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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Apr 6, 2018 11:51:19 GMT
These are arguably the two most commonly criticised tropes when it comes to 'lazy' or 'unoriginal' horror. Do they bug you, and if so, which one is worse?
I personally don't find either of them that much of a problem, but I definitely find blood and gore the lazier of the options.
Occasionally the build up to a jump scare, if done well, can be effectively tense, but blood and gore, is just blood and gore. I will admit that occasionally it can be creatively flung in your face, but those occasions are rare. I started sneakily watching horror films before my age reached double digits, and a good old disembowelment never phased me.
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Post by Christ_Ian_Bale on Apr 6, 2018 12:08:57 GMT
Gratuitous or not, blood and gore usually takes some creative talent to bring to life, unlike turning up the volume knob and pulverizing a musical instrument with a baseball bat.
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Post by stephen on Apr 6, 2018 12:12:18 GMT
I don't find blood/gore scary. Violence is, too me, much more terrifying if left to the imagination (for example, the final kill in Alien is off-screen, but we hear the screams and it makes it all the more horrific).
Jump-scares are overused, but they can be extremely effective (case in point, to use Alien as an example again, the air shaft sequence is perhaps the most claustrophobic and nerve-wracking sequence in cinema, and how it ends is masterfully done). But it's easy to burn out on them.
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Post by pacinoyes on Apr 6, 2018 13:26:18 GMT
Gore never scares me, but I don't mind it, but a good jump scare is still a scare...........and sometimes they serve a duel purpose too, they get you and make you feel stupid for falling for it, which can lower your guard for something else.
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Post by bob-coppola on Apr 6, 2018 13:43:40 GMT
Gore doesn't scare me, but I find it to be lazier than jumpscares because you just have to show them, and they don't usually build up any atmosphere.
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Post by Martin Stett on Apr 6, 2018 14:30:49 GMT
Gore isn't scary. Jump scares can be, if used sparingly and effectively. Under the Shadow understood this; it had rules about jump scares. In that film, if something made you jump.... then something was actually there and it was going to kill you. The technique was only used a few times to keep from wearing itself out, and instead of being a cheap "boom, just kidding" it always ALWAYS raised tension by hitting your senses and then sticking through with it.
As for blood and gore... Well, it can be gross, but it doesn't frighten. It can be used to get inside of a character's mind and showcase some of their fear, but it's never used that way. And frankly, there are more effective ways of showcasing that.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Apr 6, 2018 14:36:31 GMT
Gore isn't scary. Jump scares can be, if used sparingly and effectively. Under the Shadow understood this; it had rules about jump scares. In that film, if something made you jump.... then something was actually there and it was going to kill you. The technique was only used a few times to keep from wearing itself out, and instead of being a cheap "boom, just kidding" it always ALWAYS raised tension by hitting your senses and then sticking through with it.  Great film and a great example of jump scares done right. |
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Post by mikediastavrone96 on Apr 6, 2018 16:55:29 GMT
I've seen plenty of films with tons of blood and gore that I loved. I can't say the same for films with tons of jump scares. Of course, both are more effective if used sparingly, but if a film has more than 2-3 jump scares, its chances of being total garbage skyrocket while that isn't always the case with blood and gore.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2018 17:05:41 GMT
Jump scares. They have to be the dumbest trend in horror movies. That's not to say there aren't any good ones, but there's not many and most are really obnoxious.
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Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Apr 6, 2018 20:31:20 GMT
Jump scares absolutely. There's nothing inherently wrong w/ blood and gore when used effectively (see: Cronenberg). Jumpscares are usually annoying and take you out of the experience, and they're soooooo overused, more so than gore. They almost ALWAYS broadcast that they're for the viewer's benefit alone with obnoxious sound effects that don't exist in the world of the film. They can be done right for sure (see: The Fly), but your average jumpscare in today's average studio project is just basic trolling. They're fishing for cheap, 1-second reactions that have no lasting effect and don't contribute to the movie's creepiness factor, which is much more important (see: The Witch), or influence how the viewer feels about the characters. In either case, I prefer horror films that gradually cultivate a sense of unease and mounting terror through atmosphere and ideas than ones that fall back on basic cliches for a few cheap, forgettable thrills. I love to be shocked, but I like to be shocked by shocking ideas (see: that goddamn turkey baster in Don't Breathe). And for ideas to be shocking, they need to be distinctive (i.e. something you won't find in almost all studio horror films). On the other hand, I'd probably watch a Conjuring flick over another fucking Saw movie anyday, soooo.  |
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Post by therealcomicman117 on Apr 6, 2018 20:44:27 GMT
Jump scares by far. They're just a lazy cop-out. Actually build-up scares and atmosphere instead of just trying to scare the audience. That's annoying.
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Post by countjohn on Apr 7, 2018 18:22:41 GMT
Well a well done jump scare can actually make me "jump" so to speak. Fake blood just does nothing for me.
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Post by Ryan_MYeah on Apr 7, 2018 18:36:21 GMT
Jump scares are the worst. The absolute worst.
They can be effective, they can add to the atmosphere of a movie, but too often they’re used as cheap and lazy means of tension building. But this backfires, because it tells you that these people have absolutely no idea how to scare their audience. Exploiting human reflex is not the same as scaring them. There is no skill or talent required for a jump scare, at least none that doesn’t require a modicum of effort from the filmmakers.
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Post by FrancescoAbides on Apr 7, 2018 19:28:13 GMT
The overuse of jump scares. There's always the classic "look...there's nothing...*then jump scare*"
I think the tension in horror movies should work like a balloon almost exploding. The needle is almost touching that balloon but it never does. The experience becomes rather uncomfortable because you are expecting a jump scare or something...and then it catches you off-guard.
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Great film and a great example of jump scares done right.
