MovieChat Forums > The Old Dark House (1932) Discussion > Reminds one that horror can be more than...

Reminds one that horror can be more than teenage angst films

posted 14 years ago by fluffymonk
12 replies | jump to latest

I found this movie surprisingly engaging - it was creepy - but it also had believable characters who had some depth to them. It's also so nice to see people who aren't 20 in a scary movie. I realize different time period, etc... etc... but this is an effective movie and if they were able to update the sound if would be even more effective - and it's about people with life experience. Anyway, I really liked it - and love James Whale.

[–] webfix 13 years ago

I totally agree with you. Those old films had the proper creepy atmosphere, and were not spoilt by the kind of excessive teenage actors that we have to endure today.

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[–] mstanley-1 13 years ago

Some of the teen-slasher movies aren't bad, but about 95% of them are. These old horror films understood horror and creepiness far better than most filmmakers do today. They also didn't pander to demographics and formula like they try to do now - at least these kind of movies didn't - many others did, of course. Atmosphere is everything with me, which is why I appreciate modern atmospheric horror movies like The Exorcist, Coppola's Dracula, Blair Witch Project, Sixth Sense, etc., more than I do most splatter movies, which have become derivative yawnfests. Same with the overkill of zombie stuff. Another creepy, atmospheric movie is Isle of the Dead with Boris Karloff, or The Maze by William Menzies - a very underrated movie in my opinion.

[–] everything_morbid 13 years ago

Thanks for the recommendations. I will definitely have to check them out. The Maze sounds especially thrilling; I can’t wait to see it.

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[–] mstanley-1 13 years ago

The Maze is great, but hard to find. Wish you success!

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

95% of any genre is made up of bad movies. The question is, has there ever been one single effective teen slasher. Even the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is too hokey and goofy to be much good.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] novastar_6 10 years ago

The question is, has there ever been one single effective teen slasher.

Halloween.

[–] MaximusGrandimus 9 years ago

The question is, has there ever been one single effective teen slasher.

Halloween (Both Carpenter's and Zombie's version), Cabin Fever, Cabin in the Woods, Evil Dead (1&2), It Follows. Shall I continue?

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[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

"Shall I continue".

You might as well because I've seen the original Halloween, Cabin In The Woods and Evil Dead and none of them quite makes the nut.

Actually, Black Christmas is definitely effective, but I'm uncertain if it quite qualifies as "teen slasher" since there're no teens in it and the gore is relatively sparse.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] SeanJoyce 8 years ago

Halloween (Both Carpenter's and Zombie's version), Cabin Fever, Cabin in the Woods, Evil Dead (1&2), It Follows. Shall I continue?

Please don't, since the meaning of "slasher" clearly eludes you.

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[–] Tito32 8 years ago

The only "effect" Zombies Halloween manages to produce is the fact that after seeing that abortion its impossible not to appreciate the original even more...

[–] KevsHardLemonade 8 years ago

Halloween (1978), Black Christmas (1974), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Burning, My Bloody Valentine, and Friday the 13th are all excellent slashers. Sleepaway Camp is extremely effective and has a disturbing ending

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 12 years ago

Yup, this is an excellent horror movie. So are "The Stepford Wives" (1970s version), "Don't be Afraid of the Dark" (70s TV movie), and many of the flicks which Boris Karloff did with Bela Lugosi.

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