It wouldn’t be October without horror movies in the theaters and all over television. Some gleefully spend every night indulging in this genre. Others may avoid them because they don’t like being scared or find the overall concept rather ridiculous. It always seems like characters are idiots in horror movies because they make mistakes all the time. I get into this debate with a friend all the time. He texts me when he watches a horror movie and gets annoyed with the characters. I can’t say I blame him . . . or them.
Before I get to the questions, I’m going to point something out. We laugh or yell at horror movie victims because they do stupid things. Splitting up, checking out the dark basement, avoiding the most obvious escape route, etc. Yet, we tend to forget one important fact. The audience is able to comfortably take in the scenario with the knowledge that it is a horror movie. The characters don’t enter the story knowing that they are in a horror movie. Legends are shrugged off because that’s what we would do in real life. So, imagine you are in a horror movie without being told beforehand.
- What is the big ‘mistake’ that you know you would make in a horror movie?
- Do you really think you would survive? Why?
- What is the one horror movie villain that you hate to meet the most?
Legends of Windemere 
I love the video at the top of the blog. Hilarious.
I don’t watch horror movies. Partly because I don’t like to be scared out of my socks, but also because a lot of those I have seen are, if they aren’t too scary, are silly.
What big mistake would I make? I don’t think I’d wait around to make it. I’d get the hell out of there as soon as weird things started to happen.
Do I think I’d survive? YEs, because I wouldn’t wait around to find out if I would or not.
Which horror movie villain would I most hate to meet? I can’t answer that as I don’t watch them.
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I almost forgot about that video when I made this post. Good thing a friend sent it at the right moment. Horror movies can go to the realm of bizarre/silly at times. I think part of it comes from having to up the ante as society becomes more desensitized. One generation might be freaked out by a decapitation while the next requires a full on evisceration to get a squeak of fear.
This is the paradox of horror movies in my opinion. As the audience, we know we’re in one, so we would act accordingly. Hence, you would go running if anything weird starts to happen. As a character, you don’t realize you’re in a horror movie, so some signs would be rationalized. Door slamming without warning? It’s the wind because ghosts only exist in movies. So, the question becomes more difficult if you remove the ‘know you’re in a horror movie’ part.
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1. Having people split up; going into a basement without any other means of exit, running in high heels; going straight into the woods because Slenderman is there; or answering the call to return to Derry because Pennywise is back.
2. Probably not. I don’t run very fast and am not skilled with a machete or a blowtorch
3. Freddy Krueger or Pennywise
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1. Wow. I’m impressed that you would make all of those. I’d definitely be the type to go along with splitting up into smaller groups.
2. Baseball doesn’t require as much skill if that helps.
3. Both of those are pretty freaky. Old or new Pennywise?
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Definitely the new Pennywise, though Tim Curry was good in the old one. I have tried to run in high heels before and almost broke an ankle. Played Slenderman.
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I always forget about Slenderman.
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Everything depends, I suppose. If I can get the hell out, that’s my move. I like horror at sea or in space for that reason. I might have a decent chance, because I wouldn’t be afraid to attack first under those circumstances. Depends upon whether I can find or function a weapon. I guess meeting them depends on the circumstances. Someone like Hannibal Lechter you wouldn’t even know about at a social gathering. Meeting him in my house at night would be a whole different matter. Don’t know that I’d like to meet Godzilla under any circumstances.
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Godzilla has a small size advantage. Though, you can see him coming from far away. It is interesting that you’re saying you would run away or fight back. Both of those seems to backfire in horror movies. As you said, it depends a lot on what you’re going up against. A gun could take down Hannibal Lechter if you were aware of him being a threat. Jason Voorhes . . . Not so much.
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I guess you have to make quick assessments. Jaws = motor to dry land. In the water with him, pretty much screwed.
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Even getting to dry land is tough. He (she?) could hit hard enough to break a ship. Also, what if you didn’t know he was in the area and thought the fin was something else? You really need all of the factors to be in your favor to survive these things. No wonder horror movies have so many deaths and don’t end within 20 minutes.
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Wouldn’t make much of a film if they didn’t drag thing out a little. Funny, the song Godzilla just came on my radio.
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Odd coincidence there. I’ve always wondered if horror movies exist in the horror worlds. That or they aren’t as popular.
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If you’re a horror character, they’re probably not what you want to see after work.
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The big ‘mistake’ that I would make in a horror movie is jumping in the car for a getaway and it fails to start.
I think I would survive because I would roll out of the car and into the woods where I would be perfectly still.
The one horror movie villain that I would hate to meet the most is Freddy Kruger. He is totally evil.
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Freddy is also a dream threat. Not sure hiding in the woods would work with him.
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I am not a horror fan. I take things too seriously. But my husband watches them, so I have a passing familiarity. To your questions:
1) What is the big ‘mistake’ that you know you would make in a horror movie?
I would be too slow to react.
2) Do you really think you would survive? Why?
No, I doubt I would survive. See my answer #1, above.
3) What is the one horror movie villain that you hate to meet the most?
With my limited familiarity… the dinosaurs in Jurrasic Park. I would be admiring them, right up until they chomped me.
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Slow reaction time makes a lot of sense. I think that’s what causes a lot of character deaths in horror. They simply don’t respond to the danger fast enough.
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I had an argument with my hubby about that. He was commenting on how stupid a character was for doing the thing they did, and I pointed out that they weren’t really, because they were acting in what seemed like the best way to them at the time. If you think about it, not knowing the truth of the situation you’re in will cloud your judgement, and so will fear, so regardless of whether the character knows there’s something scary out there or not, they may not act in the most sensible manner. For example, is there a killer at the front door? What do you do? Well, you close it and run inside to hide. I mean, your home is meant to be a place of safety, right? Until it isn’t… I mean, the audience knows the last person who did that didn’t make it because the killer just came in and found them. The potential victim just knows there’s someone – or something – scary outside, and they want to be inside hiding from it.
Anyway, as for your questions:
1. I’d go check out the source of the noise. I’m just too nosy, and have to know what’s making that noise, so I’d go see who’s making a noise outside, or go down to the basement because I thought I heard something down there.
2. Probably not. I think my curiosity would get me killed. The only way I’m surviving is if something’s making an obvious enough noise that I can tell what it is without going to check it out, because then I’d have a chance of hiding or running before I get killed by whatever it is.
3. I’m not sure. I mean, if I’m the potential victim I’d hate to meet any of them, so it’s kinda hard to choose.
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People tend to forget that the knowledge of a situation being a horror story changes our perspective. We see an action as stupid because we know what’s going on while character is unaware. They can’t hear the music or see the movements going on around the screen edges.
I think the noises are the only thing that wouldn’t draw me in. I get very twitchy especially in the dark, so I don’t go investigating even if I think I know what the noise is.
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Exactly. Knowing it’s a horror story gives us an advantage and allows us to think logically. Being in the midst of the situation and not knowing that means we just act on instinct.
I’m just too nosy for my own good. Like I said, if I was in a horror story my curiosity would get me killed.
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