Greg Frey Journal # 3

Even though that most horror films are in a since somewhat predictable, Cynthia Freeland’s views of art-dread are still present in films. Since humans have morals and feelings, we are generally drawn into the story or plot and are connected to the humans in the film we are viewing. Art-dread is the emotional response to something to which is happening or about to happen in the film. For example, we all have yelled at the television set or movie screen, during a threatening part in the film, to the character not to go in the room where we know the monster is waiting. As I previously stated we are attached to the idea of something that may be scary and the well being of others, or the need for action and the disregards of the characters “safety.” On the final day of class, we watched Village of the Damned and our compassion for the small intellectual children was soon disregarded by their evil power when harming the town’s people.
The difference between horror and comedy seem to be very different however, it is possible for one person’s horror to be another’s humor. For example, I was watching The Thing (1982) starring Kurt Russell and was more entertained by humor rather than horror and the person to whom I was watching the film with was generally frightened by the monster. I seemed to enjoy the different forms the monster took and could not wait till another person would meet their demise just so I could see the disgusting creature. I also feel that I am a biased subject when it comes to watching horror films because I do not get scared or startled very easily. Another example of one generation’s horror compared to the others is the movie The Exorcist in the 1970’s. My dad saw that movie in theatres when it first hit the big screens and he said he was scared s***less. When I saw it for the first time I was literally rolling on the floor laughing hysterically at the content of the film and did not take it serious at all. Another comment that I wish to make is that I feel the actor picked for a character who is playing a monster, should not picked by the director if they were in a comedy film previously. Reason being is that people who will have seen both films would not be as effective if a comedic actor such as Mike Myers in the Austin Powers films and then trying to play a serial killer or something to that nature.