![]() ![]() The monster is often otherworldly or violates the laws of nature, as in Alien or Jaws-but some argue that a human character can be a monster, as in Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and Halloween. ![]() “Some theories argue that for a work to be classified as horror, it has to have a monster, which has to be threatening in some way, shape, or form,” Turvey said. There are many different theories, according to Turvey. “But it’s a wonderful, popular art form through which very complex ideas and creative techniques can manifest themselves-and if you can get past that very cliched view, you realize there’s an embarrassment of riches in the genre.” What Makes a Horror Movie a Horror Movie It has a reputation of being a low, somewhat trashy, titillating genre that appeals to our basest instincts,” Turvey said. “Horror is a genre that people tend to look down upon and not take very seriously. Malcolm Turvey, director of the Film and Media Studies program and a professor whose courses have included one called The Horror Film, has answers-and a list of flicks that will scare your socks off, make your skin crawl, and teach you a thing or two about the human condition in the process. ![]() But why are people so eager to watch monsters and murderers stalk through haunted houses and jump out of dark corners? Come to think of it, what makes a horror movie a horror movie? In fact, they’re a mainstay of cinema, going all the way back to Frankenstein and Dracula in the earliest days of talkies in the 1930s and German Expressionist films like Nosferatu in the silent era. Malcolm Turvey, director of Tufts Film and Media Studies programĪs countless people head to theaters to see Michael Myers terrorize Laurie Strode in the eleventh installment of the Halloween series-or load up the DVD player with classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Psycho, and Silence of the Lambs, it’s worth considering that horror movies aren’t just a highlight of the month of October. ![]()
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