The Style of 80's Horror

The horror genre has developed drastically over the past few decades, but is the glitzy effects of newer Hollywood horror pictures like Hostel or the Saw series a turn for the better? Obviously more realistic effects look more believable – we see horror movies (often) to experience thrills and chills, and what’s more thrilling than seeing exploding heads that look utterly real? Maybe splattered brains that look like pink cottage cheese.

Here’s my gripe with the deviation from more raw, make-up driven horror. The effects which were really exploited in the Evil Dead series look grotesque. Sure they also look like a pile of shit, but that’s what makes them effective. They’re grittier. We have a visceral sense of repulsion when we see something that features all the parts of a human, but just doesn’t look quite right - it’s a psychological concept called The Uncanny. The audience feels disgust right off the bat, without needing to think about what they’re looking at – doesn’t that make a good gross-out picture?

Effects like this, which were revolutionary in their time for instilling dread, remain effective today for their camp value. Troma Entertainment knew this better than anyone: The Toxic Avenger series is still hugely popular, and rightly so - it’s hysterical. Davie and Goliath style claymation is used for head smooshing scenes with the added sound of someone squeezing a fistful of Nickelodeon Gak; Seven gallons of bright red corn syrup will erupt from a single wound; and perhaps best of all its rife with completely awesome one liners. (“You fat slob. Let's see if you've got any guts.”[The Toxic Avenger punches the mayor in the stomach and rips out his guts]Officer O'Clancy, take care of this toxic waste.”)

With movies like Grindhouse, Machine Girl, and Drag me to Hell forgoing the concept of stylized horror in favor of a more barebones approach, it seems the genre of silly gore flicks is still kicking.