It's only a movie, right?

The American Nightmare analyzes how horror films resurrect our repressed fears about contemporary events.  Furthermore, the film explains how the genre of horror began to reflect political and social anxieties and mayhem of the 1960s and ‘70s.  “The American Nightmare” dives into classic horror films of the ‘60s and ‘70s such as Night of the Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Last House on the Left, and Dawn of the Dead.  As filmmaker George Romero says, “Obviously what’s happening in the world creeps into any work”.  The events happening in the world is what ultimately gives filmmakers like Romero ideas to produce a film.

Professor Adam Lowenstein of University of Pittsburgh speaks about the real images in Night of the Living Dead and how you “cant not think of lynching’s, you cannot not think of the kind of freedom marches in the south, you cant not think about the civil right struggle”.  African American actor Duane Jones who starred as Ben in Night of the Living Dead, was shot and killed at the end of the movie.  The police refused to touch his body and used hooks instead of their hands.  There was also confirmations of male dominance and gory violence in the movie, which both existed during the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Ultimately, horror films such as Night of the Living Dead reflect the reality existing around us, yet in a fictional way.  Horror films allow us to capture the thrill of being afraid through a screen, rather than us engaging directly with fear.  This idea resonates with special effect make up artist, Tom Savini.  Extremely compelling, Savini talks about his time in Vietnam and how he was bale to turn his emotions off.  He utilized his camera not only to take pictures, but by using the lens to substitute fantasy with reality.  Savini successfully turned real fear into immediate ‘fake’ fear by looking at mutilated bodies as a special effect. 

Vietnam                                                                                  The Last House on the Left

                                                                                                 

The American Nightmare was extremely interesting and important as a whole.  I was very interested in how humans can simply turn off their emotions and be completely drawn into a horror film.  I am very interested to see how in the next several years I will hopefully learn what the horror films of my generation will mean within the context of political and social upheaval.

Is it only a movie?