mackennaelliott-hon394

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I’m not sure if anyone will see this because it is so late into finals week BUT

I just wanted to briefly talk about how much I enjoyed this class. I’ve never taken any film courses prior to this one, and I’m so glad I finally did. This class opened me up to a world of academia that I hadn’t even know about before. From here on out I don’t think I’ll be able to watch most films the way I used to, especially horror. Additionally, I’m a Medicinal Chemistry major so the class was a nice relief from all the science I have to do. I’ve had an interest in all forms of art and being able to fit a art related course in my schedule was really nice.

Everyone in this course was so nice and thoughtful, I’m always so impressed by the discussion that goes on in these honors classes! Small classes like these set up a space where I feel like I get to know people better, so I definitely got a little emotional on the last day cause I’m a big baby when it comes to stuff like that (lol)!

Additionally, professors like Dr. Miller are such inspirations to me, especially as a queer woman. I aspire to be as developed as a researcher as her one day!

Overall I loved this semester, thanks everyone and Dr. Miller!!!

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Do you know what the most frightening thing in the world is? It’s fear.

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I watched this film over the weekend! I remember Dr. Miller mentioning it in class, and I wanted to see it because I have seen the American remake before. Personally, I felt this version was far more compelling in its story and also in its aesthetics! 

“Do know what’s really scary? You want to forget something. Totally wipe it off your mind. But you never can. It can’t go away, you see. And… and it follows you around like a ghost”

A Tale of Two Sisters (1982) Jee-woon Kim

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

This is a pretty good summary I found on the symbolism of “The Sunken Place” from Get Out. 

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I don’t know if anyone heard about this recently, but it was all over my twitter in the last week or so. The film Get Out was categorized as a Comedy/Musical for the Golden Globe awards. After reading up on it, the producer Jordan peele didn’t really think anything of it until he realized the implications of this. Consequentially, he tweeted “ ‘Get Out’ is a documentary.”, because of the importance of it as an artifact representing the black experience in today’s world. Supposedly there is not a Horror or Thriller category available for the Golden Globe awards, but there is a Drama category (which would be a more accurate category to put it in my opinion?). Either way, it sparked up a discussion about the importance of the film. And hopefully the white folk who did see it as a comedy realize how severe their misunderstanding was.

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I’m not that big on serial killer films, or really anything crime related. For some reason it is not as interesting to me as other types of horror films! Therefore I have not watched many, but my favorite is probably Peeping Tom. I feel like films that are taken from the perspective of some sort of investigator (i.e. The Silence of the Lambs) tend to make it seem like more of a “thriller”. For me this is mostly due to the fact that it is more about the process of solving the mystery, and it is “thrilling” because you are on the edge of you seat wondering when the investigator is going to catch the criminal, etc. In the case of Peeping Tom I feel as if it is more horrific, because you view the story from the killers perspective. You see more of the killer’s behavior first hand, which is generally quite horrific. 

Challenge Post 18: Thriller versus Horror

While it seems to me that The Silence of the Lambs fits the definition of a horror film, containing as it does so many of the genre’s conventions, some folks would be surprised to see it on our syllabus.  An argument could certainly be made for placing it in the more genre-fluid “thriller” category of films.  That said, Demme’s film explores one of horror’s favorite subjects: the serial killer.  Other than Lambs, what is your favorite “serial killer” film?  Does the film fit into the horror genre?  Would you classify it as a “horror” film?  Why or why not?  One that I find particularly compelling, and contemplated including on our syllabus, is the 1986 film, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.  Directed by John McNaughton, this film explores, in some horrific and fascinating ways, what goes on in the mind of a serial killer

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I really like electronic music and a genre I stumbled upon a little while ago takes a lot of influence from 80s horror. Some producers/artists even identify what they create as “electrohorror”. A big indicator of how this genre is characterized by 80s horror are the synths! Above is one of my favorite tracks! Its a track by an Italian group called Crypt Vapor. Another producer that I feel like takes this genre in a more literal sense is Perturbator. This producer includes what would seem like clips of dialog from horror films. Below is a link to a song that does just that:

https://perturbator.bandcamp.com/track/humans-are-such-easy-prey

Another group that is really cool is the group that produced the music from Stranger Things! They're called Survive. Below is a link to one of my favorite albums:

https://survive.bandcamp.com/album/rr7349

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Les Yeux Sans Visage, George Franju (1960) // La Piel Que Habito, Pedro Almodovar (2011)

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Jodie Foster in a promotional shoot for The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Babadook: spotted

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

The film I chose was Alien: Covenant. After reading up about the making of the xenomorphs, I found that Ridley Scott used CGI layered on top of an actor in a xenomorph suit. I’m not sure to what extent CGI was used to edit the actors physical appearance, but Scott decided to use an actor to keep the movements of the alien genuine. Heres a behind the scenes picture showing how much detail was put into the actors xenomorph suit pre-CGI:

Challenge Post 13: Animatronics, CGI, and Making Monsters

I know some of you didn’t have much patience for Ginger Snaps’ special effects, seeing them as too ‘primitive’ and insufficiently realistic.  However, I’m of the mind that Fawcett’s decision to use puppets, sculptures, prospetic make-up, and animatronics was motivated by more than just his relatively modest $4.5 million budget.  The special effects are the antithesis of big-budget horror films like Van Helsing or World War Z, and they  reflect the production team’s decision to eschew the video-game sheen of most recent horror films in favor of a rougher 80s-style animatronics.  I, personally, welcome a move away from CGI, which I often find leaves me feeling cold and alienated–and not in the good, horror-film way.  I’ll take a rough-around-the-edges monster that doesn’t look entirely believable over hyper-computer-produced blue people any day!

My challenge to you is to find some behind-the-scenes images of a movie monster.  Provide some insight into how the film’s monster(s) were made, and what they looked like behind all the glitz of the final production.  While you can include links, also include an image or two. 

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Suspiria Directed by Dario Argento (1977)

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I thought it was interesting that the score for Suspiria was created by an alternative rock band-Goblin. I thought their music added to the overall aesthetic of the film. Because I really liked their sound, I did some google searches about them and found this performance of the main song in the movie. 

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Recently, I had started re-watching the American Horror Story: Hotel season, and realized the parallels with Daughters of Darkness. The character Lady Gaga plays is also named The Countess- a vampire who is has similar sexual tendencies and tendencies to use those around her (as the Countess in daughters of Darkness does). The series also takes place in a hotel, mirroring DOD. 

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

I’m going to argue Let the Right One In has a contagion theme inherent to it. This is mostly due to the fact the idea of contagion is always something present in vampire movies. It may not be the central plot point but its always something subliminally there. Elli the vampire also represents a queer identity, which I feel like follows the lines of Benshoff’s idea of the “homosexual as monster” and contagion. Although Eli’s identity isn't necessarily homosexual, it is un-defined and I feel like the anxieties that certain individuals associate with homosexuality, would definitely be associated with someone with an ambiguous gender identity and sexuality.

Challenge Post 11: Contagious Horror

In Harry Benshoff’s article, “The Homosexual as Monster,” he makes much of the connection between fears of contagion and infection and the representation of both monsters and homosexuals.  As Benshoff points out, the “homosexual” body has often been figured as the source of medical and moral contagion.  At no point in our cinematic history has that connection ever been as clear as at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.  However, the fear of contagious homosexuality exists well beyond the boundaries of the AIDS/HIV crisis. 

My challenge to you is to identify a horror film that has contagion at its center.  how does it grapple with the connection between disease and sexuality, queer or otherwise?

I’m going to offer up Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion as my example.  While not obviously a horror film, the director describes it as one and I’d have to agree with him.  The disaster film explores the world-wide impact of a pandemic that has its origins in questionable global business practices.  I’m also intrigued by how the film plays with gender norms, presenting ambitious women as both the source and the cure of this “contagion.” 

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

This account has so many old movie posters that are awesome! 

ALSO, I’m pretty excited to watch House! I’ve been meaning to watch it because of how ridiculous the trailer is and because a few friends recommended it! I linked the trailer below

Hausu / House (1977), Nobuhiko Ôbayashi

[mackennaelliott-hon394]

Suspiria (1977), Dario Argento