The Art of the Scare

Happy Halloween to everyone out there! Now that Hurricane Sandy has faded from our east coast, most of us (my condolences to those along the Jersey shore and New York City) can look to celebrating the holiday. Clearly my favorite part about Halloween is all of the scary movies I watch during the entire month. And in my humble opinion, no scary movie is greater than John Carpenter's Halloween (not to be confused with that laughable re-imagining done by Rob Zombie). I decided to place into context what makes the 1978 classic such a great film. I've brainstormed and discovered the do's and don'ts of successful horror movies, so let's get right to it.

RULE #1: Create a Memorable Villain 

As is often the case, a convincing "bad guy" can make or break any scary movie. Whether the film centers on the paranormal (The Ring), a slasher (Friday the 13th) or a figment of your imagination (A Nightmare on Elm Street), it's important to build a successful back story to the villain. But this becomes a very delicate process, because going too deep into the psyche of the "monster" can also create a backlash. For example, one of the greatest aspects to John Carpenter's Halloween is Michael Myers' lack of motive. It isn't until the second installment that we find out Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) is the killer's sister. Thinking back to the original feature, Laurie Strode is seemingly the first person that the escaped mental patient, Michael Myers, feasts his eyes on, leaving no direct motive to his ensuing mayhem. Thus, the terror really begins to set in with the moviegoer. Why? Because no one can justify this serial killer's madness. Perhaps writers of failed scripts like the ones for Insidious and The Grudge should have known that the explanation of the villain is overrated. 

RULE #2: Set the Proper mood

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of any good horror film is the mood that the feature generates. What are some significant elements to setting an appropriate atmosphere? First and foremost is the movie's score. A haunting score can create massive amounts of tension with viewers. For years, uneducated directors thought it would attract larger teenage crowds if they filled their movie's soundtrack with contemporary rock and hip-hop songs. There's nothing less terrifying than listening to songs from the MTV top 20 countdown. How is the audience expected to be fearful of onscreen events if a film's score fails to meet the required mood? Simple dark melodies such as those from Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street or even just silence and the typical in-scene sounds like footsteps, phone rings and heavy breathing can all be used to enhance the chills. Some good examples of modern scary movies that use these techniques are The Strangers and Sinister, both of which are highly effective horror films.

Rule #3: Sometimes Less is More

Plenty of horror movies made a career off of their over the top brutality and gore. However, most of those films can't be taken seriously or really aren't that groundbreaking. It can benefit scary movies to tone down on the bloodshed and show a little less. And when I say "show a little less" I am not just talking about the gore, I also think the "monster" doesn't have to be visible during a scene for it to be effective. For example, many of the most terrifying moments in Jaws and John Carpenter's Halloween follow the perspective of the villain. A different point of view every now and again makes for some good scares Then, incorporate a slow paced pursuit of a likable main character and you're well on your way to pure gold. Finish it off with a climactic resolution and there you have it, a suspenseful and compelling horror film that's sure to leave a lasting impression.