Some movies terrify or upset the public with jump scares and unanticipated plot twists. Others, however, use a different, sly approach to disturb the crowd. They unsettle us with a slow-burning dread that sneakily insinuates into our minds, keeping us on edge throughout the whole experience. Through this more calculated method, these films often remain impressed in our memory for longer than traditional horrors or thrillers.
Examples of these types of movies are hard to classify, seemingly unable to fit in with a specific genre. They are hardly tales about monsters or curses, but if present, the supernatural element is mainly used as a metaphor for deeper, more twisted fears. These stories, however, don't affect everyone the same way. What might disturb one viewer may not even faze another. From the portrayal of eerily haunting visuals to the overwhelming sense of impending doom, some films have left me with an excruciating unease throughout the entire watch.
Midsommar (2019)
Directed By Ari Aster
There is something tragically unsettling about the story of a traumatized young woman seeking a family, only to be ensnared by a cult that exploits her longing for love and acceptance. Instead of taking place in the dark corners of an abandoned mansion, Midsommar unfolds in the blinding daylight, tricking the viewer, as the sect does with Dani, into a reality of false bliss. The main character, played by Florence Pugh, is trapped in a downward spiral of grief, with little support from her emotionally distant boyfriend.
Link:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/there-are-spine-chilling-mo...
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Slow-burning dread is scarier and more disturbing than jump scares and unanticipated plot twists to me, Mark Deuce, but I think the best Horror scripts are the ones that have all three.
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I will have to check that one out Maurice Vaughan and I totally agree with you.
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I've been meaning to check out some of the movies on the list, Mark Deuce. And speaking of jump scares, here's a post I made a while back about writing jump scares: www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Jump-Scares-in-the-Insidious-Movies
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Cool Beans Maurice Vaughan I will check it out.
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I love this! I have always been about quiet dread and slow burning terror ever since I discovered The Exorcist (at a terribly inappropriate age.) I will take it to my grave that Midsommar is one of the most effective horror films of the 21st century. One of my own screenplays has a Midsommar “if it took place at a black cookout” vibe. Thank you for sharing!!!!
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Same here Len Archibald and it was the original night of the living dead for me.