What Makes a Good Scary Movie?

Hey Creepy Crew

I thought I'd make a change from movie reviews to an opinion based blog (because you know, that's not what they are already(!) )

Today I'm going to share my top 5 tips on how to make a good horror film.

Now, I'm in no way shape or form qualified to give my two cents about this, but this is MY blog - so there.

1. Creepy Ass Music

Does your score help keep tension up? For example, does it cut to absolutely nothing when the viewer thinks that something terrifying is going to jump out? If it does, then great - if it doesn't how is the viewer meant to hear their own shallow breathing and feel their heart beating even faster with anticipation?

Do you use high pitched notes in your musical horror, as well as deep booming notes? Then well done, you're getting there! this helps to pierce the ears of the viewer, which whilst they are wincing in pain is the ideal time to BAM hit them with a jump scare. The deep booming notes are to let the viewer know that a jump scare is ooooooooooooon its waaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

2. Dark Enough to be Creepy, Light Enough to See What's Going On

So, this is something that I really get bugged by if it is done badly. I am so freaked out by the dark, and it is a great tool because it adds to the suspense of, 'What the freakin' hell is lurking amongst the shadows...?' However, I feel if you can see just a slight indication of what is there, the terror will be REAL. I'm going to tell you all an embarrassing secret of mine; I must admit this particular scene in a Disney movie (yes, I told you it was embarrassing) terrified the bejesus out of me, and even Now at the grand old age of 28, I still get nightmares because of it.




I may have just wet myself.


I think this scene is PERFECT to instill terror, you can see the shape of Maleficent, as well as the obvious addition of creepy yellow eyes and glowing murder stick of death. There is a movie coming out called Lights Out - I reviewed the trailer here - and this uses the same tools that terrified me as a child. But with real people. Ew.

How to combat this problem. Leave the lights on.

I Recently reviewed  the movie Hush and one of the downsides of this (even though it was an amazing movie and you should watch it) was that it was so darn dark in places which really did my head in. Things happened and I didn't catch what they were purely because I couldn't see. So basically what I am saying is, the best way to use the dark is to either go pitch black - or leave enough light so you can see what is going on. somewhere in the middle just isn't great.

3. Gore Fests

Ok, we have all watch Hostel, or some of the Saw franchise, and MAN they are gory to the max - however, in my humble opinion, if gore isn't needed for a particular scene, then don't use it - sometimes just the thought of soemthing happening to you is enough to turn your stomach rather than blood and guts spilling all over the place. Don't get me wrong, neither of these two franchises would have worked if there was no gore. For example:



Nothing says terror like a melted eyeball.



However on saying this, out of all of the Saw franchises there was ONE torture which totally makes me want to puke every time I think about it. And that's right, no gore involved. Remember this scene?



God I feel like throwing my intestines up.

4. 'Based on a True Story.'

Those five words are really helpful in making an already scary ass story (for example, the Amityville Horror, or Annabelle) utterly soul destroying. I mean I know 'based on a true story' could literally be the same names as people displayed in the movie, or it could be almost word for word - the scale is ever sliding. But if there is even the slightest possibilty is there that your child could be possessed by an evil demon á la The Exorcist (which if you didn't know is based on the true story of Roland Doe) then this will make the movie ten times scarier IMHO <<< this here collection of letters is me trying to be cool.

Demonic possession gives you epic wind.

5. Unexpected Jumpy McJumperson

I am a total and utter sucker for jumpscares. Especially ones that you know are coming (see point 1). However, the best jump scares are the ones that you are really not expecting.

Heebie Jeebies for life right there.

I think to really throw viewers off is a good tactic to make them unsure of what is going to happen next, and also make them confused and not prepared for the next lot of scares you can provide! And yes, I know I picked an obvious Jump scare with the mirror gif from The Omen (one of my most hated things that really scared the crapola out of me) there are also enough of these mirror scenes that DON'T have someone stood behind you. 3

So there you go, my short list of things that make a horror movie really scary! If you would like to see me do more of these lists for different horror topics, please let me know as I do have a couple of ideas up my sleeve!

and remember,

Have a Scary Movie Sunday!

The Frighteners - Death is No Way to Make a Living.

Hey guys and girls!

I thought I would write a blog about an old school horror movie that I absolutely LOVE!

You may or may not have heard of this gem, but it is Michael J. Fox at his creepy best.

Here is a plot summary from IMDB written by smcarter1966:

After a tragic accident, Frank Bannister uses his new psychic powers to con people into "exorcising" their houses. But when an evil spirit appears, Frank may be the only one who can stop this "Reaper" that can kill both the living and dead.

I thought I would do a lovely run down of my top 10 things I love about this film!

1. Jake Busey

This is the character Johnny Bartlett, played by Jake Busey. Man this guy is freaky as sh*t. His one goal in life is to have the highest kill count ever by a serial killer - and he (and his teenaged girlfirend) were inspired by the actual real life couple-killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate (the film Natural Born Killers was based on them); and you hear Bartlett mention Starkweather during one of the news reports about him. Busey makes this character his own, and he is truly bone chilling in his maniacal depiction of this truly crazed killer!

2. The Character of Special Agent Milton Dammers

First of all, the guy looks like Hitler. If that isn't a strange character trait, I don't know what is! 

So, who is Milton Dammers I hear you ask? (I don't really hear you, that would be creepy). Well girls and boys, he is the 'expert' in cult and strange killings from the FBI. He has been brought in to see what is going on with these strange murders (I will go into more detail about these later on). He knows all about Frank Bannister's past re: his wife did done die and had the number 13 carved into her deceased forehead.

Another reason why I like this character is because he is so damaged. he has been through an awful lot i.e. being branded and being undercover in notorious cults. He can't cope with the fairer sex screaming at him either. Hmph. But this in a way makes him even more astute in his detective skills as he is so close to completely losing the plot.

He is an unbearably uncomfortable movie villain, but man he is one of the BEST. 

He can pull an Uzi out of nowhere.

3. Michael J. Fox

That's right, I'm now going to gush about this awesome dude. 

1. He has a rather sexy teeth / nose combo.
2. He has lovely hair.
3. He is fast paced and keeps the movie exciting!
4. He has the best 'Oh sh*t you have a number on your head' face.
5. He is just a good actor that I have never been disappointed with.

4. Frank Bannister's Money Making Scheme

Now, I would like to say that I do have morals, and that this plan is very naughty. BUT on saying that, if I had three ghost pals who were willing to help me make money... who would pass that up?

Step one:

Send the ghosts to terrorise unsuspecting people in their homes.

Step two:

Leave a business card somewhere that the homeowners can see it. Which they will then use to call you.

Step three:

Turn up, exorcise the ghosts with some wacky items (it's not like they are going to know its a load of BS) and suddenly the ghosts are gone!

Step four:

Get the monies!

5. The Death Figure (and How it Kills)
The delightful Johnny Bartlett decided after he had taken a trip on Old Sparky that he would like to carry on his killing bidniz. Unfortunately for all earth dwellers though, he can now dispose of both the living AND the dead. Excellent, right? Well he picked an awesome getup where he dresses like Death, and kills humans by literally reaching into their chest and squeezing the life out of their hearts. This drives people mad as how to explain this phenomenon. One of the main reasons that this is one of my favourite horror movies is purely the scary monster that is Johnny Bartlett's alter ego. Swooping about like a bat makes him extra creepy too!We see this happen in a few scenes, and the way to find out how this is going to happen to you is to look at Frank Bannister. If he freaks out because you have a number on your head, then the end is nigh.



6.Sgt. Hiles
There are a lot of ghosts in this film - nice ghosts, mean ghosts, killer ghosts bewildered ghosts... And then there is this guy.

What in the hell are you doing in my graveyard?

Sgt Hiles is in death what he was in life, loud mouthed and a total control freak! Whenever Bannister (or any other trespasser comes into his graveyard for that matter) he makes his prescence known. Loudly. Repeatedly.

7. The Special Effects
This movie was released in the year that was 1996 - and I must say the special effects used in this movie were awe inducing.

As Peter Jackson was involved in this movie, I am not surprised at all to the level of detail these effects went to. The GIF below is of Johnny Bartlett's 'Death' face after it got shot off and I thought it was so grisly and really highlighted the evil that resides within this character.

Eurgh, I feel like I've been shot in the face.

I really loved the ghost characters too, there wasn't a lot of 'fuzz' in their auras, and you could see the details from when they were alive (apart from The Judge, but his SFX makeup was amazeballs in its own right).

One of the final scenes in the move show Johnny Bartlett and his miscreant partner in crime Patricia Ann Bradley finally pay for their heinous crimes - they are sucked into a slithering vortex towards hell and are ripped apart by tentacles of dismay and desolation. That always resounded with me as far more terrifying than the thought of hell as just fire and brimstone.

8. The Helpful Ghosts

In my last point I mentioned The Judge, who was a Old West gunslinger - he is one of the ghosties that helps Frank Bannister with his money making scheme and throughout the movie regarding the Death ghost. There are two other ghosts that help out, Cyrus who was a gangster in his life and Stuart who a lovely nerd. 

9. The Macabre Numbers

Although the numbers are a relatively small part of the movie, they keep things interesting - purely because it keeps the plot going and the excitement up for how Frank is going to deal with the next time Bartlett turns up. The numbers started in the hospital shooting when Patricia Bradley kept tally of the deceased by carving numbers into there head. The first person to die by Bartlett's hands after his death was Frank Bannister's wife - number 13. Unlucky for some, you may say.

10. The Hospital Scene

And finally, the pinnacle of this movie, the beginning and somewhere around the end mix together in beautiful harmony. I've put the video of the scene in for you, I think it's about 4 minutes long at most. It's haunting, and completly encapsulates the true terror that the Bartlett / Bradley spree caused. It is probably one of my favourite movie scenes ever. I hope you enjoy!

I hope you have enjoyed this review!
And remember,
Have a Scary Movie Sunday!