Anyone for a horror movie?

As well as the usual Rom-Coms, adventure and bollywood movies, I really do enjoy a good thriller/horror movie. A lot of my friends often ask why I watch such movies when I face similar situations on a daily basis. No, I don’t mean regularly being confronted by a mad man wielding a chainsaw* but more in the sense that we (as medics/researchers) often come across some pretty gruesome situations. Therefore people would naturally assume that in our time off we would try to divert our attention elsewhere rather than seeking out those types of situations; albeit in the form of horror movies.

And honestly I cannot pinpoint why I watch them! Some of the med crew think we’re a strange bunch of people, others try and find the humour in the situations and some think that we’re so desensitised due to our careers that these things don’t affect us anymore. I think I’m with the last group of people, in terms of being desensitised. When you’re in a certain situation on a regular basis, it doesn’t shock you anymore. That’s not to say that people become cold hearted and stop caring but maybe that their ‘shock’ threshold is set higher than others perhaps?

Anyway I’m wondering off the point…
Where was I? Oh yea, so thriller/horror movies. Movies that I think are well made;

• The Omen. A demonic child, need I say more?
• The Ring. Despite having to read the subtitles (which I find annoying sometimes), this movie scared the hell out of me.
• Blair Witch. Ok I know many of you will disagree but I think this movie was more about the feeling rather than the gruesome content. Watching it at 2am, all alone on a cold dark winter’s night… well your mind definitely starts to play tricks on you.
• Resident Evil. Well written, well shot and excellent acting/directing. Left on a bit of a cliff hanger at the end. Will always watch it whenever it pops up on TV.
• 28 days later. The concept of this was terrifying. To find out that the human species is being replaced by an army of zombies and there’s nothing you can do.
• The Descent. A group of friends explore an underground network of caves and eventually get lost. Here they find a group of creatures which leads to carnage and some terrifying cinema.
• Jeepers Creepers. Where the evil thing just won’t die no matter what you do. Very creepy.
• Final Destination. Death can come at any point but the fact that it actively plays catch up with you, like a cat and mouse game. Cue some really gory death scenes.
• Saw. Where everything is well thought out by the madman and the other person is completely helpless. Very terrifying and it makes you wonder about the human mind and what some people are capable of.
• Seven. A twisted killer and a film full of nasty shocks. The scene that sticks most in my mind is of the dead man strapped to his bed in an apartment. Or at least everyone thinks he is dead.
• Signs. I liked this movie because it incorporated personal family life as well as the ‘alien’ problem on the whole. Not many special effects but it plays more on your thought process.
• The War of the Worlds. According to the budget on this film, quite a few thought this movie was a bit of a letdown. Yet I still enjoyed it, I liked the special effects however I felt the ending lacked something.

Ok I’m sure I have loads more and this could go on forever, but please feel free to add anymore that you think deserve a mention :) My point is that the majority of these movies all have something in common, they are made by American or British film industry and they know how to do it well, like the Japanese and Korean film makers. So when I read that Pakistani film makers had produced a new horror movie, I did have my doubts. The Pakistan/India film makers are better known for their romantic, comedy and adventure movies as opposed to horror flicks. Those that do attempt them are usually copies of Hollywood movies thus not being very original or those that are originals often lack the special effects etc to back up their story telling. Perhaps this has now changed over the years as it has been a while since I’ve watched a horror movie that was produced in India/Pakistan. Please click on the following link (courtesy of my older brother, Imran) for more information.

< http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/btm/2008/Film_Detail.asp?filmid=7776 >

*Though there was that time when dad decided to do some gardening and felt that a chainsaw would be the most appropriate tool. A blog post for another time I think :P