of the recent films can be somewhat lumped into that category. If they are against the idea of watching a movie with a little bit of “torture porn” completely, push one of these films their way as they stand a good length away from the category: The Sixth Sense, The Mist, Bubba Ho Tep and more recently Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell which blend a combination of (depending on the film) action, suspense, comedy and just good stories.

Some of the more determined critics that stereotype horror films probably won't even agree to watch those, so pushing something else entirely may be the way to go. A little something from across the giant blue ocean, be it from Japan, China, Thailand or someplace else that could peak a bit of interest. Yes, some of these foreign films do get mainstream coverage over in North America, because of an Americanized remake or since it is just that damn good that they can actually make money at the box office or on DVD. You will want to explain to your skeptical audience some of the differences between most (not all) foreign horror films: they try to freak the hell out of you by making use of your own imagination, using concepts and atmospheres, tension and moods, instead of the typical blood and gore most notably seen in local horror films. Asian cinema has an especially great selection of horror movies, there are some good ones from other countries as well but I really enjoy the Asian films that make my imagination go wild, making me re-think walking into my dark kitchen after the movie to get a glass of water! Sometimes you can use the excuse that if they liked The Ring or even the horrid remake of The Grudge, the originals are better (Ringu and Ju-on). The best films have arguably been remade by big American studios but the originals are usually far superior including The Eye, Shutter and Pulse. A few films out haven’t been remade so maybe grab one of them instead: Dorm, The Host, Ugetsu (check out the awesome Criterion Collection!), The Echo, Cure or A Tale of Two Sisters are all safe bets. The subtleties that are a major part of foreign horror films don't always seem to get noticed, or used, by directors from across the pond, even if some of the remade movies are done along the same lines as the originals.

Another source for popular horror films would be straight from U.K. cinema which has had a resurgence of the genre over the past decade. My advice would be to start with Dan Boyle’s 28 Days Later film which is a fantastic movie and one of my all-time favourites. If your friends are fine with that, you can jump straight to pushing the sequel to them (28 Weeks Later). They really got good scare flicks with The Descent, The Awakening, Blood and The Children. Don’t forget a funny horror film in Shaun of the Dead that is arguably one of the most inventive horror movies in a long time. High Tension is probably the best “torture porn” (from what I've seen) that has been released from the U.K. but I would probably avoid showing this to anyone you’re trying to get into the genre. Their horror films are more of a blend between American and Asian horror films. Watching one of these films above could probably be a good source for judging which type of horror movie your buddy is willing to watch.

So simply put, if they don’t want a gorefest, toss them a Asian horror flick based around a scary atmosphere. If they don’t think using their imagination is scary, explain that they have no imagination at all! They probably won’t like that you’re insulting them though, so you could just make them watch some of the “torture porn” they already loathe. I know not everyone likes the genre and if they really don’t want to watch it…don’t tie them to a chair and force them to watch it! Excusing someone’s lack of trying new things, all you can do is hope they are willing to try it. If they really don’t like horror, do not go showing them any Takashi Miike films if you want them to trust your judgment about horror movies again!