Post by Steve on Feb 5, 2015 22:56:42 GMT -5
I went to see some old friends on Boxing Day and came home with a bag full of horror DVDs, which I've watched sporadically. Some are great, some good and some awful, but that's another topic (or several) for the reviews thread.
One of many things I've noticed about films of this genre in recent years is an over reliance on music to compensate for lazy writing or direction. Music can be, should be and has been used to enhance emotion and enrich the whole viewing experience, but too often in contemporary horror, I find it telegraphs the scare moments from miles away and lessens their impact. Not only that, it also leads to the dreaded 'fake out' and case after case of directors crying wolf to milk every last moment of tension.
When music or special effects are done well, they complement the film rather than overwhelm it. Case in point, the violins in Psycho's shower scene, the snatches of Tubular Bells in The Exorcist or pretty much any of the recurring themes in John Carpenter's better films. Aren't any or all of those so much more memorable than the constant CRASH! BANG! BOOM! that is today's standard horror soundtrack? 'Why is this orchestra following me up the stairs? Something scary's going to happen! Oh noes!'
It's not just horror either. Modern cinema, and TV to a lesser extent, suffers from the need to make everything self consciously epic to manipulate and exploit the viewer's mood rather than enhance it. Doctor Who is especially guilty of this. In the 70s, Dudley Simpson would write virtually the same score for every episode, complete with ascending scales whenever a monster appeared, and nobody noticed. Nowadays every significant moment or ropey plot point ('quick, let's blow up the Earth's atmosphere. Again!') is accompanied by what sounds like John Williams on meth in hopes we'll get caught up in all the drama and pay no attention to such piss poor storytelling.
One of many things I've noticed about films of this genre in recent years is an over reliance on music to compensate for lazy writing or direction. Music can be, should be and has been used to enhance emotion and enrich the whole viewing experience, but too often in contemporary horror, I find it telegraphs the scare moments from miles away and lessens their impact. Not only that, it also leads to the dreaded 'fake out' and case after case of directors crying wolf to milk every last moment of tension.
When music or special effects are done well, they complement the film rather than overwhelm it. Case in point, the violins in Psycho's shower scene, the snatches of Tubular Bells in The Exorcist or pretty much any of the recurring themes in John Carpenter's better films. Aren't any or all of those so much more memorable than the constant CRASH! BANG! BOOM! that is today's standard horror soundtrack? 'Why is this orchestra following me up the stairs? Something scary's going to happen! Oh noes!'
It's not just horror either. Modern cinema, and TV to a lesser extent, suffers from the need to make everything self consciously epic to manipulate and exploit the viewer's mood rather than enhance it. Doctor Who is especially guilty of this. In the 70s, Dudley Simpson would write virtually the same score for every episode, complete with ascending scales whenever a monster appeared, and nobody noticed. Nowadays every significant moment or ropey plot point ('quick, let's blow up the Earth's atmosphere. Again!') is accompanied by what sounds like John Williams on meth in hopes we'll get caught up in all the drama and pay no attention to such piss poor storytelling.
Duel of the Fates (Phantom Menace) is an all-time great Star Wars theme.