Where did all the boogeymen go ?

[Tarman]

Before i start this is just my opinion and i am in no way claiming to be any kind of expert, just a fan. So be nice !

I was wondering what has happened to all the boogeymen ? I know horror films have thier cycles like the slashers, j horror and the recent found footage trend, but we seem to be missing any recognizable boogeymen or 'icons' in modern horror.

For example in the universal era we had Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolfman (there were more i know, but generally speaking)

Then in the 'slasher' period we had Freddy, Jason and Michael (there were lots more i know, but again these were the big 3).

So other than Jigsaw, i cant think of any others.

In an age of remakes/reboots and 'found footage' has the horror franchise boogeyman become extinct ?

Come back, we miss you guys

[shadymoon]

I miss the good ol' boogymen myself.

But as far as modern icons right now I'm going to have to go with the only one that I know that has an actual physical form that I can think of and that would be Samera from The Ring movies.

Yeah, I know she is part of the latest trend of J horror, but she IS now a part of pop culture and basically so are all of the other ones that you mentioned.

I'm more of a fan of them anyways and I'm not all for this recent wave of Found Footage stuff. To me it just gets rather boring fast.

Sure, it was fun and interesting when it first came onto the scene but it is time to give it up.

As for Jigsaw? I do not like the Saw movies at all, it is all just Gore Porn to me period.

[Tarman]

I forgot about Samara !

I suppose it's the Saw puppet that's become more of an icon than Jigsaw himself, i loved the first Saw but the sequels soon went down hill (think i gave up after part 4). Although i do have a little puppet in the back window of my car hehe.

shadymoon hit the nail on the head, once a horror villain/icon becomes part of pop culture they get upgraded to 'boogeyman', (in my head anyway) like a macabre knighthood.

We need to upgrade Trick r' Treats Sam next, keep pushing that film on anyone that'll watch it.

[misterd]

Aug 19, 2012 15:38:06 GMT -5 Tarman said:

Before i start this is just my opinion and i am in no way claiming to be any kind of expert, just a fan. So be nice !

I was wondering what has happened to all the boogeymen ? I know horror films have thier cycles like the slashers, j horror and the recent found footage trend, but we seem to be missing any recognizable boogeymen or 'icons' in modern horror.

For example in the universal era we had Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolfman (there were more i know, but generally speaking)

Then in the 'slasher' period we had Freddy, Jason and Michael (there were lots more i know, but again these were the big 3).

So other than Jigsaw, i cant think of any others.

In an age of remakes/reboots and 'found footage' has the horror franchise boogeyman become extinct ?

Come back, we miss you guys

It does go in waves. We went most of the 90s without an identifiable villain. Hannibal, Ghostface, and that's it (though some might put the Creeper in there too).

The 80s (give or take an extra year) were an odd period because slashers were so successful everyone was trying to make the next Jason or Michael. We got Freddy and Pinhead and Candyman and Gremlins and Predator and the Aliens with their Queen, and others I likely am forgetting, but the truth is these represented a small fraction of the characters that were put out there - the Basket Cases, Maniac Cops, Burnings, Prowlers, and so forth.

The last decade added Jigsaw and Samara and some minor leaguers like Hatchet, Leslie Vernon, Dr. Heiter, the Strangers and Sam (I'm also a big fan of Mrs. Ganush from Drag Me To Hell). But most of those didn't get sequels.

Horror of the past decade hasn't cared about the slasher genre or monster movies, which are what generate most of the icons. The studios are more interested in milking the icons they have than making new ones. The rest of the horror films have been sick human bastards (Saw, Hostel, Haute Tension, etc), or vampires or zombies, which still kinda fit in the human mold. They could- and have- gone stylized with the vamps (Blade, Underworld, 30 Days), but its not the same thing.

Sooner or later we'll get the monsters back. Hang in there.

[shadymoon]

I keep hearing good things about the movie Trick r' Treat.

I think one of these days I will have to sit down and watch it.

[Scary Gary]

Aug 27, 2012 17:06:19 GMT -5 shadymoon said:

I keep hearing good things about the movie Trick r' Treat.

I think one of these days I will have to sit down and watch it.

It is probably my favorite anthology film.

[rotteninbirth]

theres the boogeyman movies.

[yddy]

Ooooh Shadymoon, you must see Trick 'r Treat!! It is such a great film! I can't wait till Sept. 1, when my countdown to Halloween begins. I'll probably watch it a good 4-6 times.

[Scary Gary]

Aug 27, 2012 19:53:31 GMT -5 yddy said:

Ooooh Shadymoon, you must see Trick 'r Treat!! It is such a great film! I can't wait till Sept. 1, when my countdown to Halloween begins. I'll probably watch it a good 4-6 times.

yddy - That is an awesome idea. Why countdown to Halloween starting October 1st when you can start in September. You, dear, are an inspiration.

[yddy]

I'm putting my decorations up that day, and I'll bust out my plethora of Halloween t-shirts. If we can start putting up Christmas decorations and playing carols Nov. 1, I can start Halloween 2 months early too.

[bigmac]

Yddy, I love that idea.

Except I never put my decorations away from last year.

Oh well, guess it's time to buy new ones!

And Shady, Trick 'r Treat is awesome. It's now part of my Halloween night tradition, along with Carpenter's Halloween and Hawk's The Thing.

[Tarman]

They should have Halloween 'advent' calenders, each window has a choccy inside and a movie title that should be watched that day.

A quick google search shows me it's already been done, won't be going to Dragons Den with that idea then

[misterd]

FYI -Stores started putting out Halloween candy 2 weeks ago around here.

I have two lawn decorations out in my garage. My wife pulls up to a screaming banshee, I pull up to a hanging skeleton/bird feeder. Every day has a little Halloween in it.

[yddy]

Aug 27, 2012 22:21:47 GMT -5 bigmac said:

Yddy, I love that idea.

Except I never put my decorations away from last year.

Oh well, guess it's time to buy new ones!

Even better!!

[yddy]

Aug 27, 2012 23:06:34 GMT -5 misterd said:

FYI -Stores started putting out Halloween candy 2 weeks ago around here.

I have two lawn decorations out in my garage. My wife pulls up to a screaming banshee, I pull up to a hanging skeleton/bird feeder. Every day has a little Halloween in it.

There's a few I keep year round, like my witch piggy bank and this adorable springy skeleton. Of course, I also have some Christmas stars hanging from my ceiling because they're sparkly and I like stars.