Gore vs. Scare….What Matters In A Horror Movie?

Tom Savini is arguably the best make up artist of all the horror films. Oh sure we can call out many others throughout the years, but his work in films like Dawn of the Dead (1979), and Friday The Thirteenth IV The Final Chapter (Or so we thought….) is downright uncontested as being the most awesome work in the horror film genre. Yet there is only one thing that bothers me as I watch these films and others like it alongside my fellow horror fanatics…and that is their idea of what drives them to see the horror films in the first place. Is it the effects of blood gore and guts or the fright element of the unknown that makes us jump out of our seat? I think there is a thin line between the two and I want to just rant about that for a bit in this article.
John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) continues to be my point of reference in regards to this contest between gore and scare. I say this because if you watch this film, there’s really no blood in the film at all. No gut entrails….no “ewwww” effect. Yet it remains a cult classic among horror enthusiasts. Why? Because of its suspense element. You see Michael Myers in the window while Annie is oblivious to the danger. We as the audience is looking on and screaming at the screen…”Annie! He’s right there! Get out!” Yet to no avail she doesn’t listen to us and she gets it finally in the car in the garage. Yet no blood…no gore. No need. It scared the crap out of us.

 
The Friday the 13th films took it a step further. The first four films of the franchise are by far the best due to a good harmony between gore and scare. Jason jumps out of anywhere and we jump in our seats. Ax to the face…we get the gore effect….it’s awesome. 

 But then as the years pass and we see other films I started to notice that for some people what defines a good horror movie is the amount of gore and flesh that is shown. I have a problem with that. In my view that is not what makes a good horror film. You need a good plot, good characters that you care about, and good actors and actresses that bring out those characters so that we would in fact care about them. You also need a good fear element where the unknown is what become the dominant factor in the film. The unknown can come in different ways. Who is that man out there staring at us? What was that noise? What’s that shadow? Where will The Shape strike next? These things are detrimental to a good scary film. If it was just about getting as many killings and blood and guts sprayed all over the place as possible without the scare element, who cares? Apparently some horror fans care. I always hear that…”It’s not bloody enough…it’s not gory enough….” I don’t know what it is with those who feel that makes or breaks a film. It’s like some sort of weird fetish for the gross. I don’t know.
People….I know that cheesy horror films exist, but honestly, I prefer the ones with substance. There is nothing like the horror growing in one as a thrill to see the dark come out of the characters of any given film. It just doesn’t have to be bothered with all the gore. I get it. Gore has its place. Just don’t let it become the dominant factor as to why one should enjoy a horror movie. I suppose everyone has their right. It is after all a free country. 

I like films like that. Don’t get me wrong. The first three Saw films were awesome. But there was a Psychological element to it that held my attention. (I wanna play a game.) This is a good balance. The balance should be psychological, eerie…creepy…even spiritual if need be, but let’s make a nice blend of the two. A good pizza makes good sauce, cheese and bread. I know….bad analogy, but it’s all I have now….I think I’m hungry.