(In reference to the subject heading, all of you English majors out there will know that this quote was actually from Joseph Conrad's HEARTS OF DARKNESS, which Coppola and Milius appropriated when writing their Vietnam classic APOCALYPSE NOW. Neither of which, of course, are considered part of the horror genre. I just couldnt resist the subject heading.)
Alright, I figure it's time to write a little about something I love - the horror genre.
Like any true love, I can't convince others to feel the same way I do. Either you love it or you dont. And in much the same way you cant get me to like sushi or country music, I dont expect to change your opinion on horror with this one blog.
But I would like to point out just a few things you non-horror folks might not have considered before
1 - The horror genre is spiritually optimistic. Yes, you heard me - the genre of literature and cinema that concerns itself with monsters, death and fear is inherently optimistic. Why? It's the ONLY genre that assumes the reality of an afterlife. Romance, drama, westerns and even sci-fi rarely touch on this subject. But horror? By dealing with the supernatural as a complete definite reality within the world of the stories, by it's very nature it assumes that there is something beyond the mortal coil (regardless of your religious beliefs, ghosts coming from the other side to get you supports the idea that there IS the other side.)
2 - It's the only genre named after, and revolving around, an emotion. You don't read a western to feel... westerly. You don't see a sci-fi movie to feel... science fictiony. Even dramas... you can't feel drama (happy, sad, upset, yes... but nobody can feel drama-y). You CAN however, feel horror. And regardless of execution, isnt that the true purpose behind ALL art? To feel?
3 - Who would want to feel horror? Well, who would want to ride a roller coaster? Or bungee jump? Or parachute? (Gotta point out, however, that horror movies are the safest of the bunch). These are safe ways to rehearse the thing we are all most frightened of... our own death. Kids want on the biggest, scariest coasters because nothing is more exhilarating than the sensation of being vulnerable... but knowing you'll walk away.
4 - Horror is the closest thing today to Classical Tragedy. Shakespeare was the first Stephen King. Ghosts, violent murders, witches. wrapped within a compelling examination of the human condition, written for the masses by the most popular literary figure of his time?. Am I talking about MACBETH... or THE SHINING? (Or perhaps theres not much of a difference?)
5 - Horror is the rock-and-roll of the storytelling arts. The elite look down on it. Youth embraces it. Both rock and horror skip the intellectual and go straight for the gut. And as each new generation reinvents itself, parents are revolted by what their kids are watching / listening to... just as it should be. (Honestly, how fun would discovering THE RAMONES have been if your PARENTS sang along with "I Wanna Be Sedated" on long car trips?)
6 - Horror is the genre of metaphor, unlike any other. What are vampires about? Sexual repression. Werewolves? The dichotomy between mans rational intellect and animal primal urges. Ghosts? Regrets of the past. Zombies? The dangers of a mob mentality. This is the only genre that tackles issues in ways FAR more direct than any traditional drama by making the metaphor real. Think about it for a second... as an example, in 1973, THE EXORCIST was released and became a worldwide phenomenon. This movie had sacrilege and puking and some of the most disturbing sexual and religious images EVER put on film and practically EVERYONE went to see it. It was a blockbuster. Why? Well, it was it about a 12 year old girl possessed by the devil. Yeah, sure. But it was REALLY about every parents worst fear: no longer understanding your child. In 1973, the generation gap was never wider... and every parent who watched in horror as their kids smoked dope, have sex, and protest their country could certainly understand what little Regan's mother must have been going through emotionally.
Alright class, thats enough for now.
I'm sure I'll write about this more in the future, but I just wanted to give all of you non-horror fans a little food-for-thought the next time NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET comes on and you get the urge to switch channels (because, after all, its just a coming-of-age story).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment