Underexplored themes in Horror?

Ash28M · 07-16-2009, 02:07 PM

It seems that Hollywood has become completely devoid of original ideas. Saying that can you think of any themes that haven't been fully explored to it's potential. One thing that comes to mind is there hasn't really been a good film made about the horrors of "Hell". Sure there has been films where the Devil possesses someone or comes to live among us or you may possibly even get a small glimpse of Hell. Growing up a catholic the actually visions of hell as place of everlasting torture and agony Is such strong fascinating imagery. I don't understand how it hasn't been explored further in film. Possibly Sam Rami can make a Drag Me to hell 2 where Christine's boyfriend finds a way to follow her into Hell and attempts to rescue her

MidnightRambler · 07-16-2009, 06:32 PM

There's a spoiler in your last sentence, I haven't seen DMTH yet. The classic Japanese horror Jigoku is set in hell, but yeah, that theme is underexplored in horror. Maybe they could make a movie featuring a man in hell on a mission from God preachin' the Bible and kickin' some demon ass (someone like Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction or James Woods in Vampires)...

Here's something I wished for a long time: a good horror movie set during a mountain climbing trip on very high altitudes. I think the tough survival conditions, cliffhanging, isolation and beautiful but dangerous surroundings would make for a great sense of dread and atmosphere. The setting could work well for almost any subgenre - slasher, man vs. nature, creature-feature, zombie movie (zombies being all the previously deceased climbers), ghost story... Maybe Neil Marshall could make a sequel to Descent called The Ascent

The Abominable Snowman kinda fits the theme, but that was more than 50 years ago...

Luki · 07-16-2009, 06:49 PM

I was glad that they didn´t really show the hell in DMTH. I think the reason they never really explored the idea of "hell" because most people imediately think of cheesy place filled with fire. I like the idea of "hell" we see in Hellraiser or even Silent Hill (not exactly hell but the idea the hell might look like that).

shockwave · 07-16-2009, 10:44 PM

I've always thought a farming community or something similar to TCM or Blood Harvest if explored and done right would give a great feel of isolation and despair.

msw7 · 07-17-2009, 01:30 AM

teenybopper music (boy bands, Britney Spears, etc. that kind of stuff) - I suppose it's horrifying enough without making it into a horror movie, but aside from Suicide Circle I can't think of any movies in this vein.

Maybe it should remain underexplored, but I always thought there was something creepy about Menudo.

adric · 07-17-2009, 01:46 AM

i havent seen a GOOD american vampire movie in awhile. and after that exorcist review, sexual abuse is definitely underplayed. yea its uncomfortable and wrong, but so are good horror movies.

Angelman · 07-17-2009, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msw7

teenybopper music (boy bands, Britney Spears, etc. that kind of stuff) - I suppose it's horrifying enough without making it into a horror movie, but aside from Suicide Circle I can't think of any movies in this vein.

Maybe it should remain underexplored, but I always thought there was something creepy about Menudo.

Ask and ye shall receive: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372803/

Boy Band and Horror. Saw it on cable last week.

msw7 · 07-17-2009, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelman

Ask and ye shall receive: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372803/

Boy Band and Horror. Saw it on cable last week.

wow. I disturbs me to think that I might not be able to imagine anything that someone hasn't turned into a movie (however horribly bad the idea is).

On the plus side, this had Adrienne Barbeau in it, and an alternate title: Boyz II Death...

Was it *really* cheesy?

Angelman · 07-17-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msw7

Was it *really* cheesy?

It was one of those films I got awkward watching even though I was by myself. Cheesy doen't begin to cover it.

CrazyFatEthel · 07-17-2009, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelman

Ask and ye shall receive: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372803/

Boy Band and Horror. Saw it on cable last week.

Ok, I'm just going to have to go and see this one. It has Adrienne Barbeau, AND Ryan Starr from the 1st Season of American Idol. And you all know about my obsession with Idol.

dirkwu · 07-18-2009, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MidnightRambler

Here's something I wished for a long time: a good horror movie set during a mountain climbing trip on very high altitudes. I think the tough survival conditions, cliffhanging, isolation and beautiful but dangerous surroundings would make for a great sense of dread and atmosphere.

Not really horror but a really good thriller is Shoot To Kill 1988 with Sindey Poitier, Tom Berenger and Kirsie Alley. A hunter murderer in disguise joins a mountain climbing group on their track to Canada. Really awesome when you see them all struggling and you don't know who the murderer is.

MidnightRambler · 07-18-2009, 07:16 PM

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to check that out soon, sounds a bit similar to The Eiger Sanction with Clint Eastwood which I enjoyed a lot although it's not that great of a movie...

Angelman · 07-18-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirkwu

Not really horror but a really good thriller is Shoot To Kill 1988 with Sindey Poitier, Tom Berenger and Kirsie Alley. A hunter murderer in disguise joins a mountain climbing group on their track to Canada. Really awesome when you see them all struggling and you don't know who the murderer is.

I always liked that flick.

Copyboy · 07-18-2009, 10:23 PM

YES! I always liked SHOOT TO KILL too. Haven't seen that in a while.

I always thought that someone should make a horror movie set at Easter. I know Easter as we know it has nothing creepy to offer with all the pastels and bunnies and chicks and flowers and blech! But combining the pagan and christian themes of fertility and resurrection could lead to a truly disturbing horror movie if done properly. Sort of like The Wicker Man, only set at Easter in some all American suburbia like Haddonfield.

msw7 · 07-19-2009, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Copyboy

YES! I always liked SHOOT TO KILL too. Haven't seen that in a while.

I always thought that someone should make a horror movie set at Easter. I know Easter as we know it has nothing creepy to offer with all the pastels and bunnies and chicks and flowers and blech! But combining the pagan and christian themes of fertility and resurrection could lead to a truly disturbing horror movie if done properly. Sort of like The Wicker Man, only set at Easter in some all American suburbia like Haddonfield.

That actually sounds like a really cool idea! juxtaposing the happy/shiny/pastel surface with the dark rotten underbelly of conflicting religious ideologies...

07-16-2009, 02:07 PM	#1
Ash28M HackMaster Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Mississauga, ON, Canada Posts: 5,640	Underexplored themes in Horror? It seems that Hollywood has become completely devoid of original ideas. Saying that can you think of any themes that haven't been fully explored to it's potential. One thing that comes to mind is there hasn't really been a good film made about the horrors of "Hell". Sure there has been films where the Devil possesses someone or comes to live among us or you may possibly even get a small glimpse of Hell. Growing up a catholic the actually visions of hell as place of everlasting torture and agony Is such strong fascinating imagery. I don't understand how it hasn't been explored further in film. Possibly Sam Rami can make a Drag Me to hell 2 where Christine's boyfriend finds a way to follow her into Hell and attempts to rescue her __________________ My Updated DVD/Blu-Ray Collection My Horror/Movie Reference Books

07-16-2009, 06:32 PM	#2
MidnightRambler Screamy Bopper Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 44	There's a spoiler in your last sentence, I haven't seen DMTH yet. The classic Japanese horror Jigoku is set in hell, but yeah, that theme is underexplored in horror. Maybe they could make a movie featuring a man in hell on a mission from God preachin' the Bible and kickin' some demon ass (someone like Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction or James Woods in Vampires)... Here's something I wished for a long time: a good horror movie set during a mountain climbing trip on very high altitudes. I think the tough survival conditions, cliffhanging, isolation and beautiful but dangerous surroundings would make for a great sense of dread and atmosphere. The setting could work well for almost any subgenre - slasher, man vs. nature, creature-feature, zombie movie (zombies being all the previously deceased climbers), ghost story... Maybe Neil Marshall could make a sequel to Descent called The Ascent The Abominable Snowman kinda fits the theme, but that was more than 50 years ago... Last edited by MidnightRambler; 07-16-2009 at 06:35 PM.

07-17-2009, 01:46 AM	#6
adric Maniac Join Date: May 2004 Location: D-Town Illinois Posts: 848	i havent seen a GOOD american vampire movie in awhile. and after that exorcist review, sexual abuse is definitely underplayed. yea its uncomfortable and wrong, but so are good horror movies. __________________ Peccar's Movie Collection Care to read my random ramblings?? my MySpace My Book of Faces

07-18-2009, 07:16 PM	#12
MidnightRambler Screamy Bopper Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 44	Thanks for the tip, I'll have to check that out soon, sounds a bit similar to The Eiger Sanction with Clint Eastwood which I enjoyed a lot although it's not that great of a movie... Last edited by MidnightRambler; 07-18-2009 at 07:27 PM.

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07-16-2009, 06:49 PM	#3
Luki Victim Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 84	I was glad that they didn´t really show the hell in DMTH. I think the reason they never really explored the idea of "hell" because most people imediately think of cheesy place filled with fire. I like the idea of "hell" we see in Hellraiser or even Silent Hill (not exactly hell but the idea the hell might look like that).

07-16-2009, 10:44 PM	#4
shockwave Stalker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Joplin, MO Posts: 203	I've always thought a farming community or something similar to TCM or Blood Harvest if explored and done right would give a great feel of isolation and despair.

07-17-2009, 01:30 AM	#5
msw7 Morso a morte Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Whale's Vagina, USA Posts: 1,247	teenybopper music (boy bands, Britney Spears, etc. that kind of stuff) - I suppose it's horrifying enough without making it into a horror movie, but aside from Suicide Circle I can't think of any movies in this vein. Maybe it should remain underexplored, but I always thought there was something creepy about Menudo.

07-18-2009, 10:23 PM	#14
Copyboy Maniac Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 896	YES! I always liked SHOOT TO KILL too. Haven't seen that in a while. I always thought that someone should make a horror movie set at Easter. I know Easter as we know it has nothing creepy to offer with all the pastels and bunnies and chicks and flowers and blech! But combining the pagan and christian themes of fertility and resurrection could lead to a truly disturbing horror movie if done properly. Sort of like The Wicker Man, only set at Easter in some all American suburbia like Haddonfield.