by Pangeacat

Created on: February 18, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

Am I the only horror movie lover that finds overly graphic depictions of violence LESS frightening?
I may only be 25 but, I watch older horror films with a sense of fondness now. What ever happened to the suspense? Where's the build-up? Where's that sense of fear that's invoked when you just don't know where the killer is; or who the killer is?
One of the main reasons I found "When a Stranger Calls" so intriguing, and ultimately frightening, is because I was forced to use my imagination. I didn't get to see the killer until the very end. I didn't know where he was. It was suspenseful, and I was able to "feel" the fear that this high school student had.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy Jason and Freddy Krueger too. I know "Nightmare on Elm Street" had some fairly gruesome, gory scenes. Still, I found that those scenes were useful (even needed) for the film they were in. Those films still had a strong aspect of terror within them.
Today, it seems, Hollywood is relying on large quantities of blood and gore (rather than terrifying stories, or character-driven suspense) in a feeble attempt to frighten its viewers. These new movies leave little (in some cases, nothing) to the imagination. I guarantee that my imagination can conjure up something much more horrible than any director can show me on the screen. What's sad is that I no longer get the opportunity to utilize that imagination.
The secret to telling a great horror story is in allowing the listener to scare themselves. Believe me, they'll do a much better job than you ever could. Your job is to provide them with the needed backdrop to do that work. Help them along with the story, then sit back and watch them plagued with fear, as they yearn to know what happens next.
So, back to the original question. Yes, Hollywood has definitely gone too far. It's simply too predictable at this point, which ruins the entire experience for me. Seriously ~ Do you want to watch a movie with little to no story-line, where you can accurately predict every single thing that's going to happen?

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