Christian horror movie??
- Thread starter David W. Richardson
- Start date
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
I wish I had time to respond to all of the posts right now -- I'll try to do that soon. (Thanks everybody for your input!) But I wanted to touch on this one real quick.
This is an interesting idea. What if in response to the man's challenge, it wasn't God who revealed himself, but Satan? That could be verrry interesting! And horrific!
cinealma
Veteran
Oh, Benny Hinn definitely creeps me out. :grin:
In no way did I intend to offend or mean to make you defensive. I was strictly thinking in marketing terms for a film. But I think it's in interesting discussion in regards to whether or not somebody can be "more Christian" than another, or whether you have "good Christians" or "bad Christians" or something in between. BUT, just not on DVXUser.com (or so I've been told).
cinealma
Veteran
Exactly. What if it's the devil who answers him? What if the man decides to leave the church because he thinks it is God who answers him? End of the second act, he realizes it wasn't God because God would never have answered him in that way. He tries to get back to the church, but Satan makes it very difficult in some way(s). At this point, he is pretty much doomed to die. But he makes it back into the church and there he dies. You may even have God reveal himself in some way, but it might border on cheesy, so you'd have to think outside the box to do it right.
CallaghanFilms
Veteran
He does?
Wow, I always thought he was harmless...
randy, but harmless
...oh damn, you said Benny Hinn
SISUMAN
Active member
Have you considered a film adaptation of DANTE'S INFERNO. I know that the statue of limitations is over for the copyright. I think that you'll find that no matter how much you learn about making a film, the script is always the hardest and the most critical part.... good luck!
The most fundamental problem you'll face in making a horror movie for the non-Christian audience is actually in trying to adhere to Christian doctrine. Of course, if you are making a film for a Christian audience, then I think it's a piece of cake.
Here's the issue for the non-Christian (or more precisely, audiences which are not observant, even if they identify nominally as" Christian") - in any horror movie, the audience must feel the characters are truly threatened. If as you plan, your "good guy" (the guy being threatened) is a Christian, that automatically removes this most important key requirement. Why? Because we understand that the "good guy" is never truly threatened, since he has the greatest force on his side - GOD. I mean, it's like a joke - oh boy, poor me, it's just me and you know, my little buddy GOD against all those bad, bad men. Pfffft.
And that is in the DNA of your design - the "good guy Christian" against.... whoever/whatever. Just zero real tension or suspense about the outcome. In fact, if I may say so, you'll probably get the opposite effect from many audience members - like me<wink> - who in such situations pull for the ostensible "bad guy"... we want the criminal to get away with the money/crime... this is a common reaction in the audience when the "good guys" are insufferable goody two-shoes, boring and self-satisfied "good" versus the interesting, intriguing and gutsy "bad guys". See, that's how you get "sympathy for the devil" only God as some Christians portray him can accomplish such a thing.
Bottom line, I think there are some extremely basic dramatic laws which make your quest a hard one, sort of like trying to go against basic laws of physics like gravity. There is a contradiction there, and that's the problem.
Just think about any number of horror movies - especially the ones with a Christian theme - and see how they collapse if you try to introduce a true Christian doctrine. Take f.ex. Rosemary's Baby - it deals with the devil very explicitely... but not with God. If you introduced GOD into that equation, the film would collapse - we'd no longer worry about Rosemary, and we'd no longer fear and be revolted by her baby... cause God will come along and fix it all - pffffft. And so on for every movie. It instantly deflates.
Here's the issue for the non-Christian (or more precisely, audiences which are not observant, even if they identify nominally as" Christian") - in any horror movie, the audience must feel the characters are truly threatened. If as you plan, your "good guy" (the guy being threatened) is a Christian, that automatically removes this most important key requirement. Why? Because we understand that the "good guy" is never truly threatened, since he has the greatest force on his side - GOD. I mean, it's like a joke - oh boy, poor me, it's just me and you know, my little buddy GOD against all those bad, bad men. Pfffft.
And that is in the DNA of your design - the "good guy Christian" against.... whoever/whatever. Just zero real tension or suspense about the outcome. In fact, if I may say so, you'll probably get the opposite effect from many audience members - like me<wink> - who in such situations pull for the ostensible "bad guy"... we want the criminal to get away with the money/crime... this is a common reaction in the audience when the "good guys" are insufferable goody two-shoes, boring and self-satisfied "good" versus the interesting, intriguing and gutsy "bad guys". See, that's how you get "sympathy for the devil"
only God as some Christians portray him can accomplish such a thing. Bottom line, I think there are some extremely basic dramatic laws which make your quest a hard one, sort of like trying to go against basic laws of physics like gravity. There is a contradiction there, and that's the problem.
Just think about any number of horror movies - especially the ones with a Christian theme - and see how they collapse if you try to introduce a true Christian doctrine. Take f.ex. Rosemary's Baby - it deals with the devil very explicitely... but not with God. If you introduced GOD into that equation, the film would collapse - we'd no longer worry about Rosemary, and we'd no longer fear and be revolted by her baby... cause God will come along and fix it all - pffffft. And so on for every movie. It instantly deflates.
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HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Excellent point.:beer:
Batutta
Major Contributor
Eh, reading this thread I just go back to my original statement. The Exorcist is the ultimate Christian horror film. You have a fight with the devil. The heroes are two priests, one who's faith is wavering. They try and subdue the demon by invoking the name of Christ. One of the priest's sacrifices himself by absorbing the sins of the demon to vanquish evil (christ symbolism). I just don't even think it's worth trying to do better. Sometimes a film completely fills a genre, like Close Encounters does for UFO's, or Silence of the Lambs for serial killer flicks, and anything else will always be compared to it and be in its shadow.
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
The most fundamental problem you'll face in making a horror movie for the non-Christian audience is actually in trying to adhere to Christian doctrine. Of course, if you are making a film for a Christian audience, then I think it's a piece of cake.
Here's the issue for the non-Christian (or more precisely, audiences which are not observant, even if they identify nominally as" Christian") - in any horror movie, the audience must feel the characters are truly threatened. If as you plan, your "good guy" (the guy being threatened) is a Christian, that automatically removes this most important key requirement. Why? Because we understand that the "good guy" is never truly threatened, since he has the greatest force on his side - GOD. I mean, it's like a joke - oh boy, poor me, it's just me and you know, my little buddy GOD against all those bad, bad men. Pfffft.
And that is in the DNA of your design - the "good guy Christian" against.... whoever/whatever. Just zero real tension or suspense about the outcome. In fact, if I may say so, you'll probably get the opposite effect from many audience members - like me<wink> - who in such situations pull for the ostensible "bad guy"... we want the criminal to get away with the money/crime... this is a common reaction in the audience when the "good guys" are insufferable goody two-shoes, boring and self-satisfied "good" versus the interesting, intriguing and gutsy "bad guys". See, that's how you get "sympathy for the devil"
Bottom line, I think there are some extremely basic dramatic laws which make your quest a hard one, sort of like trying to go against basic laws of physics like gravity. There is a contradiction there, and that's the problem.
Just think about any number of horror movies - especially the ones with a Christian theme - and see how they collapse if you try to introduce a true Christian doctrine. Take f.ex. Rosemary's Baby - it deals with the devil very explicitely... but not with God. If you introduced GOD into that equation, the film would collapse - we'd no longer worry about Rosemary, and we'd no longer fear and be revolted by her baby... cause God will come along and fix it all - pffffft. And so on for every movie. It instantly deflates.
Good points. So maybe the Christian hero or heroine isn't fighting to save themselves -- they're fighting to save someone else. Someone whose eternal soul IS in danger.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Isn't this basically exactly what "End Of Days" (Schwarzenegger) was? I only caught the last half on TV last week, but it seemed like Arnold vs. The Devil (and come on, who's not intrigued by that matchup?) Arnold rejected faith and tried to solve it on his own, and at the end he turned to Jesus and sacrificed himself to "win" the final conflict...
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Just go ahead and ruin the ending for me, Barry.:cheesy:
Barry_Green
Moderator
Horse, you probably have too much self-respect to ever make it TO the ending. In charitable terms, "it's not one of Arnold's best." I'm sure if I'd started at the beginning I would have either passed out from boredom, or thrown the TV through the window.
I mean, when Satan takes a leak against a wall and the urine dribbles over to the surveillance van and then it all catches on fire and blows up the van, there's only so much one can take...
I mean, when Satan takes a leak against a wall and the urine dribbles over to the surveillance van and then it all catches on fire and blows up the van, there's only so much one can take...
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
Wait, isn't that the plot of "Jingle all the Way?"
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Don't bet on it.
I've seen Malibu Beach Vampires... four times.I have no words.:huh:Barry_Green said:
dvpixl
Veteran
There are tons of faith-based stories(in life and in the Bible) about believers being attacked by the devil just because their faith is increasing. Sometimes God's testing is what is scary about being a faithful person. God does not always step in. The perfect horror movie for a believer is that God is not going to make it easy for you- God will save you-but he will not always come in at the last minute. At least not for you. Let a believer be broken down, abandoned and lost... will they still last? Does this character believe that they are doing the right thing?
I hear stories about Christians struggling to be faithful, and everytime they close their eyes to pray, they feel a negative energy around them. As if the devil himself is staring at you. It sounds cheesy, but if God is the means to an end, then make it hard for a person to even try to speak or attempt to go to God. Let that person struggle just to be alone in their house every night.
I second the fact that Exorcist was a perfect faith-based horror film.
I hear stories about Christians struggling to be faithful, and everytime they close their eyes to pray, they feel a negative energy around them. As if the devil himself is staring at you. It sounds cheesy, but if God is the means to an end, then make it hard for a person to even try to speak or attempt to go to God. Let that person struggle just to be alone in their house every night.
I second the fact that Exorcist was a perfect faith-based horror film.
Jared Meyer
Veteran
Dvpixl, those are excellent points. Great post.
A tangential example of "God not making it easy for you" is "The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which I mentioned earlier. The possessed girl is visited by the Virgin Mary who gives her a choice- she can die now and end the suffering brought on by the demons that have possessed her OR she can stick it out to the end and show the world that God and the Devil really exist. I've had a ton of conversations with other Christians/Catholics about the movie...do we think that is something God would allow? A choice he would force someone to make? I'm not sure. I tend to think not....but it's a really interesting question. I think it succeeds as a movie. It's not blasphemous, but still manages to be dark, horrific and thought-provoking.
A tangential example of "God not making it easy for you" is "The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which I mentioned earlier. The possessed girl is visited by the Virgin Mary who gives her a choice- she can die now and end the suffering brought on by the demons that have possessed her OR she can stick it out to the end and show the world that God and the Devil really exist. I've had a ton of conversations with other Christians/Catholics about the movie...do we think that is something God would allow? A choice he would force someone to make? I'm not sure. I tend to think not....but it's a really interesting question. I think it succeeds as a movie. It's not blasphemous, but still manages to be dark, horrific and thought-provoking.
KyleProhaska
Veteran
I think there is a HUGE difference between a film that includes God or Jesus, or a Priest in some way, or even has a Christian Director or Actor or w/e, and a movie that is made with the key goal in mind of pleasing the Lord with the result. I think people make many movies that include themes and ideas surrounding Christianity but without understanding what the themes really mean or the reality of them. The Exorcist for one is a film about possession from a demon but the backbone of the scary elements was to play "gags" if you will off the possession to show odd things, scary things, gross things, etc.
Even movies that are good and moral that include even a Christian character in it can be considered pretty worthless to me because there's too many like that. They show the Christian but they don't show the God who keeps that Christian going or they intend to show a fuzzy feel good film with Christian values but their goal isn't to show the Glory of God at all.
In terms of Horror though specifically, I think its entirely possible, as long as the motives are right and the ideas implied are biblical...that is if its meant to be a Christian horror film. Obviously your choices are limited in that sense but thats the playground you'll be jumping into. Demons for one, and possession is extremely frightening. A film like The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a great example...more than the Exorcist to me because it put God a bit more out front to the viewer.
- Kyle
Even movies that are good and moral that include even a Christian character in it can be considered pretty worthless to me because there's too many like that. They show the Christian but they don't show the God who keeps that Christian going or they intend to show a fuzzy feel good film with Christian values but their goal isn't to show the Glory of God at all.
In terms of Horror though specifically, I think its entirely possible, as long as the motives are right and the ideas implied are biblical...that is if its meant to be a Christian horror film. Obviously your choices are limited in that sense but thats the playground you'll be jumping into. Demons for one, and possession is extremely frightening. A film like The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a great example...more than the Exorcist to me because it put God a bit more out front to the viewer.
- Kyle
This thread is really about "Christian" horror, but the difficulty we immediately face is that large groups of people rarely can agree on what constitutes doctrinally acceptable Christianity as depicted in film.
Note how quickly you get posts about how film "X" or "Y" or "Z" isn't really Christian, because it doesn't hew to this rule or that precept or this interpretation of that particular verse and on and on and on. And all those points are equally valid to the person espousing some obscure (perhaps to others) interpretation of the "Revealed Truth". One can't really argue against that, since it is a matter of sincere faith.
What you come down to however, is that it's hard to do a film that sets itself out to represent a "Christian" perspective and have it be accepted by a broad audience. There'll always be some part of the faithful who sincerely don't see it as such, and in fact may see it as blasphemous.
By contrast, a movie that doesn't purport to have any religious perspective - just a straight horror, for example - doesn't face that limitation. Its only aim is to "scare" or "horrify". Really it's sort of like Venn sets. There's the biggest circle that includes all audiences, and then there is the necessarily smaller subset for Christians, Muslims and what have you.
Note how quickly you get posts about how film "X" or "Y" or "Z" isn't really Christian, because it doesn't hew to this rule or that precept or this interpretation of that particular verse and on and on and on. And all those points are equally valid to the person espousing some obscure (perhaps to others) interpretation of the "Revealed Truth". One can't really argue against that, since it is a matter of sincere faith.
What you come down to however, is that it's hard to do a film that sets itself out to represent a "Christian" perspective and have it be accepted by a broad audience. There'll always be some part of the faithful who sincerely don't see it as such, and in fact may see it as blasphemous.
By contrast, a movie that doesn't purport to have any religious perspective - just a straight horror, for example - doesn't face that limitation. Its only aim is to "scare" or "horrify". Really it's sort of like Venn sets. There's the biggest circle that includes all audiences, and then there is the necessarily smaller subset for Christians, Muslims and what have you.