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5 Thrillers that prove if you watch Horror you're brain-dead
Other | Thursday 9th January 2014 | Sukaina
Why thrillers beat horror movies every time...
The best part of a scary movie is the anticipation. It isn’t actually seeing the ghost but waiting for it to appear around the corner. As you hear repetitive thuds from behind a wall, a friend is probably clutching at your sleeve (pretending that they didn't afterwards) and someone else keeps screaming even though nothing has actually happened yet. It is this thrilling moment of anticipation that makes the film so good. It is for that reason that thrillers are so much better than horror films.
Seriously, who actually enjoys seeing all that blood, as a man has to cut his own eye out in a SAW film or the repetitive storylines of possession, kidnapping, devils and evil nuns? Thrillers on the other hand, don't just give you that exiting dose of fear but they challenge your mind as well. Good thrillers come with intense story-lines of mystery and madness, so I've compiled a list of some of the best.
1. Shutter Island
This film probably has one of the biggest plot twists ever. Not the annoying kind; where the lead character wakes up and it’s all a dream. The good type of plot twist, which has you in front of the TV screen; eyes wide, throat dry, too scared to look, too exited not to and prepared to kill anyone who dares speak over the film.
A young police officer called Teddy travels to Shutter Island, to try and resolve the mystery of a missing prisoner, at a mental asylum for criminals. As even the name of the film buzzes with trepidation, you can guess that almost immediately after he arrives, he realises that something is not quite right. Yet as this is a thriller, he sticks around anyway to get to the root of the mystery. As the film develops it is revealed that this case is more personal than both the audience and Teddy ever expected.
The lead role of Teddy is also played by Leonardo Dicaprio. If I hadn’t already won you over, then I bet that just did.
2. Mean Creek
Although pictures of this film make it look like a horror, what distinguishes it as a thriller is the existence of an actual storyline. Starring Josh Peck as a boy with dyslexia, the film plays out the story of vengeance and its consequences when a group of teenagers decide to humiliate him on a boating trip.
With a good balance of humour, anticipation and beautiful photography this is a thriller whose lingering storyline will stay with you long after it ends.
3. The Woman in Black
First of all, I have to say that this film has a brilliant trailer, if you haven’t already seen it, watch it now. Set in a remote village where the bad weather makes the whole film feel like its set at the appropriate hour of twilight; this film is haunting the whole way through. In fact, for at least a month after you watched it, you will be keeping a close eye on those black shadows in the dark. The concept of less is more was definitely kept in mind upon the directing of film. The permanently suspenseful atmosphere relies on slight changes in music or subtle camera effects, making the really thrilling moments stand-out strikingly. A skill you will not find in the best of horror films.
4. Sucker punch
Although this film is reasonably tame in comparison to the others, don’t let that fool you into thinking that it is any less memorable. Directed by Zack Snyder; known for 300, Man of Steel and Watchmen, the 2011 film Sucker Punch does not disappoint. As the film moves between three different locations, we follow the story of baby doll, a girl forced by her step-father into a mental asylum. The beauty of this film lies in the contrast between the world of the grey mental asylum and a fantastical video game. The music helps sustain the other-worldly atmosphere of the film and makes it seem as though it is set in a sort of parallel universe to ours. One of the best songs in the film is ‘Sweet Dreams’, sung by the Emily Browning who plays the lead in the film.
Disappointingly, the film is slightly deflated by the complexity of the story line. However, if you found this to be the case, as I did, I would recommend reading Director Zack Snyder’s notes which can be found online and provide an insightful understanding to the psychological aspect of the film.
5. The Village
A psychological thriller that is about more about than just a small village haunted by strange beasts at night. Do not underestimate this film just because it isn't very recent. The story transforms from being a simple thriller, to an intense story that ends with an enourmous signiture twist, as expected from director Shyamalan.
The sophistacted use of colour is another factor which horror films fail to understand. Next time you watch this film try paying close attention to the colour schemes used. Careful attention is given to the use of red and yellow; the colours of evil and good in the film, to orechestrate the mood of the scenes.
Sukaina Kadhum
