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Posted on October 2, 2015

Point Counterpoint: Is Scream Queens Horror? (Yes)

Gwen

To be more specific, Scream Queens is clearly part and parcel of the horror subgenre called Horror/Comedy. So in a sense it is not straight horror. But I don’t think anyone assumed that it was. To negate Scream Queens as part of the horror canon is to negate such great films as Gremlins (1984), Beetlejuice (1988), and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)—and let’s not forget the landmark horror television series Tales From the Crypt (1989-96). What follows is my counter point to Elizabeth’s thought-provoking post, laying out why I feel Scream Queens is definitively part of horror and how horror comedy walks a thin line to maintain its place in the category.

Horror subgenres

Scholars of horror desperately try to define the parameters of horror. Both Elizabeth and I are tirelessly trying to create our own definition of what constitutes horror. One thing that all scholars seem to agree on is the fact that not everything that is horror fits nicely into the little box labeled “horror.” Perhaps part of the reason for this is that “horrific” is a subjective term. Some people find vampires and ghosts to be horrific. I, myself, find family gatherings, commitment, and small children to be much more terrifying. The things that incorporate horror but do not quite fit wholly within the category get shoved into subgenres. Some widely agreed upon subgenres are: teen horror, slasher, supernatural horror, monster horror, family horror, natural horror, body horror, psychological horror, and comedy horror.

Posted on September 30, 2015

Point CounterPoint: Is Scream Queens Horror? (No)

Elizabeth Erwin

Note: Be sure to read Gwen’s argument why Scream Queens is horror!

Routinely criticized for a camp aesthetic that would make Divine blush, Ryan Murphy’s foray into horror has been mixed at best. While American Horror Story has had its share of viral moments, its consistently uneven storytelling has prevented it from picking up the mantle from its most obvious predecessor, Twin Peaks. And so it was with more than a little apprehension that I sat down to take in Scream Queens.

Gwen’s review highlights the many reasons there are to love Murphy’s latest television outing. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy every moment, mainly because it isn’t often that a show makes me laugh out loud. And ultimately that is the main problem with Scream Queens. By elevating humor above dread, the show is squandering its horror potential.

Posted on September 29, 2015

The Green Inferno (2015) Review

Gwen

THE GREEN INFERNO: Eli Roth’s Green Inferno makes horror oh, so beautiful.

Let’s start this review with what you want to know about this film. The Green Inferno is about a group of slightly self-righteous college activists who aim to save an indigenous tribe of Peruvians from destruction in the name of finding natural gas. Along the way, the misguided advocates go down in a plane only to be consumed by the jungle and perhaps its inhabitants. Those of you who have not lived in a vacuum for the past decade know that Eli Roth is most recognized for his torture-porn style and extreme gore. I know that Mr. Roth has been quoted saying that he considers it a good thing if his audience has to run screaming from the theater. He wants to evoke a visceral reaction from his audience even if it means they only see the film in pieces as they peek through their fingers, but that’s not quite the case here.

Posted on September 28, 2015

White God (2014): Dogs Fight Back

Dawn Keetley

Summary of White God: Thirteen-year old Lili (Zsófia Psotta) moves in with her father who proves unwilling to pay the fees incumbent on the owners of mongrel dogs. He thus forces Lili to abandon her beloved Hagen on the streets of Budapest. The film follows the dual paths of Lili and Hagen as they, finally, find their way back to each other.

I loved White God (I’ll get that out up front), which premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and recently become widely available in the US (on DVD and streaming on Netflix). White God is a particularly interesting intervention in the horror genre in that it is the only film I can think of in which the animal (Hagen) becomes the protagonist rather than the antagonist. In all the other natural horror films I’ve seen recently, animals (wolves, sharks, crocodiles, bears) threaten more-or-less sympathetic humans. White God stands alone in showing how profoundly humans threaten animals.

Posted on September 25, 2015

Titicut Follies (1967) Review: When Horror is Real

Elizabeth Erwin

Note: I have opted not to include images in this review because of their potentially exploitative nature. Upon the film’s release, there was considerable debate as to the ethics of filming individuals incapable of giving their consent. It is a question worth considering and, as such, I will only be using the official film poster.

Unrated | 1967 | 84 min | (USA) | Frederick Wiseman

Grade: A

Given my penchant for slasher horror, it isn’t often that I find myself cinematically provoked to squeamishness. But a recent viewing of Frederick Wiseman’s unflinching 1967 documentary Titicut Follies left me feeling downright nauseous. Much of that reaction is owed to the human indignities suffered by those shown in the film. Not for the faint of heart, this documentary examines life inside an American mental institution and lays bare the harsh realities that face mentally ill inhabitants of state funded facilities. With so many horror films being inspired by real life horror, I think an exploration of this documentary is useful in understanding why horror films can be so triggering.