bibbinator
Bench
That film serves a good reminder not to hold auditions for a fake movie in order to get a girlfriend. Personally, I need to be reminded of that almost everyday.
Which is your favorite horror movie villain?
- Thread starter RoyalDiva
- Start date
That film serves a good reminder not to hold auditions for a fake movie in order to get a girlfriend. Personally, I need to be reminded of that almost everyday.
LilMissDiva
Bench
LilMissDiva
Bench
I don't like horror movies in general. I really don't "enjoy" watching a movie just so I jump at a contrived grotesque or "pop-out-at-the-screen" scene.
However, I like action movies with horror elements to them.
Aliens is still one of my favorite movies of all times. The original, again, was contrived, but the second (directed by James Cameron) was an awesome action flick that really lent some depth to Ripley's character, especially in the extended edition. Alien wins, hands down.
I also liked the original "Thing" movie.
Where's Hannibal Lector?
However, I like action movies with horror elements to them.
Aliens is still one of my favorite movies of all times. The original, again, was contrived, but the second (directed by James Cameron) was an awesome action flick that really lent some depth to Ripley's character, especially in the extended edition. Alien wins, hands down.
I also liked the original "Thing" movie.
Where's Hannibal Lector?
RoyalDiva
Starter
Again, I believe I said 'no whining' in my first post.
My definition of a horror character is something that is supernatural or not human.
Again, I believe I said 'no whining' in my first post.
No whining, just a brief expanation to my choice.
I prefer the original to Aliens. Yeah the effects and extra backstory are nicer in Aliens but the tension to me is greater in the original (along with the fabulous set design). Aliens is pretty much a straight up action movie and doesn't have the tension of the original.
One more glaring omission that really needs to be mentioned - Norman Bates.
RoyalDiva
Starter
Please read my post about the criteria. I agree with you that the first Alien is scarier. The tension and anticipation are nail-biting to the point where it is almost unwatchable!
I agree that both Hannibal Lector and Norman Bates are horror movie villians. The line between horror and sci fi is a fine one. I'm liking the discussion regardless...these genres of movies are my favorite(s).
Interesting. My definition of a horror character would be more in the line of a human or human-like character that is capable of HORRENDOUS deeds and unspeakable evil.
Interesting. My definition of a horror character would be more in the line of a human or human-like character that is capable of HORRENDOUS deeds and unspeakable evil.
RoyalDiva
Starter
It's my favorite genre as well, but I tend to move more towards the horror genre more. To me, when something that is not of this world is committing the horror, that is more scarier to me, hence my definition. I've always been a sucker for a good ghost or monster story.
LA King Fan II
Bench
Louise Fletcher (Nurse Ratched) Kathy Bates (Misery) horrific women.
I don't know - the scene with Newt and Ripley in the room with the facehugger - the scene where they look up through the ceiling panels and see them coming - the scene with Bishop getting "stuck" and pulled in two and the queen coming out and chasing Ripley....
I like all those better than the original.
I just like action to suspense, I guess.
Last edited:
In that case I'm not sure Jigsaw, Michael Myers (in his original incarnation) or Jack from the Shining qualify.
Norman Bates and Leatherface are the grand-father and father of the modern slasher flick respectively, and TCM also spawned the golden age of grindhouse horror so both deserve to be on this list. Personally I'd drop Reagan McNeil and Carrie (or even Jigsaw, despite my vote) to make room for them.
RoyalDiva
Starter
In that case I'm not sure Jigsaw, Michael Myers (in his original incarnation) or Jack from the Shining qualify.
Norman Bates and Leatherface are the grand-father and father of the modern slasher flick respectively, and TCM also spawned the golden age of grindhouse horror so both deserve to be on this list. Personally I'd drop Reagan McNeil and Carrie (or even Jigsaw, despite my vote) to make room for them.
Michael Myers is not human in my opinion because he takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. How many times has he gotten killed and then come back? Definitely a creature of some sort now. Jack Torrance is a human who gets posssessed by evil spirits, so that he is now supernatural. Now I haven't seen Saw, but isn't Jigsaw some kind of monster? He looks non-human in the pictures I've seen.
bibbinator
Bench
Jigsaw is a mortal human, at least as of the first Saw.
I wouldn't include Hannibal on this list. He is a fascinating character but I don't think of Silence of the Lambs as a horror film, or even of him as the villian (not in that film).
But is Jack Torrance really possessed by supernatural spirits or can everything be explained by conventional psychology - recovering addict, depression, cabin fever, etc? For me the latter interpretation is the scariest.
The problem with Michael Myers is the sequels. In the original he's definitely just a deranged psycopath. Its remotely plausible to believe he survived the ending for the first sequel and Halloween 3 is its own thing. The later sequels concocted all this "Curse of Thorn" crap that even the producer of the films now disavows.
Jigsaw is entirely human, not even a hint of supernatural in any of the Saw films so far.
The problem with Michael Myers is the sequels. In the original he's definitely just a deranged psycopath. Its remotely plausible to believe he survived the ending for the first sequel and Halloween 3 is its own thing. The later sequels concocted all this "Curse of Thorn" crap that even the producer of the films now disavows.
Jigsaw is entirely human, not even a hint of supernatural in any of the Saw films so far.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Agreed. I was always creeped out by The Shining specifically because I saw it as a story about a guy going completely nuts. That's far more frightening to me than the thought of ghosts and possession.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
The problem with such stories is that I am always thinking that if I was in the story I would just kick the crazy SOBs *** and that would be that.
Hence my preference for things/creatures that you can't just knock on their butt if they get out of line.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
The problem with such stories is that I am always thinking that if I was in the story I would just kick the crazy SOBs *** and that would be that.
Hence my preference for things/creatures that you can't just knock on their butt if they get out of line.
Random whacko? Yes (though, as you know, I've obviously got a special dislike for the type). Husband and father? Becomes a bit more difficult.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Hey, if dad had ever whipped out an axe on me, the gloves were off.
Well... um... how shall I put this gracefully... you're neither Shelly Duvall nor a small child. And they're both about as far from Vlad the Impaler as one can get.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
True...also why I think most slasher flicks are aimed more at the fears fo women than men.
As for the kid, like most movie children I was rather hoping he'd bite it.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Well, without even asking, I can guarantee you that not too many of the women in this forum have gone to a horror film hoping that their boyfriend would get freaked and look to them for protection.
Bricklayer said:As for the kid, like most movie children I was rather hoping he'd bite it.
Yep. I was hoping for that pretty much the time he starts talking to his finger.
As an aside, on one of the special features tacked on to the DVD of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, Burton mentions that he was adamant that the audience is very much aware that the little kid gets it in one scene just because he felt it a cop out that bratty kids always manage to survive horror movies. More cool points for Tim.
Carpenter did it about as good as it gets.As an aside, on one of the special features tacked on to the DVD of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, Burton mentions that he was adamant that the audience is very much aware that the little kid gets it in one scene just because he felt it a cop out that bratty kids always manage to survive horror movies. More cool points for Tim.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Very true.
PixelPusher
Starter
Aren't most horror films all about killing off teenagers (especially the promiscuous ones)? It's like all the scripts were the written from the revenge fantasies of crumudgened, frustrated high school principals.
Slasher films especially from the late-70s through the Reagan years are primarily based on killing promiscuous teens. But its really a sub-genre that's time has come and gone despite the brief self-aware revival during the late 90s.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Hey, pdx, in my rush to be a smarty, I had a brain lapse and responded thinking of something else entirely, then realized that I can't place a kid's death in any of Carpenter's films. Which one am I forgetting?
Assault on Precinct 13.
Similar threads
