Horror movies get personal

Toni Bourlon — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:49:45 GMT

My husband HATED Blair Witch. I liked it, but the shakey camera work was a distraction. I think I will like this one better for that reason. I can't wait to see it - by myself, apparantly.

Horror movies get personal

lizzie — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:53:38 GMT

Whoa! Unfortunately, I get motion sickness really easy and couldn't watch all of Blair Witch Project, and just this short clip just about did me in. I really wish I could watch it though, it looks like a good one.
I loved movies that use the startle effect and the unknown and unseen. That's what really scares me. I don't go for blood and gore, I think it's boring and juvenile.

Horror movies get personal

Leslie, Albuquerque — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:59:12 GMT

This concept has never really worked for me and as such I probably won't see Quarantine till it hits DVD. Can't justify paying 10 bucks for something I don't have a vested interest in.
I really wanted to find Blair Witch to be good, but for the whole movie I kept thinking, "It's going to get scary soon right? Any moment. This is supposed to be the scariest movie ever, right?" It didn't even make me jump.
Same with Cloverfield. It was ok but it didn't evoke any kind of emotions.
I guess that for me the scariest thing has always been what you don't see - more psychological horror. I think having what's supposed to scare me be so blatantly "in your face" that it just kills it for me. That's just me though.

Horror movies get personal

Dave K. Seattle Wa — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:03:28 GMT

The camera was so shaky in Cloverfield it ruined the movie. There is no way I would ever see that movie again. It had potential and I liked the monster in it.

Alien was the scariest movie I have ever seen. I much prefer monsters that seem feasible, which given the galaxies the Alien monster could be out there somewhere. When the monster is a person with makeup, a zombie or whatever, especially in this CGI time it just seems cheap. I will not be seeing Quarantine now that I know its a zombie movie.

I can't for the life of me understand why so many vampire movies and books are being written.

Horror movies get personal

Cris — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:07:01 GMT

I love horror movies too. You know – you hit it on the head about how creepy the ‘camera footage’ technique worked in Alien. But I think I did not give the logic of it a second thought because it seemed logical that an astronaut might have a camera on his helmet – being all high tech and all.

But the technique absolutely did not work for me in Blair Witch and Cloverfield. The whole time while watching the movies I was thinking ‘you are in a life/death situation and you are sitting here holding a camera?!?’ WTH!!! Frankly, I am not going to fall for it again with Quarantine. Show me a movie – don’t show me a movie of a film!!!

Horror movies get personal

Jeff., New Orleans LA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:09:47 GMT

I remember seeing "The Blair Witch Project" with two other couples... one couple was (like me) hanging from the edge of their seats in horror. The other couple thought it was hilariously bad and made fun of it the whole way through. I've also heard similar stories about "Cloverfield"... some folks (like me) loved it, and others thought it was laughable.

I think you have to willingly suspend your disbelief with "home movie" horror films... which I always do, because I know it will create a more entertaining experience.

Also... thanks for reminding me how incredible that whole section of "Aliens" is. :)

Horror movies get personal

MD — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:12:05 GMT

I have watched the spanish version {[Rec] and at first I thought it was going to be a cheeseball horror flick but it turned out to be one of the most disturbing horror movies I've seen in a long time. The last 20 minutes or so are especially scary..... you'll see what I mean if you watch it.

Horror movies get personal

blue_abbot, Kenmore, Wash — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:13:44 GMT

Glad to see that scene in "Aliens" referenced as a great moment in horror. That's always been my favorite as well.

Horror movies get personal

Braineater, Oklahoma City, OK — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:21:09 GMT

I love a good "horror" movie and I think the original "ALIEN" and it's first sequel "ALIENS" are overlooked too often when articles like this are published. I'm glad you mentioned the sequence featuring the helmet cams of the colonial marines. I have seen this movie a dozen times (I own the DVD) and that scene ALWAYS gets me. The same with the original. What a great way to do a "haunted house" movie. The original "Haunting of Hill House" is another that often gets overlooked. I was absolutely terrified the first time I saw that moving and echoes of that terror still get to me when I watch it again.
A good horror film IS an art film. I'm not talking about the blood-splattered gore fests that often pose as "horror" movies, but the classics that scare you without splashing the camera with blood. Those movies rise above their genre. They are too few and too far between. I don't like the shaky camera technique currently in vogue. I don't mind a first person approach, I think the Helmet Cam scene in ALIENS is nearly perfect for the "effect" without the disorienting distortion.

Oh..and I like a good Zombie movie too.

Horror movies get personal

Becky, Oklahoma City, OK — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:24:15 GMT

I will see Quarantine. I love these movies. The shaky camera makes it much more intense for me.

Horror movies get personal

SavageSage, Council Bluffs, IA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:50:12 GMT

Love the "new" fake footage sub-genre of Horror. It brings a unique freshness to the game. The touch of "reality" it brings is what makes it so intense. It is enough to fool your brain into a true suspension of disbelief. Standard movies, you are never trully fooled, you would never tricked into thinking on any level that Nightmare on Elm Street were real, but Blaire Witch and others like, there is always a small part of even the most skeptical that can say "Just maybe".

Horror movies get personal

Mike, Tacoma, Washington — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:57:55 GMT

I love horror movies (but hate slasher films go figure) Halloween was my introduction, I saw that film and couldn't go anywhere alone without waiting for Michael Meyers to jump out and kill me. Your mention of Aliens is noteable, I count Alien and Aliens as horror films in a future setting NOT Sci-Fi (although I love Sci-Fi).

The shakey cam (first person horror stories) if done well are one of my favorites. Although I dislike Blair Witch (seemed to contrived to me I couldn't get into it) I loved Cloverfield for some odd reason (the first horror movie I took my daughter to may be the reason why sharing yet another thing I love with her) So I will be seeing Quarantine for that reason and of course because I LOVE Zombie/End of the World films (Resident Evil, 28 Days/Weeks Later, Dawn of the Dead etc) so count me in.

Horror movies get personal

Turner, Milwaukee, WI — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:58:23 GMT

I think the Aliens' Marine footage works because it's thrown in within the regularly filmed movie - a break from action sci-fi flick to reality. (I love Aliens, it's a brilliant movie)
That being said, having the entire movie filmed with a home camera should make a film seem more realistic, but eventually just gets in the way, especially since you know that the footage isn't actually real.
A viral ad campaign that convinces everyone the footage is real? I'd go for that, minus the public freaking about "real" zombies or infected monkeys or whatever.

Horror movies get personal

The Dome, Washington, DC — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:02:25 GMT

Cloverfield? Seriously? You dare to mention Cloverfield in the same story where you reference Aliens - perhaps the greatest horror and sci-fi movie of our time?

Had the entire concept of Godzilla never been invented - especially the part about Matt Reeves, director, openly stating that he was upset Godzilla had already been remade before he had a chance - Cloverfield would still be an awful movie.

This blantant polished turd of a movie would be the equivalent of making a movie about a child who can communicate with dead people, but calling it "The Seventh Sense" and having the child be a girl...

Horror movies get personal

Pluto Middletown, CT — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:02:57 GMT

Cloverfield was one of the worst movies ever made. I could not stand a single thing about it. The best part ofthe movie was the it was over in 90 mins

Horror movies get personal

Matthew, Shawnee, KS — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:11:11 GMT

There are five horror movies that I consider the five best that I've ever seen. I've yet to see their equals. They are, in order:

The Exorcist
Prince of Darkness
Jacob's Ladder
The Others
Jaws

And not a single one of them employ a "shaky camera" effect.

Horror movies get personal

moodfortoday,chicago,il — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:16:59 GMT

Cloverfield was the worst movie I've ever seen. Blair Witch probably the most over-rated. Give me Alien or even the original Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween.....anyday over these "shockumentaries"

Horror movies get personal

Sean E., Covington LA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:29:10 GMT

Yeah, but the problem with these films is that you know how it ends. They tell you at the beginning that no one survives. So, instead of suspense like in "Halloween" (who will survive and who won't), you know everybody dies, and it's instead an exercise in a form of torture as people speed to an end you know is coming.

Horror movies get personal

Sean E., Covington LA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:31:22 GMT

Horror movies get personal

Deb Hensel, Houston, Texas — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:32:31 GMT

Cloverfield is one of my favorite campy horror flicks. My daughter and I were in L.A. on its opening day and first saw it in a crowded theater with a bunch of young teens. They were a very vocal and appreciative audience. We liked it so much that, later that night, we saw it again at Mann's Theater on the strip--this time with an older, more jaded UCLA-film-major-type audience, and we were forced to sit a little closer to the screen. That second screening made me a little sick, but yes, I am still a fan of the raw video footage mode of film-making. It adds a certain measure of realism that works well in the horror genre.

Horror movies get personal

Venus Doom, NJ — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:41:54 GMT

You must see "Alone with Her." That one was presented as scenes shot by a stalker, via a handheld video camera and multiple surveillance cameras he set up inside his victim's home. More of a thriller than a horror movie, but utterly creepy nonetheless.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472259/

Horror movies get personal

Someone, Ohio — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:47:33 GMT

MD, how did you manage to watch REC? Because I've been looking around for that flick for quite sometime and my efforts in trying to find it have been fruitless. ):

Horror movies get personal

Matty, Holbrook, MA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:48:11 GMT

I don’t mind the camera-lens plot device as long as it is used efficiently. I didn’t care much for “Blair Witch”, but I think that may have had to do more with seeing it too late, after all the hype was shoved down my throat. And I just couldn’t get into “Cloverfield” at all, much as I wanted to. As for “Quarantine”, I wasn’t too interested after seeing the teaser but the most recent trailer has rekindled the fire, so to speak.

The “Aliens” reference is terrific, however. It also reminds me of a similar “camera scare” scene in the 2005 film “The Descent” (slight SPOILER INFO in the remainder of this paragraph), where the spelunkers are immersed in darkness at one moment and then one of them turns on a camcorder with night-vision and we see not only the other spelunkers but also the cave creatures walking right by them. That was a very effective jump scene.

Also, I feel the need to bring up “George A. Romero’s Diary Of The Dead”, the most recent entry from the famed zombie film director that came out last winter (and now on DVD). Much of the camera work here is semi-pro, as the protagonists are college film students, so there’s very little herky-jerky involved. But the rawness and the realness of it all brought an impending sense of apocalyptic doom (Romero was wise to break tradition and set this film at the beginning of the zombie plague – thus making this film a reboot of sorts). Even as he nears 70, the old man has still got it.

Horror movies get personal

BV, Joliet IL — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:11:04 GMT

I was able to take "The Blair Witch", but "Cloverfield" made me nauseous. I had to step out of the theater to settle my stomach. I don't mind a little camera jiggling, but too much gets hard on the stomach. Either my stomach got weaker over nine years, or Blair Witch did it in a less jarring way, it's hard to tell (maybe it's all the night-vision footage). Either way, I'm not in any mood to see "Quarantine" after "Cloverfield" nearly made me sick.

Horror movies get personal

A Nonymous Denver CO — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:26:54 GMT

I am a sucker for a good (or bad) Zombie flick.

I think the intimate claustophobia of first person camera work or 'reality' footage is only going to add to the horror and suspense of a Zombie movie.

Horror movies get personal

Ohio Betty, Wadsworth, OH — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:45:54 GMT

OK, I have to admit it: I haven't seen a single one of these flicks. I loooove reading about horror movies but can't stand watching them. Even without ever seeing a zombie movie, I still run up the basement stairs, just in case there's something down there getting ready to chase me. Lame, but true. Still, I check out MoviePooper.com (a good Mult-Link Monday candidate, Gael) every week or so to catch up on the plots of the latest scary movies. And it's fascinating getting a peek at what real horror buffs think about different movies.

Horror movies get personal

KG, Twin Cities — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:23:59 GMT

Any thing with Jennifer Carpenter is worth seeing. I prefer suspense horror to gore horror. The Blair Witch Project had me laughing. Showgirls. Wow, that everyone but Gina Gershon thought it was "art" is scary.

Horror movies get personal

Becky, Phillipsburg, NJ — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:40:41 GMT

REC had to be the scariest movie I've ever seen. My husband is a HUGE zombie movie buff, so he was excited to see REC, subtitles and all. Even he jumped during the movie, which is a feat not easily accomplished with him.
As for Quarantine...After reading the reviews in Fangoria and online, I'm hesitant to see it. They say that they reshot REC scene for scene and line for line but they also tweaked a few things. It doesn't seem as scary to me, especially the parts of the ending from Quarantine I've seen...Doesn't look nearly as frightening as the ending in REC.

Horror movies get personal

The Watcher — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:47:54 GMT

I hate gore! This is what so many horror movies are these days! My imagination is more powerful, give a me a thump or screech any day, to a bucket of blood and I will be more freaked! Too bad people these days seem to lack an imagination and always need to see the violence.

That said I like to be scared and enjoy suspense! Blair witch gave that.

But are we the public by watching these movies creating a genre that will at some point be indistinguishable from the real thing? And at that point making “the boy who cried wolf” society? By then believing the reality captured on video? Will all our terror be, a Wag the dog and not be believed unless experienced by the individual? Will we see real life “Quarantines” and chalk them up to Youtube wanna be’s? Will we ever be able to believe the so called Live reports anymore? Or just think that it is now all make believe?

That is what is scarier…

Horror movies get personal

Tom August, Los Angeles, CA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:09:45 GMT

When it comes to scary movies, everyone seems to forget "Carrie." The end was a shocker the first time I saw it.

Next in line is "Psycho" (the original with Tony Perkins). For someone that's completely mad, Norman Bates is the guy.

"Slingblade" was creepy.

"Jacob's Ladder was creepy in another fashion. You kind of wonder if our government is really capable of that; but then, you look at how the economy has been, and realize that our government can be just as creepy as a movie.

"Alien" and "Aliens" are two great movies. I wished that I could say that about the rest of the franchise.

As for "Blair Witch Project" and "Cloverfield," those were two good entertainment movies; however, I didn't find them to be that scary.

The original "House Of Wax" was excellent; however, the remake sucked.

And some of the new movies that claim to be scary, belong in the same category as "Plan Nine From Outer Space" and "Robot Monster."

Horror movies get personal

Sally, NY,NY — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:24:17 GMT

I got really ill during Blair Witch too! Had to actually leave the Theatre! This one isn't as bad as that at all and it's really a good scary film.

And why is no one talking about the film that ACTUALLY started the "documentary" feel - Cannibal Holocaust by Roggero Deodato

Horror movies get personal

Taylor, Pittsburgh, PA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:28:51 GMT

Jerky camerawork is nauseatingly annoying, but I don’t find it dizzying or otherwise sickening. I see poor camerawork as just that – poor camerawork. The Zapruder film is real, historic, and might evoke some emotion, but it is still poor camerawork. It is excusable because it was shot by an amateur, it captures an historic event, and it provides the only photographic depiction of the most critical moments of that event.

When I go to a movie I want to see detail. Whenever shakycam or blurring or fogging or darkness are used in excess, I interpret them as being devices used to compensate for the film makers’ inability to put truly frightening details on the screen. Blair Witch relies on the imaginations of audience members to generate internal images of things not seen. Cloverfield does much the same, but at least there is a little bit of payoff as the film progresses.

Aliens was superb in that it combined detail with shaky verite’. The History Channel recently aired a 9/11 documentary made up of previously unaired video from dozens of sources, both professional and amateur. The combination of fuzzy and somewhat shaky with carefully shot pro work is impressive. As with certain fictional work, the end result of the events of 9/11 are known, but there was still much to be learned from the various points of view used in the documentary.

Film makers who want to do the pseudo-documentary thing would be advised to view the History Channel program, and come a bit closer to that in their productions.

Oh … horror, sci-fi, etc. are my favorite genres.

Horror movies get personal

Steve, Springfield, Ill. — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:42:37 GMT

It's a lot easier to appreciate movies of this sub-genre at home. I hated "Blair Witch" in the theater; I loved it on DVD.

Horror movies get personal

Merlin, Columbus, OH — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:46:03 GMT

I don't think I will go see this movie. We thought Blair Witch was very bad. We didn't like any of the characters and thought that people who behaved as stupidly as they did deserved to be killed off. We were mostly bored by the movie.

Alien and Aliens were absolutely great films though! A scifi/horror combo done right!

Horror movies get personal

Crystell, Pembroke Pines, FL — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:50:41 GMT

I've had an itch for Quarantine since I discovered the first trailer months early (www.apple.com/trailers people, worth the visit), I totally agree with what others are saying about the true horror movies NOT using gore, or if using it doing so sparingly. I liked Cloverfield, thought it was intriguing that J.J. Abrams could make a monster movie seem so realistic. And those smaller things with the beaks that came off of the big thing in the subway tunnel? FREAKED ME OUT. While the remake of Dawn of the Dead is a classic to me because of the opening sequence (loves me a end of the world/zombie movie too) I don't think Romero should have gone any further. Sir you are the man, you CAME UP WITH THE GENRE. You do not need to do anymore.

Horror movies get personal

B, Colorado — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:56:05 GMT

I hated Blair Witch but I liked Cloverfield. I like the shaky camera action because it makes me feel like I'm right there with them and that would be how I would see everything if I were running like crazy. I won't go see Quarantine in the theaters but I will rent it on DVD. I read it was a "rabies" plot, not quite zombies, although Wiki says "a mysterious disease which turns victims into bloodthirsty savages."

Horror movies get personal

Lyndsay — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:59:45 GMT

I will wait for DVD on this one... not because I don't want to see it, but I'd rather rent something and spend $1 on it than have to spend $20. Especially because horror movies have been hit or really, really miss lately.

I really like the actress in the lead in this movie, and she scared the crap out of me in Emily Rose...

Horror movies get personal

Jill, Ohio — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:05:44 GMT

Note to "Matthew": Prince of Darkness is my all time favorite horror movie, and I'm glad to see someone else actually saw it! But you have to remember the "dreams" that were really a tachion emission warning sent back in time. It was a small part of the plotline, but still had that homemade video feel to it. Besides that, Prince of Darkness had the best "gotcha" endings ever. I highly recommend it.

Horror movies get personal

Joe K — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:06:46 GMT

Love the Alien/Aliens reference. Masterful work and I had never really thought about that scene with the helmet cams in the same way as Blair Witch/Cloverfield. To me, they are very dissimilar in the way they were done. In my opinion, Aliens did it better. Just an aside.....I thought the 80's film Monkey Shines was one the best horror/psychological thrillers I've ever seen. Opinions?

Horror movies get personal

Robin, Las Vegas NV — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:10:26 GMT

I liked Cloverfield but the jiggling camera did get on my nerves after a bit. There were a couple of "jump out of your seat" moments in the film.

For sheer horror, The Exorcist and Night of the Living Dead are the scariest movies ever made. And add the original Nightmare on Elm Street. I will never watch those three movies again.

Movies that try to substitute "scary" with gore just don't do it for me. The orginal The Thing (when the people open the door and The Thing is standing there-yikes!) was so good but the remake was terrible. Way to much blood and guts was substituted for a good story.

I have to admit that I loved the original Godzilla (with Raymond Burr). I really felt bad for the monster though!

Horror movies get personal

Debbie Zarzecki,Philadelphia,PA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:45:45 GMT

I thought the Blair Witch Project was one of the worst movies ever,not the least bit scary. If Quarantine is anything like that film,I'll pass.

Horror movies get personal

Debbie Zarzecki,Philadelphia,PA — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:50:23 GMT

I hated the Blair Witch project. It wasn't the least bit scary. If Quarantine is along those lines,I'll pass.

Horror movies get personal

Shane, Maine — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:52:36 GMT

Sorry,my last comment was lacking something...like the actual comment, lol.

Anyway, when I went to see the Blair Witch Project (me and 3 other friends), we didn't actually know that it wasn't really based on a true story so we thought we were watching something real. At the time, it was extremely terrifying, until we got home and found out through the internet that the movie was a hoax. Now? I can't stand that movie. There was also too much whining and complaining in that movie. I can go back to Texas and visit my family if I want complaining.

I do want to see Quarantine, though, b/c it seems to have more creepy action in it. I couldn't stand Cloverfield...first 20 minutes and then I turned it off...and gave it away the next day. Did anyone notice in Cloverfield that the Statue of Liberty's head was way too small?? PPL were walking around it in the street and the ppl were almost as tall as Lady Liberty's head...completely not believable.

The whole Alien saga (except 4 the last one...Wynona Ryder as a droid???) were all extremely good. They were WAY ahead of their time in making those movies and special effects. And, as someone mentioned above, The Excorsist was a very good scary movie as well. PPL were actually passing out in the theatres around the country watching it. Another one ahead of it's time.

If anyone wants to see a good horror movie, you should watch High Tension. It's not in this first person genre...but it is sooooo good. It will mess with ur mind tremendously.

Horror movies get personal

Mickey — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:59:59 GMT

It looks good. I will probably wait to see it on DVD though. I hate spending that much money to go see a movie that I may or may not like in the end. My all time favorite horror flicks are The Exorcist, Psycho, and Spector. I haven't seen a really good one for quite some time. I also liked The Messangers, The Others, and The Ring. They don't hold a candle to the other 3 that I mentioned though. I was wondering how to get hold of REC and The Disappeared ( one is a Spanish flick, I do believe, the other is English).

Horror movies get personal

G. Hall, Spokane, Wash. — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:07:44 GMT

Blood and Gore are NOT necessary in making a true horror movie. I refuse to watch the Halloweens,Jasons,et al. Aliens was scary enough and Jaws. The Terminator scared the heck out of me, and I have Never gotten over the original "Night of the Living Dead". Still terrified (at almost 60!) of the monkeys in Wizard of Oz. But I once was fortunate enough to be able to see the original Nosferatu in a huge ancient church with a real pipe organ played during the movie. Very cool. Horror is a genre best left to the imagination to work.

Horror movies get personal

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:13:01 GMT

This sounds good, based on your description ... but my boyfriend got sick at "Cloverfield," so I have a feeling I won't be seeing it. :(

Horror movies get personal

BV, Joliet IL — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:44:24 GMT

Basically, horror is not a favorite genre of mine. I will watch at least one during the Halloween season to put me in the mood, but on the whole they don't interest me. Too many horror movies nowadays are straight-to-video cheap films or gorefests.

Probably my favorite Halloween-type movie is "Interview with the Vampire". Maybe it's not that scary, but hey, vampires. Plus, Antonio Banderas is in it, a big plus for me. I would include "Ghost", but I count it as my favorite romantic movie, more for Valentine's Day than Halloween.

As for regular horror movies, though, all I can say is Freddy Kreuger is KING.

Horror movies get personal

InJM, Japan — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:38:33 GMT

I'm always up for a zombie movie and this one looked pretty interesting except for the night vision bit in the begining of the trailer. I'll have to check out the original first because remakes never seem to be as good as the originals.

Horror movies get personal

Macarina - St. louis — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:29:14 GMT

Matty, Holbrook, MA wrote how Romero still has rawness... uh, yea, but realness? I don't think so. The whole movie is based on one individuals determination to video everything going on regardless of the mayhem going on and the safety is himself and his friends. Let me just say the suspension of belief is upped a hundred fold. The first attack by a zombie and I'm not going to worry about holding the camera let alone filming the events. And then to literally film one of your friends getting eaten? Hey, I know it's a zombie film, but as other's have said, it's got to be based somewhat on believability.

The whole shaky came works sometimes in small doses. Directors like Tony Scott though take it to far and thus make it unwatchable. I myself would love to see the shaky cam just go away. It deters from the story more so than aiding the feel of the film.

Horror movies get personal

Law - Bellevue , NE — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:53:41 GMT

I agree that Exorcist is scary and the orginal Night of the Living Dead...terrifying. The Omen 1 & 2 in the top six with Alien 1 & 2. The crap that is being made now is not scary at all...Blair Witch and Cloverfield, the ring, the grudge....I can go on and on...GIVE US ME BREAK...

Horror movies get personal

Jan, DeForest WI — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:07:09 GMT

Two movies that I did not notice mentioned are "The Changeling" with George C Scott, and "Stir of Echoes", Kevin Bacon. Both way scary, at least in my opinion

Horror movies get personal

Mark, Tucson, Az — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:10:21 GMT

I enjoyed Cloverfield a great deal.

Me and my fiance will be seeing this just to support Jennifer Carpenter who plays Deb on Dexter. She's a very fine actress. We both enjoy the horror genre anyways.

All in all, the whole shaky cam thing is 'ok'. It's even used in movies that aren't 'point of view' films. The Bourne Ultimatium used shaky cam ALOT as did Transformers.

Horror movies get personal

John, Tucson, Arizona — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:33:26 GMT

I really enjoyed reading into Cloverfield a lot... if you read more into it online, they talk about the story of where the monster came from and it started to creep me out. they say it was awaken from the deep sea, and i had just watched the BBC series "Blue Planet" where it talked about all the crazy fish they find in the deep sea and how most of the deep hasnt even been explored!!! so its like, what if something crazy like that was down there... no one knows. so i rewatched cloverfield after that and was a lot more disturbed by it. hahaha. i personally enjoyed it a lot (partly because my favorite character was the only one who MAY have lived). but i dont think it compares to some of the classic horror movies.

Horror movies get personal

Simon Fort Lauderdale, FL — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:57:38 GMT

Movies trying to replace rollercoaster’s are getting old.

I loved Blair Witch, but it was scary and unique for it’s time.

I saw Quarantine last night and it was bad, too long to start and you couldn't wait for it to finish, not scary just laughable, the audience was rolling.

It might have been scary ( not good though) if I had seen it in my own home, without the audience and the blasts of laughter at every high tension bit

Horror movies get personal

namers, Sherman Oaks, CA — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:58:53 GMT

I've been a fan of horror/thriller/gore fan since I was 10. I read every Nancy Drew published (brilliant in their atmosopheric tension) and own a encyclopedia (18 volumes) of True Crime.

I began watching 'double features' for 50 cents in 1967. These were the great post Hitchcock, pre slasher flicks that were more 'scary' than most today. Of course, I was more easily frightened then by classics like Dario Argento's (can't wait for his new one Giallo) Bird with the Crystal Plummage.

Others that impressed me are Sudden Terror; See No Evil (my personal favorite); and of course Wait Until Dark and the ultimate, The Exorcist. Later, I was freaked out by Dressed to Kill as well as When a Stranger Calls but they are fairly bloodless.

Recent stabs at the genre (Blair Witch, The Strangers, yawn) are more hype than substance but for PG 13, The Others was pretty eerie.

I did like Texas Chainsaw and the first Saw but have no use for kitch, those who are identified more with their characters (Freddy, Jason, Mikey) than character (half naked kids run from shiny sharp objects.)

Love me a good zombie flick; loved Night/Day/Dawn, hated Shaun. Personally, I don't want to mix genres (no laughing allowed save for Abbott and Costello Meets anyone).

For total creep factor: Magic; The Thing; Hostel and most recently: Transsiberian. Puppets and gloomy locations make me shudder...

Truthfully, you can be creeped out on TV (PG14 no less) at the Discovery Channel from the very ominous 'based on a true story' "A Haunting".

Horror movies get personal

AL, Marlboro, MA — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:53:46 GMT

I saw Quarantine over the weekend and that had to one of the creepiest movies I've seen in a long time. The camera movements really weren't that bad. Not as bad as Cloverfield (which I'm one of the few people in my circle that actually liked that flick).

I was one of the people who got into the viral hype of The Blair Witch Project long before the movie came out. What had intrigued me with that film was what you couldn't see. The camera movement never bothered me.

I like the idea of hand held cameras capturing the action. It's like the original reality TV without the annoying hosts and video confessionals.

Horror movies get personal

Jay, High Point, NC — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:45:16 GMT

I drove my wife crazy to see Blair Witch Project and when I finished watching I looked at my wife and said to her that I felt like the biggest ass in America for watching that movie. What a waste of time. For that reason, I will wait to rent the movie, rather then pay a premium price for it. They probably should have let it go straight to video.

Horror movies get personal

Jim Meyers, Bay City, MI — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:24:22 GMT

The Last Broadcast was a great movie, I thought it was way better than the Blair Witch Project. Although the ending was a little cheesy and I kinda felt ripped-off. IFC used to show it all the time.

Horror movies get personal

Kat, Seattle — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:17:29 GMT

Hmm, I'm surprised noone's mentioned Even Horizon. That movie was trippy. Aliens was amazing. The other's I have only seen parts of.

Horror movies get personal

Veronica, Cleveland, Ohio — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:34:06 GMT

Blair Witch freaked me out. However, I watched it when I was 13 and I have a really good imagination. I watched the end of that movie about 20 times trying to catch a glimps of something.

Cloverfield didn't necessarily scare me, but it did leave me with a weird feeling at the end. It is also an interesting movie if you do research on the back story to it. There are plenty of viral websites that pertain to the story and do somewhat explain what happened.

I think this type of filming lends itself to great movies for those with great imaginations. You have to somewhat believe that these things could happen. No horror movie alone is really scarey unless there is that little bit of fear that it could happen. The good thing about the "shockumentary" is that the footage seems to be real, so it makes one believe a bit more that the story is or could be real.

Horror movies get personal

Andrea S, Vancouver, WA — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:35:02 GMT

I love horror movies, but I can't stand the shakey camera work on these new movies(Cloverfield...) it's hard to watch and very distracting.

Horror movies get personal

BS, JC, TN — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:18:00 GMT

The Last Broadcast was great up until the last 10 minutes. Then it totally sucked.

Horror movies get personal

TA Frederick md — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:13:00 GMT

I hated the Blar Witch we walked out of the middle of it and we wont see this movie .

Horror movies get personal

Kala, Grand Rapids, Mich. — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:47:27 GMT

I hate that technique, CLoverfield was probably one of the worst and predictable horror films I have seen in a long time. Not only was the acting HORRIBLE it was so freaking boring until you see the actual monster for like 2 seconds near the end. Seriously what was up with the 45 minutes of pointless party shots int he beginning?

Horror movies get personal

Zombiesrule!!, Canada — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:31:00 GMT

Diary of the Dead wasn't bad at all which total surprised me. Personally, i can't stand those camcorder movies. Quarantine doesn't hold much interest for me but [REC] definitely does.
Copycat films just annoy me. Like the Ring series & the grudge, the originals were awesome.
I am waiting for a time when the big studios don't feel the need to rip off story lines from the independents.

Horror movies get personal

Jay, Tucson, AZ — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:26:21 GMT

Sorry but I could not stand Blair Witch. The film, itself, was great. I just couldn't stand the annoying girl. I would have left her butt alone in those woods.

Cloverfield, however, WAS excellent. It started out as just an ordinary day. That's what made it scary: it just looked like real life. And I, too, can't wait until Quarantine comes out! My favorite genre is horror!