The status of horror

[tron99]

They say that in the post Sept 11 world we live in -
Disaster Films are OUT. I wonder whether teen-horror
movies have the same fate. Do you think it's bad time
for spec horror scripts?

[Wolfy262]

A great script will always sell, regardless of the genre and mood of the time, current events etc. But I do mean a GREAT script.

[Wingnut]

horror vs. slasher

Horror will always be marketable. Always. The subgenre of teen "slasher" films is dead for now. But horror with any tag attached, ie "teen" "adult" "cerebral" whatever, will always have a market as long a it's well written and it's a scary read.

The trouble with horror is that the scares for the reader are mental. When they're reading your script, they have to be able to visualize the stuff that's supposed to spook them. Tough to do within the constraints of screenplay format/ formula where space is it a premium.

[Naudikom]

Re: horror vs. slasher

On the other hand, with the exception of teen slashers, I think horror films are really up for a revival right now. I know that studios are looking for witty ideas for horror movies...

[fwuffykosak]

Re: horror vs. slasher

Again, as I've said before elsewhere, it depends on what you mean by horror. A story with some wanky teens getting sliced by a guy in a mask is a slaher flick. Teens dealing with the undead or actual monsters is HORROR. Big difference.

The wanky-ass SCREAM genre seems played-out anyway. But films like THE OTHERS have fared relatively well.

[Gaijin Samurai]

Re: horror vs. slasher

disaster scripts and terrorist scripts will not sell right now, regardless of how great. they won't even get read.

[Stevhal]

Re: horror vs. slasher

If you've got a great idea for one, and your head is saying 'write it,' I reacon go ahead. You don't have to show it to anyone yet. If you want to write it, then write it.
Don't market it, though, until such a time when this has all gone down, cause no-one will want to know.
There's enough films in the pipe-line that deal with these subjects, just waiting to be finished at the moment anyway!!

[tron99]

thanks for the wise comments!

[stocktip]

disaster films

They're out right now, but they'll be back again. If you have a good idea, write it. Four or five years from now you can update it and it'll be marketable again.

JMHO

Brian

[KidzTvMadeMeDelusional]

Slasher still has a pulse...

As fwuffy has rightly suggested there have been many "wanky ass" rehashes of SCREAM, in fact it's pretty much got to the stage where people are sick of watching a group of gorgeous yet undeniably stupid teens run around trying to figure out who's killing all their friends and the protagonist barely escaping with her life every 10 minutes.

It's been really overdone and generally very badly done.

However, to say that the teen slasher genre is currently DEAD is possibly, IMO, to overstate. There have been a few of these such films released lately, and whilst they are still working on the same guidelines they've tried to throw new questions into the equation. Some have succeeded, some haven't.
Two of the latest slashers to be released (to video) are VALENTINE and RIPPER. VALENTINE is an example of another ripoff rehash of something between the SCREAMs -- the FRIDAY the 13ths and the HALLOWEENs and as you can probably guess it kinda sucked.

But on the other hand RIPPER is a complete revamp of the SCREAM/URBAN LEGEND films of late. Very jumpy with a major story twist and an real unpredictable killer.

IMO the Slasher genre is still up for revival, but it's gonna take something special to dig itself outta the cliched hole it lies in. RIPPER leads the way. I guess we'll see.
just my thoughts, Lx

[R Battle]

horror

Horror sells, horror is great when done right, and one doesn't mean Scary movie teen cream slashed stimulation shat. Producers tend to dig horror, for the most part it's inexspensive to shoot, their are exceptions, but good horror is usually something internal or just off camera.
Aliens screaming down from the stars in corillian made deep space heavy fighters, or an army of undead demons ravaging a city doesn't get to the scary bone like that ever present jumping cat thru the window bit, wich is of course built up too because of the very real stranger in the house or demon within the home etc...things for the most part unseen. The audience's eye within their minds is the greatest special effects generator Hollywood has ever tapped into, although not enough in recent years. I mean is the latest versions of the " Mummy" Horror? The "Mummy" with karloff was horror, it was scary. I mean the way it was written and, shot all built tension and fear, the lurching shadow moving from room to room in the middle of the night unseen and heard except for one moment, when a noise is heard, we turn, but by it's too late we are in his grip, the mummys grip, the directors grip, the writers grip, the horror of the situation of these people, and of us the audience, because we are right there with them on the screen! Or at least that's the idea. Production costs for effects, one torn up old bed sheet (Mummy wraps) $1.50, used.


Examples: The Omen, Rosemarys baby