After taking the class, Philosophy of Horror, I have come to appreciate the film I once dreaded, The Strangers. The film was a Hollywood movie which came out in 2008 and had mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film 44% out of 10 and other critics give it about a 50% average. Among some of the positive views, Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times said The Strangers is "suspenseful," "highly effective," and "smartly maintain[s] its commitment to tingling creepiness over bludgeoning horror (Quote from Wiki, The Strangers). I remember watching the movie and being terrified out of my mind with regards to the suspense and action of the movie. However, for me the ending is what made me furious as I desired good to conquer evil, not evil to get away without any real reason for the attack.

Basically, the movie takes place in a home in the country where a man and woman create a romantic evening in which the man is preparing to propose. The man ends up getting rejected not because they don’t love each other but because of the timing. After being turned down, the mood is miserable as they are stuck in this home, miles away from civilization. The plot picks up as we see slowly these “stranger” with masks trying to break in and kill the couple. The director, Bryan Bertino, did a fascinating job in creating suspense and terror as the struggle is manifested between the characters. The shrilling music of the record player, the abrupt knocking on the door, the assassins appearing in the background watching and waiting as they plan their attack, are just a few of the examples that leave you on the edge of your seat. I can honestly say that I have never been that scared in a movie theater.

The Strangers is a pure example of a work of art-dread according to Cynthia Freeland. The sense of danger, the fear, the anxiety, the battle between good and evil fit the film. The director focuses not on the gore and the killing but on building the tension and suspense. However, this does not fit Carroll’s view of horror as there are no monsters just estrange people trying to kill a couple. I do think that this film is a legitimate horror film not because it lacks monsters but because of the emotions and fears one receives in watching a horror movie. I believe that the subjective feelings one experiences due to the director’s work of editing or the devices used to create suspense and terror is more important than the objective truth of rather or not a monster exists. I think that monsters and events correlate with the emotions but it is the adrenaline, the scare that we desire when we watch a horror film. This is what should make a horror film a success or not and not the conditions it may fall under.

The ending of the movie was a big disappointment, at first, as the characters slowly die and the “strangers” leave as if nothing happened. When asked “Why are you doing this to us?” The response was “because you were home,” as if it was for pure enjoyment and no justice was served in the film. At the time, I find myself despising the movie because of this horrible ending. However, after this class, I have come to appreciate the techniques used to create the suspense and horror as well as the lack of justice in the end. The ending leaves the audience suggesting that there are still people out there in which creates more fear and anxiety, leaving your mind restless. Exactly what a horror film is supposed to do.