Purposes of horror movies
Movie critics are of the opinion that each genre of films should have its own characteristics and purposes and this is true for horror films as well. I have reviewed two movies, namely ‘The Omen’ and “The Silence of the Lambs’ with regard to two such factors. The two purposes that will be taken up are given below. The first is the film’s ability to make the viewer reinforce the fact that he or she is quite a normal person after all. The second is its ability to help us confront our fears. The first characteristic is the opinion of Stephen King (among many others) from his article titled ‘Why We Crave Horror Movies.’ According to King, “We also go to re-establish our feelings of essential normality; the horror movie is innately conservative, even reactionary.” (King). King presents grotesque or misshapen characters or beings commonly seen in horror movies like ‘Die Monster, Die’ as an example. Viewers compare the ugliness in the character with their own relatively ordinary features with regard to normalcy.
But in both The Omen and Silence of the Lambs there are no grotesque figures to make a comparison. In both movies the characters have normal features. The horror is effectively illustrated by their character, role and habits. This is purposely why the above two movies have been selected to represent horror here. I prefer such types of movies rather than those showing monsters, mutants and too much gore. The innocent face of Damien in The Omen who is supposed to be an incarnation of the devil is all the more chilling due to this. The feeling that we or our children are not like that is a return to normalcy for the viewer. The relief of a father who views the film when compared with ambassador Thorn who is the father of evil incarnate will be immense. The feeling would be “I am the normal father of a normal boy.” The final scene where Thorn is forced to attempt the murder of his son will also evoke a similar response. Likewise, when Hannibal Lecter, in one of the most chilling dialogues in silence of the hambs’, says that “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti” revulsion and normalcy occurs at the same time. It should be noted that this dialogue is mouthed without any emotion to Clarice Starling. Even the weirdest of diets imagined by some of the viewers will not come close to the one had by Lecter had
According to Tim Dirks, Horror films “deal with our most primal nature and its fears: our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our revulsions, our terror of the unknown, our fear of death and dismemberment, loss of identity, or fear of sexuality.” (Horror Films). The fear of the devil is deep-rooted in the human mind, especially in Western culture. The fact that the devil is deeply afraid of Christian religion and its artefacts is an example. Damien is terrified of the church and artifacts and screams and kicks in protest to avoid entering a church. This comes as a relief to the viewer who perceives that evil can be confronted. Generally people are attracted to morbidity and revolting tastes. “It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us.” (King). Humans also have the tendency to covet things they are attracted to. Lecter explains to Clarice, Buffalo Bill’s (the main villain of the story who is serial killer) intentions behind the serial killings and mutilation. Lecter says that it is to covet the body and life of the persons he kills. Some viewers may even accept what Bill has done since coveting something is a normal part of a person’s character.
Characteristics
The two characteristics discussed are visual images and suggestions that symbolize our fears, and un-preparedness on the part of the victim. “Horror films, when done well and with less reliance on horrifying special effects, can be extremely potent film forms, tapping into our dream states and the horror of the irrational and unknown, and the horror within man himself.” (King). The visual image of a lance like object that appears in the snaps taken by photographer Jennings are telling examples. This object keeps coming closer to Jennings in subsequent photographs and he know that something is about to happen soon. In an unexpected way, the audience is connected to the image and the accidental but brutal death of Jennings. He is killed by an iron rod dropped by someone from above while he walks beneath a building. He dies when the rod impales him. In ‘Silence of the Lambs’, Lecter’s attempt to enter the psyche of Clarice is shown effectively by the director. In one scene the camera is facing Clarice while Lecter’s face appears to hover beside her own. This is probably a reflection on the glass that separates them during the interviews. But that scene is evocative of the genius of Lecter in his ability to bring out the innermost thoughts and fears of his clients. Clarice, in a way becomes a client through the course of the movie.
In ‘The Omen’, Damien’s mother is killed when she is standing on a stool doing some household chore inside the ambassador’s mansion. Damien bangs his tricycle against the stool and she falls down into the lobby with fatal consequence. She was unprepared to do anything about it. The horrific part is that Damien, the little boy, does this intentionally while to the other actors in the drama, it appears as an accident. In the other movie, Lecter agrees to cooperate with Clarice if she in turn consents to reveal the details of her past life. Lecter’s brilliance makes her un-prepared for what is to follow. She is inadvertently forced to tell him everything about her past life. There are many characteristic of purposes in horror movies that are met by both these films, but lack of space does not permit more analysis. The purpose of normality and confrontation of fears are seen in both movies, with The Omen scoring over the other due to its association with Satan or devil. As to characteristics, un-preparedness and symbolism are vividly present in both films even though it is a little more subtle in ‘Silence of the Lambs’. Both these movies have been critically acclaimed and have been box-office successes all over the world. Of the two, ‘Silence of the Lambs’ is all the more chilling because it deals not with the supernatural or occult, but with the complexity of ordinary human minds.
Works Cited
King, Stephen. Why We Crave Horror Movies. Cause and Effect. 2009. Web.
Horror Films. American Movie Classic Company. Filmsite. 2009. Web.