The end of the year has always been my favorite time of year. The leaves change, the climate becomes much cooler, and Halloween is right around the corner. As weird at it may sound, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday; mainly because of the costumes and decorations. Halloween is the one time of the year when it’s ok to dress up as your favorite super hero or be creative and go all out and create something absolutely amazing like a carved pumpkin. My most favorite part about Halloween is the movies that are released around this time. Being the movie lover that I am, I have a bit of a soft spot for cheesy horror films. The gore, chills, and thrills have been a long spanning tradition of mine to enjoy at pretty much any time of the year. There are a few qualities that make some films stand out above the rest that I really look for a horror movie, and I will review them as my perfect formula for a good horror movie.
Attention to Detail
Depending on when a movie is released, you can really tell exactly how much detail is put into a movie. The attention to detail can really make or break a movie, and in most cases, cgi or green screen effects are big no no’s when it comes to making a horror film. The biggest parts of the film are the props and the proper amount of fake blood to make it all come together. Without these things, you are only setting up for a recipe for disaster.
Mask
Perhaps the most important detail is the mask. The mask conceals so much about the character, everything from the dark past the character is trying to escape to his motive behind the killings. Without the mask there is no mystery behind the main character; and without the mystery, it is just a movie about a deranged serial killer.
Weapon
Aside from the mask, the weapon of choice is perhaps the most iconic factor on how the killer will be remembered. Kruger has his claws, and Jason has his reasons for also being known as “the butcher.” The mask and weapon go hand in glove on leaving an imprint on the character and can open doors for other marketable merchandise such as action figures, Halloween costumes, and t-shirts.
Script
The plot should always be gripping enough to keep the attention of the viewer with just the right amount of cheese in the writing and acting from the B rank actors. Things like how only 1 main character who just so happens the strong and attractive female role manages to survive after falling 10 times may seem overdone, but are important in building for a sequel. It’s a good thing we have things like home security systems to keep things like what happen in horror movies from happening in real life. Now days, if you become scared while watching a horror movie alone at night while the lights are out, companies like Lancaster home security offer an app that allows you to check and see if your doors are locked without having to leave your couch. I love being scared just a little bit and although it is very important for the plot to be enjoyable, the plot also needs to be just bad enough to remind viewers they are watching a movie.
These in my opinion are 3 important aspects that should be in every horror movie. Bad things have happened throughout history, but things like horror movies allow us to enjoy the scary side of life without the danger. I always look forward to this time of year and can’t wait to see what new and exciting movies will be in theaters this coming October.
About The Author
Stephen Hamilton is a writer for Smith Monitoring. He is an avid gamer, movie buff, musician, and comic collector
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