Christian horror movie??

[David W. Richardson]

That's pretty typical stuff. Look at "The Stand." It's a good read anyway. Also, watch Buffy. Lot of the same kind of themes, phrased differently, but handled very very well, with superb characters. Amazing writing.

Also, even though I found it a terrible film, that film Signs does the same kind of thing with aliens. Really bad aliens, but aliens nonetheless.

Good points. I didn't see 'The Stand', but I read the book -- before King inserted several hundred more pages into it. It's been a long time, and although I remember some sort of Christian reference, I can't recall the details. Have to check out the movie.

'Signs' had plusses and minuses for me, but you're basically right about it.

 

[StefanHaynes]

Well, there is nothing scarier than this film.

So I guess there's your answer.

 

[David W. Richardson]

Haven't seen 'Frailty'. Another one to add to my list.

 

[DeSica]

What the poo poo are you talking about? I was making a specific reference to things like the Inquisition, Salem, etc, things in Christian history that would make good horror material. But the problem with using that stuff as horror material, is that the horrors are generally perpetrated by the "good" guys. That was my point.

Right...you brought up people who were supposed to be on the side of good doing evil things.

What is not horrific about that? What, exactly, about supposed Christians burning women at the stake isn't the epitome of horror? The whole thought process behind it is so crazy it is chilling.

Toss a suspected witch in the river, and if she drowns, she is innocent...if she floats, it means she is made of wood, and is therefore guilty of being a witch, so she burns?

Wtf? Why not prick her with a pin...if maple syrup comes out, she's guilty...

The Inquisition is even worse. I think Cheney and Rumsfeld were running it at one point...

What is even scarier is that these morons thought they were in the right....

I thought there was a sense of pointing out hypocracy in your post, (which would not be entirely unwarranted) so I sought to balance it with a broader view.

I don't see how having the good guys do bad things doesn't work.

It did in Unforgiven, Magnum Force, Internal Affairs, No Way Out...

 

[David W. Richardson]

The point is, I'm looking for good guys being GOOD guys. I'm interested in a storyline involving a GOOD Christian fighting against an EVIL entity or person. There are a blue million movies out there that trash Christians, portraying them all as either evil, sadistic, perverted, stupid, misguided, backward, closeminded or dull. I'd like to do something different here, if that's alright.

Is it just going to be impossible to discuss the idea of making a Christian movie without lapsing into a big fight about Christianity itself? If that's the case, then it's a real shame -- since this is a filmmaking site, after all.

 

[David W. Richardson]

That's pretty typical stuff. Look at "The Stand." It's a good read anyway. Also, watch Buffy. Lot of the same kind of themes, phrased differently, but handled very very well, with superb characters. Amazing writing.

Also, even though I found it a terrible film, that film Signs does the same kind of thing with aliens. Really bad aliens, but aliens nonetheless.

I realize that the whole 'good vs evil' thing is fairly standard. But the twist is in having a Christian person waging the battle, relying strongly on his/her faith. The challenge would be to devise a story that even staunch Christians could support, but that would also be mainstream enough to appeal to a segment of the horror audience. It's a difficult balancing act at best, and I'm not completely sure it can be done.

 

[Blaine]

I realize that the whole 'good vs evil' thing is fairly standard. But the twist is in having a Christian person waging the battle, relying strongly on his/her faith. The challenge would be to devise a story that even staunch Christians could support, but that would also be mainstream enough to appeal to a segment of the horror audience. It's a difficult balancing act at best, and I'm not completely sure it can be done.

Generally, the problem you're going to run into is "preaching to the choir." To actually make a movie with wider appeal that just the Christian community is going to be a challenge due to the limitations placed upon it by that same Christian community.

 

[David W. Richardson]

Generally, the problem you're going to run into is "preaching to the choir." To actually make a movie with wider appeal that just the Christian community is going to be a challenge due to the limitations placed upon it by that same Christian community.

Exactly! That's a tightrope, no doubt about it. Which is why I asked the original question -- CAN it be done? I'm not convinced it can. On the other hand, it seems to me that a Christian put to the test battling the ultimate Evil should be a story interesting enough to grab audience from both sides of the aisle.

 

[David W. Richardson]

On the plus side, controversy has always been good for box office. Well, if not always, then at least often. I have no doubt that a Christian horror movie would raise some ire among the far right wing Christians -- as well as, perhaps, some in the far left. Such a furor might actually fuel sales among people in between those two poles.

 

[Blaine]

I have no doubt that a Christian horror movie would raise some ire among the far right wing Christians

Quite honestly, this is your hardest sell. But extremists in anything are just that. There are open minded Christians just as there are open minded people of any ilk. The problem is when the "few" tend to make the decisions for the "many."

 

[David W. Richardson]

Quite honestly, this is your hardest sell. But extremists in anything are just that. There are open minded Christians just as there are open minded people of any ilk. The problem is when the "few" tend to make the decisions for the "many."

I wouldn't try to convince the far right wingers. It wouldn't work anyway. Nobody can please everybody. But I think if the Christian character is handled in a way that respects his/her faith, shows that faith in a positive light, and conveys that it's the strength of that faith that helped him/her prevail over Evil -- then that will resonate with a great many Christians. The trick will be to incorporate enough horror elements to attract horror movie fans, without alienating the Christians who might also find the movie interesting.

But hey -- what's life without challenges, eh? :smile:

 

[Blaine]

The trick will be to incorporate enough horror elements to attract horror movie fans, without alienating the Christians who might also find the movie interesting.

But hey -- what's life without challenges, eh? :smile:

And that is the real challenge. Good luck with it.

 

[David W. Richardson]

And that is the real challenge. Good luck with it.

Thanks!

 

[Blaine]

One of the things I would personally find the hardest to reconcile would be the language. From a writer's standpoint, I like to write dialogue that squares with my image of how people talk. This seems to be the biggest sticking point with the "Christian" audience. I mean even a PG-13 is sometimes frowned upon, and just forget the R rating.

 

[David W. Richardson]

One of the things I would personally find the hardest to reconcile would be the language. From a writer's standpoint, I like to write dialogue that squares with my image of how people talk. This seems to be the biggest sticking point with the "Christian" audience. I mean even a PG-13 is sometimes frowned upon, and just forget the R rating.

Good point. I'm actually dealing with that now. I'm working on a script for a Christian feature called 'The Second Mile'. In short, the story involves a Christian woman carjacked by a decidedly UN-Christian man -- a vicious thug. His language needs to be characteristic of his anger, rage, etc. -- so it needs to be liberally peppered with expletives. There will be many Christians who won't be happy about that, but I really can't see any way around it without diluting the reality I'm trying to create.

 

[Blaine]

Good point. I'm actually dealing with that now. I'm working on a script for a Christian feature called 'The Second Mile'. In short, the story involves a Christian woman carjacked by a decidedly UN-Christian man -- a vicious thug. His language needs to be characteristic of his anger, rage, etc. -- so it needs to be liberally peppered with expletives. There will be many Christians who won't be happy about that, but I really can't see any way around it without diluting the reality I'm trying to create.

And that's the real heart of the matter...what I'd call artistic integrity. Too often, your target audience is going to be offended by that. The problem is, is that IS reality. I understand the desire for wholesome entertainment, but to be true to your artistic integrity you really can't have a character be "out of character" and still be believable. This is the largest divergence between the mass audience and the "Christian" audience. I put Christian in quotes here because they certainly have no monopoly on wholesomeness, though they are the largest pursuant audience of said wholesomeness.

 

[David W. Richardson]

Well, as Stan Frieberg said, "Well, just run it up the flag pole and see if anybody salutes."

 

[David W. Richardson]

And that's the real heart of the matter...what I'd call artistic integrity. Too often, your target audience is going to be offended by that. The problem is, is that IS reality. I understand the desire for wholesome entertainment, but to be true to your artistic integrity you really can't have a character be "out of character" and still be believable. This is the largest divergence between the mass audience and the "Christian" audience. I put Christian in quotes here because they certainly have no monopoly on wholesomeness, though they are the largest pursuant audience of said wholesomeness.

Well, right now I don't think there are too many 'crossover' films -- trying to reach both mainstream and Christian audiences. Most Christian films are, as someone put it, 'preaching to the choir' -- only Christians will be interested in watching them. There are a few exceptions. I think 'End Of The Spear' could appeal to a broader audience, but wasn't promoted well enough.

At any rate, 'preaching to the choir' movies are, indeed, going to be wholesome entertainment -- suitable for people of all ages. But Christians -- adult Christians, that is -- are not children, and they don't necessarily need to always be treated like children. I believe there's a hunger out there for more intelligent, more 'grown up' entertainment that will appeal to a Christian audience.

'Passion of the Christ' is an example in some ways. Definitely not for the timid or faint of heart. Not suitable for children. A brutal and powerful movie, 'Passion' made a HUGE amount of money -- and it wasn't even in English! To me, that says there's a strong market out there. Tapping into that market might take some trial and error, but I believe in the long run it will be worth it.

 

[Blaine]

Yes, but Passion of the Christ was by no means a horror movie. In fact it was aimed at the heart of Christianity. I'm not really sure you can make a horror movie that will satisfy the audience. Perhaps the closest thing would be Something Wicked This Way Comes and I'm not sure it would be embraced.


EDIT: Okay, you could probably to some kind of horror theme integrated into a Little House on the Prairie kind of thing...I suppose. Of course I could never bring myself to watch Little House, but I'm sure it appealed to a lot of people since it stayed on TV for so long.

 

[David W. Richardson]

Yes, but Passion of the Christ was by no means a horror movie. In fact it was aimed at the heart of Christianity. I'm not really sure you can make a horror movie that will satisfy the audience. Perhaps the closest thing would be Something Wicked This Way Comes and I'm not sure it would be embraced.


EDIT: Okay, you could probably to some kind of horror theme integrated into a Little House on the Prairie kind of thing...I suppose. Of course I could never bring myself to watch Little House, but I'm sure it appealed to a lot of people since it stayed on TV for so long.

Actually, I mentioned 'Passion' in reference to my 'The Second Mile' project -- I agree that a Christian horror movie would be a whole different ballgame. But 'Passion' proved that Christian audiences can deal with stronger, more powerful stories, rather than just the 'wholesome' kind of fare.