Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Horror and Humor
I just watched The Black Cat (1941)(with a completely different plot/concept than the one we watched in class, but which also stars Bela Lugosi), and though it appeared to be a "horror" movie, it featured more slapstick comedy, puns, and visual gags than actual scary moments. It was definitely an entertaining movie, and it got me thinking about the relationship between the horror and comedy genres. My theory is that, since jumping in fright and bursting out laughing are similar in their emotional intensity, horror and humor, if not necessarily interchangeable, are at least compatible enough that they can be used together without detracting from the overall thematic intent of a movie. From the goofiness of some of the early horror films, to the Abbott & Costello cross-overs, to the outright spoofs like Young Frankenstein, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, and the Scary Movie franchise, horror and comedy seem to be able to go hand in hand. Even in completely serious horror films, some of the over-the-top deaths and precarious situations can elicit an almost comedic response. The Scream movies were also very effective in being self-aware and poking fun at the conventions of horror films, while also remaining pretty frightening. I don't know what the point of this was, but it's a thought.
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That is a very astute observation, Jay. Gives new meaning to "Laughing ones self to death." I can see Jigsaw from the Saw movies using this form of torture on someone.
ReplyDeleteI agree that sometimes the most effective scary movies are those that keep you off balance the entire time. What better way that to have you laughing about something and then immediately something gruesome happens which makes you scream. Those quick shifts in within the mental psyche can create a greater emotional response. And isn't it true that the great horror films illicit an emotional response??
Great Post!! :)
I, too, thought it was great that you equated the emotional intensity of reacting to humor and horror as nearly the same. This brings to mind when as children we were tickled past the point of comfort. Obviously the point of both horror films and humorous films are to evoke a particular emotional response.
ReplyDeleteScared silly? Been there! Two extreme emotional responses which can easily shift. Therein lies the great Batman bad-man, The Joker.
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