[Solved] Horror Films Review

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[Solved] Horror Films Review

This assignment requires Horror Films Review. You are supposed to present a report on the review of “The Enemy Within: The Economy of Violence in The Hills Have Eyes”, “Dread, Taboo, and The Thing: Toward a Social Theory of the Horror Film”, and review of “The Monster Millennium”. Furthermore, you are required to conduct a personal analysis and give your opinion on the ideas of the authors.  

Horror movies is are a genre of films aimed at drawing out the primal fears of the audience. The literature in horror articles or movies is intended to scare the readers or views through horrifying episodes. Usually, horror movies create a frightening environment for the audience. Different authors have developed critics for the horror films and seek to interpret the theme of these films.

Review of “The Enemy Within: The Economy of Violence in The Hills Have Eyes”

According to sentiments developed by Rodowick (346), horror films attracted a lot of attention in the film industry in the 1970s. Horror films are observed to occupy a production line of their own distict from other films. They are categorized as exploitation films and have low production costs than other mainstream films. These films are less regulated in their production mechanisms since quality of works is not the main idea of the film makers as compared to other films. Horror movies exploit a certain aspect during their cast and production. The author argues that the films seem to concentrate on aspects such as violence to explain the theme of the movie as well as capturing the attention of the audience. Rodowick (347) notes that films such as “The Hills Have Eyes” and “The Last House on the Left” directed by Wes Craven exploit violence to capture the attention of the audience. Struggle for survival is elaborate in the horror films where constant violence and revenge is characterized. Violence is depicted as a lifestyle in many horror movies. Rodowick (349) indicates that the movies fail to show rational way of solving grievances and the characters have to constantly fight for their lives.

Review of “Dread, Taboo, and The Thing: Toward a Social Theory of the Horror Film”

            Prince (118) describes horror films a manifestation of psychological process where fear and anxiety is elicited in every angle of the film. Beasts and demons are characterized in these films and are aimed at creating a frightening atmosphere for the viewers. Most the movies focus or excavating forgotten fears and dead wishes. The author states that these films tend to reveal the cultural position of mind through projection of fears. Horror movies are discussed as a mere representation of a horrible dreams or nightmares which have been unruffled to form one major episode. The films are argued to be a representation of a repressive society but also provide a way for liberation from the constrictions. The idea behind horror movies is explained based on the social domain other than the psychological nature depicted in the films. Horror movies are observed as a cultural repression other than a manifestation of psychological ideas. Prince (120) indicates that horror movies are a representation of the social setting in the society. They indicate a repression of the culture and calls for restoration of the repressed cultural standards.

Review of “The Monster Millennium”

According to Skal (382), horror movies tend to indicate the reality of facts in the current world through morbidity and death imageries. The economical and financial crisis in the early 1990s in America led to production of horror movies that aimed at reflecting the depressed economic situation. Such films included “Dying Young” and “Dead Again” among others. The economic conditions experienced by America in 1930s were ideally recurring. This was depicted through a series of horror movies characterizing fictional creatures that rose from the dead to haunt people. The death imagery in those was linked to the economic conditions of the time. This brought about a newer explanation of the horror movies where they were directly related to the social and economic set up. Skal (384) links the horror movies with the socioeconomic conditions during the times of their production. The disasters, evil and violence depicted in the horror films tend to reflect the political, social and economic atmosphere.

Personal Analysis

            The authors have effectively analyzed the horror films and I find their ideas persuasive. Although every author has used a different approach, their evaluations are convincing. For example, Rodowick indicates that violence is the key captivating factor used by horror movies. I purely agree with this fact as horror films capitalize on constant violence. The social theory developed in explanation of horror films by Prince is convincing too. The constantly developing world has led to abandonment of some cultural practices whose demand for restoration is depicted through horror films. Finally, Skal’s approach of relating horror films to socioeconomic circumstances is persuasive. This is because he has linked events depicted in those movies with the socioeconomic events of the country at the time of their cast and production.

Halloween (1978)                                      

            The film comprises of some horrifying bloody episodes of death and cold blood murder. The movie is scary and fills the audience with fear and anxiety. The scene that I found most scary was where little Michael stabbed his older sister to death. That scene was really terrifying. One episode I found disturbing was the event where Michael escaped from the hospital as I anticipated he was up to something terrible. The fact that Michael was stalking Laurie was disturbing to me as I guessed he could ultimately harm her.