Thoughts On Thrillers, Horror, and Torture Porn.

I’m going to do something here I don’t do very often: just have a discussion. That’s right, no movie reviews or anything like that. I felt like giving my opinion on certain semi-related (especially these days) movie genres: thrillers, horror films, and torture porn. These labels get thrown around a lot, and half the time incorrectly.

For instance, earlier this year, a Spanish film entitled El Orfanato (The Orphanage) was released. They called it horror. The movie is not so much horror as much as it is a supernatural thriller or mystery. Words got thrown in like “terrifying” that could turn people away from such an amazing film if they’re not fans of horror. The label gets thrown around so much that it can, in fact, ruin a movie’s turn out.

The biggest disaster to be caused by the act of mislabeling was M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village back in 2004. It was labeled (and advertised) as this super scary horror movie, so when people went to see it thinking they were going to be scared, the only thing we were left with were countless reviews being thrown around saying it was horrible and completely unscary. It’s all in how you go in to a movie. If it had been marketed as a thriller/drama/romance (which is what it was), it might have gotten slightly better reviews, because people's expectations wouldn’t have been elsewhere, meaning they wouldn’t have been nearly as hateful. Likewise, M. Night’s Lady in the Water was treated the same way, when it was more of a children’s fantasy/fairy tale. I remembered having to continually convince my mother that the movie was not meant to be a horror movie every time a trailer came on TV, and she never believed me.

A more recent example of this was Bug in 2006. With the director of The Exorcist at the helm, it was immediately given descriptions such as “one of the most terrifying and truly scary movies I have ever seen.” And (gasp) it wasn’t. And it was never meant to be. It’s a psychological thriller and drama. There was a moment when I was waiting in line somewhere, and some lady started going off about Bug, and how it wasn’t scary at all and that she had demanded her money back. That’s faulty advertising for you. It's even on the poster (click to enlarge it).

Similarly, movies like the first Saw are labeled as horror or torture porn, and they’re usually neither. Bet let me digress for a moment and explain for those who are unaware of what I’m talking about.

The term torture porn came onto the scene because of Eli Roth’s Hostel, in which the first half of the movie is like Cinemax porno, and the second half is, well, people torturing other people to death (I also briefly go into the term in my discussion of the Japanese movie Audition, which has wrongfully been lumped in this subgenre, as well). Since then, people have been twisting the meaning of the term to fit a whole bunch of other films into this random and new subgenre of horror. The most recent to get slapped with the title has been Untraceable, which really only has the torture side down. What people are saying about the subgenre label is that it implies people get off to the gore and torture like they would to porn.

So back to Saw; not only is there no sex or nudity (we’re talking about the first installment only here), but the gory stuff is actually rather minimal. In fact, I wouldn’t even label it as horror as much as a crime and/or psychological thriller. Yet people continually thrust it in with (the God-awful) Hostel and the like. Why is that?

If Silence of the Lambs were to be made today, it would probably be considered torture porn because of Buffalo Bill, when it is, in fact, a crime thriller. In fact, any movie these days that has some kind of psychotic killer that likes to toy with his victims in any fashion will be considered torture porn, and I don’t think that’s right.

Honestly, the only movies I consider acceptable to fall under that label are Hostel and Hostel: Part II (and maybe Uwe Boll’s House of the Dead, because there’s a lot of sex, nudity, and blood, and it’s torturous to watch). And they’re all really, really horrible movies (and I don’t mean because of the subject matter… I just mean they’re boring, horribly made films). So when you link good movies like the first Saw or any other kind of remotely decent movie to that subgenre, it’s irking.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is this: Advertise the movie how it is, and it might just get a better response. Hopefully M. Night’s coming film, The Happening, really is as awesome as it appears. Also, Eli Roth and Uwe Boll need to stop making movies, because they both really suck at it.

That is all.

Recent East Asian Cinema #3: Audition.

Welcome to the third of seven posts that will detail East Asian cinema, giving genre history leading up to a recent movie which will be reviewed! I hope you enjoy the series. For more information or previous entries, check the posts below this one.

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Genre: J-Horror.

History: Horror films go way back, but we’ll be discussing a certain brand of horror here: movies of gore. To begin with this subgenre, we must begin with the two movies that inspired them all. In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock created one of the most iconic horror films with one of the most iconic murder scenes (even though the shower scene doesn’t really show the knife penetrating and has an insanely small amount of blood). However, in 1968, George A. Romero created Night of the Living Dead (inspired by the novella I Am Legend), the movie to really make the gore-movie popular. And it was only outdone by its sequel, Dawn of the Dead, ten years later.

It was a mix of these types of movies that went on to inspire the first true slasher movie, Black Christmas (1974), as well as the famous Friday the 13^th (1980) and Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) movies. Also in 1974, we were introduced to the movie that really began the torturous splatter-gore subgenre with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Throughout the 70s and 80s, we were introduced to numerous slasher flicks and gore-fest flicks until the genre wore itself silly (much like the monster movie did).

Then, in 1996, the gore-loving slasher flicks would get a revival in the form of Wes Craven’s self-aware, homage-paying Scream. The revival of the genre was short-lived, however, as it soon began to wear itself thin again with countless additions to the genre, such as I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Urban Legend (1998), and the more original and better-liked Final Destination (2000). Because the subgenre was riding its last threads, it seemed as if everything had to be knocked up a few notches. The gore would become the center of the movie, and Eli Roth’s Hostel in 2005 would be responsible for garnering the term torture porn and coining it into mainstream cinema.

Meanwhile, while all of this was occurring in American cinema, something else entirely was happening with Japanese Horror (J-Horror). J-Horror was taking two different approaches: the supernatural/psychological and the gore-fest. Famed director Hideo Nakata would create movies (which would later be remade in America) such as Ringu (1998) and Dark Water (2002). These were on the supernatural/psychological side of the spectrum. On the other side of the spectrum was famed and controversial director Takashi Miike, who made movies such as Ichi The Killer (2001), One Missed Call (2004), and Audition (1999). The latter of this list, which has its roots deeply set in everything previously mentioned (slasher/gore/psychological), is truly one of the scariest and most disturbing movies Japan has to offer… which is why it’s the movie I’m going to discuss now.

Audition (1999).

Country of Origin: Japan.

Original Title: Ōdishon.

Director: Takashi Miike.

Audition is about Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi), a man who lost his wife to an illness seven years prior. His son, Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki), as well as his movie producer friend, Yoshikawa (Jun Kunimura), talk him into getting back into the field and trying to find another wife. Yoshikawa talks him into holding a fake audition, where the women will think they’re auditioning for a movie role, but are really auditioning for the role as Shigeharu’s wife-to-be. During these auditions, Shigeharu meets Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), a young, shy woman who claims to have been a ballerina. Shigeharu thinks he’s finally found his perfect match, even against Yoshikawa’s warnings that Asami doesn’t seem right. Asami lives in an empty apartment with nothing but a telephone and a burlap sack (though Shigeharu doesn’t know this). They continue to date until Asami makes Shigeharu promise that he won’t love anybody else but her. However, things don’t start checking out right. Asami’s references are either fake or missing. Shigeharu has to figure out what’s going on with Asami before it’s too late (and we all know what happens next!).

The movie has an incredibly slow pacing, especially at the beginning. But it’s done like that on purpose. The movie wants you to get to like Asami as this cute, shy young woman before the ending hits like a bag of bricks. It’s the suspense that keeps you watching. What’s in that burlap sack? What happened to Asami’s music producer ex? Just when you think it’s dragging a bit too long, the movie throws you a curveball and makes you go ‘what the hell?’ (Specifically the scene where the burlap sack moves, and Asami’s just listening to the phone ring, staring down at her lap, and a small smile crosses her lips. It’s the creepiest scene in the whole movie. I even knew it was coming beforehand, and I still jumped and got creeped out).

But the movie all builds up to that insanely graphic 15-minute conclusion, which is really the only scene anybody remembers (or cares about). The only bad thing about that scene is that I remember being incredibly confused the first time I saw it. Halfway through, it cuts away to some other crazy things and makes you wonder if the whole thing was a dream… but then cuts back to it after what seems like ages. It was just an odd moment for me.

The movie is close to two hours long, but not much actually happens until the very end. I know the slow-rising pacing was done purposefully, but I think some of it could have been a bit better (primarily toward the beginning). The ending is hardcore, and it has even made famed directors John Landis and Rob Zombie admit they had trouble watching it (which they admitted on Bravo’s Top 100 Scariest Movie Moments, in which Audition came in at #11. It was where I first heard about the film, actually). Regardless of any negatives, the slower parts did allow for character development, which allowed you to actually care for some of these characters (making the ending even crazier). So I suppose I should rate it.

A Keanu 'Whoa'

Obsessive Characters.

Okay, so there’s obsessed, and then there’s obsessed. Obsessive characters often make for creepy (and sometimes Oscar-winning) characters. This list will discuss five of the greatest obsessive-to-the-point-of-psychotic characters in cinema (at least that I know of, anyway). Also, this is not a Top 5 list, but just a random listing in no particular order (mostly because the top spot would be way too hard to choose and would be tied… and I don’t like ties).

Warning: This list might contain spoilers if you haven’t seen the movies.

Wedding Crashers

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What? That silly comedy? Oh, right, Isla Fisher’s character.” To that I say, “Nope!”

In fact, the character I’m thinking of would be the crazy little brother, Todd. He’s obsessed with Vince Vaughn’s character. The plot of the movie is really irrelevant here, as this is just a random little sub-plot with no real weight on the rest of the plot, but I thought that Todd would be a humorous way to start off this list.

Creepiest Scene:

When Vince Vaughn is tied to the bed, unable to move, and Todd shows up and begins to basically molest him, then gives him a painting that he did of Vince’s character.

Creepiest Line:

Todd: “I made you a painting. I call it ‘Celebration.’ It's sexual and violent. I thought you might like it.”

The Hole

Most of you are probably asking “what the hell is this movie? I’ve never heard of this.” Well, it’s not known very much, but it is a decent movie all about obsession.

Liz Dunn (Thora Birch) shows up after she and 3 of her peers have been missing for quite some time, and tells the authorities that she’s the only one left alive. Liz and her peers, including Frankie (Keira Knightley), skip a school trip to hang out in an abandoned, underground bunker for three days. But when the three days are up, the friend who got them into the place doesn’t come back, and they’re stuck, locked in. Through different accounts, the truth of what actually happened starts to reveal itself.

When the truth gets out, so does the obsession. Liz was obsessed with one of the boys in the group, but he didn’t even seem to realize she existed, so she gets one of her friends (who is also obsessed with her) to sneak them in to this abandoned bunker so she can try and get closer to him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work the way she planned, so she locks them all in with a spare key until it does. That, however, doesn’t go exactly as planned, either, as the claustrophobia kicks in and starts making them get all crazed with each other, and Frankie gets sick.

Creepiest Scene:

I’d probably have to say the very end, when Liz gives Dr. Horwood the “I just won” look.

Creepiest Line:

Liz: "Have you ever loved anyone so much you didn't care what happened to yourself? You just had to be with them. If they look at you, your heart stops. If you feel their breath on your skin, you just ache. Have you ever craved anyone so much you didn't exist any more?"

Dr. Horwood: "No."

Liz: "I have."

Audition

Audition is a Japanese horror movie with an ending that only true horror fans can stomach.

The premise is that this guy’s friend talks him into doing a fake movie audition in order to audition women to be his future wife. And he finds her, and she’s really young and really hot. And they seem to hit it off, even though the guy’s friend feels odd vibes about her and tells him to call it off. The moral of the story? Always listen to your friends.

The young woman becomes obsessed with the man, waiting every minute of the day for his calls, and cherishing every moment they’re together… but not for the reasons he thinks. Now, I’m actually not going to say the ending is the creepiest scene, because I don’t think it is. It’s the goriest, by far, but not the creepiest. So without further ado…

Creepiest Scene:

The creepiest scene to me is when the young woman is sitting on her floor next to the phone, just staring down at it, unmoving except for the most subtle movements, with a large bag nearby. Then the bag moves.

Creepiest Line:

Oh man, this was tough… almost any line during the ending sequence that she said… from the “kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri” thing to the “This wire can cut through meat and bone easily.”

One Hour Photo

To me, this is, by far, one of the creepiest movies I have ever seen. It's so creepy that I've only been able to watch it a few times (even though I own it).

Sy Parrish (Robin Williams) works at the One Hour Photo department in a local department store. The Yorkin family are his favorite customers, as they have been coming to him for years. He feels like he’s part of their family. I mean, he really feels like he’s a part of their family. Unfortunately, they don’t agree.

I can’t even describe the creepy level of this movie. Sy is the epitome of the words obsessive and stalker. I really can’t sum up a creepy scene or creepy line, as the whole freakin movie is overly creepy. I know I won’t be able to pick just one line, but if I had to pick one scene, it might be the part where you see Sy’s wall o’ family photos… that aren’t of his own family (at least, to anybody that isn’t him). Even still, there are loads of other creepy moments here. You just need to see it for yourself.

Misery

Come on, if you didn’t see this topping off the list, you don’t know your obsessive characters! For any interested, had this been a top 5 list, this and One Hour Photo would have tied for first.

Based on a Stephen King story of the same name, Misery is about author Paul Sheldon (James Caan), famous for his Misery series of novels, who gets in a car wreck during a blizzard. Luckily for him, he’s saved by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates, who won an Oscar for the role), his number 1 fan! With both legs horrendously broken, and him being bedridden for quite some time, he has to be in her loving care. He wasn’t taken to a hospital because the roads were snowed in and the phones were out. But thank God she was stalking him at the time he crashed so she could save him. Well, it was a good thing up until she reads the newest Misery book, in which the title character that she loves and adores dies.

This movie is any celebrity’s nightmare and gives a new chill to “I’m your number 1 fan!” Annie Wilkes jumps from ecstatic to upset church lady to depressed to angry to psychotic and back to ecstatic again, and sometimes all in one scene. Now, I’m sure if you’ve seen or know about this movie, you know easily the creepiest scene (and line) in the movie.

Creepiest Scene:

The hobbling scene: One block of wood, two feet, one sledgehammer.

Creepiest Line:

Right after the hobbling is over, she looks him right in the eye and… “God I love you.”