Ironically, teens dare themselves to see increasingly scary movies not only to show that they’re tough and growing up, but also in order to reinforce the feeling of being safe, experiencing the thrill of watching danger while in the comfort of the home/theater. They may not tell you, but they've already seen The Ring, if not also The Grudge, Final Destination, etc. And they're itching to see Saw. [Bleagh]
Horror films have evolved over the years, but not really for the better. Gone are the days of mystery and subtle, growing fear; nowadays it’s taunt, titillate and tantalize until the crazed loon attacks in creative ways for no darn reason at all. And we’re supposed to laugh while saying “Eew!” Thanks, Wes Craven and George A. Romero, for traumatizing my childhood — and all I ever saw were your coming attractions.
But there was another director at that time playing in the same gore genre who simultaneously incorporated some of the old–timey creepy and made it look beautiful.
Three movies by Dario Argento, the master of Italian macabre murder horror films, are coming to BAM September 4–6. Tired of the stupid, random sadism of Saw? Wanna show the oldest teens what frightened you when you were young, just from looking at the trailers? Take them to one of these three atmospheric R–rated pre–slasher works:
Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971): A glam rock drummer accidentally kills his stalker and then is stalked by someone else: a person who sends him photographs of all his friends being killed — by the hands of the drummer himself! The great Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) did the musical score. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4.
Suspiria (1977): the commercial scared the heck out of me, and still does, so I won’t be putting it on this site. Agreed that this is “one of the most beautiful horror films ever made”; Argento’s budget was spent on cinematography, with carefully planned camera angles and frames filled with unnaturally bright and primary colors. He cheated elsewhere (B actors, using his disembodied hands in close-ups). Plot: an American enrolls in the best ballet school in Europe, only to be thrown into the midst of murders and witchcraft. This is the one to see. [Shiver here] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.
Inferno (1980): in one of two semi–sequels to Suspiria, the residents of a New York apartment building are victims of gruesome murders. A music student tries to investigate the beheading of his sister. More witches! SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6.
Argento once said, in so many words, that in casting actors it was better to have pretty murder victims. That aside, we could have a whole discussion over sexism and the arrested development of horror movie directors. It’s not to be condoned, it’s obvious and the damsel–in–distress film has been around for 100 years. We get it. We don’t like it. Let’s move on.
Enjoy the 70’s of–it–all: the cheese, the corn, the psychedelia. I actually prefer The Uninvited (1944) being shown at BAM on the 3rd.
It’s interesting to watch the horror movie genre through the eyes of different countries: US, Britain, Italy and Japan, et.al. all have different styles. Discuss.
Here is a Four Flies trailer that was obviously edited to be suitable for general audiences:
I am NOT putting the trailer for Suspiria on this site; my watching it again only brought back a ton of bad memories — it seemed like yesterday instead of 1977! It just hit all my fright buttons in spite of its cheesiness, I guess. But here is a YouTube link for you to watch — if you’re allowed and have the strength for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8zbV_fFkYs
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