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Scream Queens Spotlights Women in Horror

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:30:00 -0700

Starting tonight, VH1 is searching for the next queen of horror film. In Scream Queens, 10 unknown actresses will put their shrieking, crying, and butt-kicking skills to the test for the chance to win a feature role in the upcoming Saw VI. (Yes, there's going to be a Saw VI.)

The trailer for the show looks kind of hilariously awesome, in that White Rapper Show-esque, self-aware kind of way. But it's also gotten me thinking about women in horror generally and whether this show is a good or a bad thing.

On the one hand, well, the title says a lot: The show's looking for someone who can scream all damsel-in-distress-style, presumably while being attacked by some menacing thing. So often in horror movies, female sexuality and violence go hand-in-hand. You certainly would never see a competition looking for male screamers, right? But on the other hand, the trailer seems to be playing up the ass-kicking aspect of being a horror star, and show judge (and original Saw gal) Shawnee Smith has said there's a lot more to being a "scream queen" than just playing the victim.

In this Halloween month, it's as good a time as any to get talking about women in horror - so I invite you to post your thoughts on that below. You can check out the Scream Queens trailer if you read more.

Photo courtesy of VH1

NBC Gets Top Talent for 13-Episode Horror Anthology

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:29:18 -0800

NBC has lured top-notch horror writers, directors and actors to collaborate on Fear Itself, a 13-episode anthology series of suspense and horror stories that sounds like it's going to be genuinely cool and scary.

Some of the notable actors involved include Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Shiri Appleby (Charlie Wilson's War), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Cynthia Watros (Lost) and Eric Roberts (Heroes). The group of writers chosen to contribute features Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Dan Knauf (Carnivale, Supernatural), and a bunch of guys from Masters of Horror, among others. As for directors, they've roped in Mary Harron (American Psycho), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason, Bride of Chucky) and Ernest Dickerson (Heroes), along with several others.

To find out which of the episodes sound the most intriguingly freaky to me, read more.

You can find a full rundown of all the episodes here. The ones I'm most looking forward to are "Nightmare in Lace" ("On her wedding day, a beautiful bride receives a mysterious note that reads: 'The person you are marrying is a serial killer.'") and "Eater" ("A rookie cop (Moss) must spend her first night in the precinct watching over a serial killer, coined 'The Eater' (Stephen R. Hart). When her fellow cops start acting bizarre, she quickly learns that no one is who they seem.").

What do you think of NBC's horror-fest? Will you tune in for Fear Itself?

Teeth: Carrie Meets Jaws in a Feminist Revenge Fantasy

GiggleSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

GiggleSugar caught this scary/funny movie recently and awesomely offered to write up a review. Thanks, Giggle!

Dawn (the gorgeous and talented Jess Weixler, recalling a young Reese Witherspoon) is a naïve high school virgin who wears unicorn T-shirts, gives motivational speeches on behalf of her teen abstinence organization "The Promise," and whose body hides a secret that is revealed (or, more accurately, confirmed) only after she goes to the gynecologist: her vagina has teeth. One after another, molesters, rapists and just plain creeps find that Dawn has a nasty surprise waiting for them if they mess with her.

Director Mitchell Lichtenstein (son of Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein) makes the most of this crazy premise in his horror movie Teeth, which could have merely reversed male-on-female violence, inviting the audience to revel in watching Dawn’s vajayjay rip men to shreds. Although there is quite a bit of that, Lichtenstein also uses the horror movie genre and the vagina dentata myth to explore the roots of male misogyny (fear of the female body coupled with desire for it), and the ways that our culture reinforces it. Teeth is a smart, hilarious, and “ewww”-inducing gorefest that will have you thinking about men, women, and the state of our sexual culture long after the audience’s hooting and hollering has stopped ringing in your ears. To see what I mean, read more

Teeth contrasts Dawn’s purity with the besmirched environment around her. Toxic smoke spews from nuclear reactors behind her family’s house and may be the cause of Dawn’s “mutation." Her stepbrother Brad (John Hensley) is a surly goth punk who lusts after his beautiful stepsister. And when Dawn walks to her high school and angel music plays in the background, she’s assaulted by a phalanx of teens making fun of her vow of chastity. “Let’s pop her cherry,” one of them taunts.

Although sex is an ever-present external threat to Dawn, it’s a tribute to Teeth's sensitivity and intelligence that it’s also depicted as an internal threat that Dawn eventually makes peace with. Teeth, in other words, is no pro-abstinence film. Dawn’s sexual awakening in the form of her desire for Tobey (Hale Appleman), a fellow abstinence buddy, troubles her. Yet, after her body reacts involuntarily to various male molestations the way a toothed vagina would be expected to react (not very kindly), she begins to own this power, having the ability to chomp or not to chomp depending on how comfortable she is with the sexual situation she’s in. In one scene, she looks boldly at herself in the mirror with a new appreciation of the body she once feared.

With a clever script, great actors, and more severed penises than a man or woman would ever want to see, Teeth turns the horror genre on its head. You’ll never again watch a vulnerable woman in a horror flick without anticipating a "chomp" sound followed by a man’s blood-curdling shriek-and you'll be a better person for it!

Source

It's a Scream: 5 Funniest Scary Movies

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:30:26 -0700

Ever notice how easy it is to laugh when you're scared? Breaking the tension in a freaky film can make you laugh the hardest, and some of my favorite scary movies are those that tread the comedy genre. Zombieland, opening this Friday, looks like it's going to be as hilarious as it is creepy, and Transylmania, due this Winter, satirizes the horror genre. I tend to watch a lot of scary movies behind my hands, but if there's a good plot and, even better, great jokes, I'm into it. Check out some of my favorites that make you both shudder and giggle.

View Slideshow ›

Who Do You Think Will Have the Biggest Post-Twilight Career?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:42 -0800

Alice Cullen is moving beyond Twilight: Actress Ashley Greene is in talks for a ghostly film titled The Apparition. The story follows a couple who is haunted after an experiment goes awry. Greene would play the female lead, so no more playing second fiddle to Bella!

I'll be honest, I wasn't all that familiar with Greene - or some of the other New Moon actors - before Twilight took off. Kristen Stewart's career was perhaps the most well known, but the gang's notoriety couldn't even touch the recognition they receive now. They're already landing big-name magazine covers, and I'm sure films like The Apparition are just the tip of the iceberg for Greene and the group as Twilight mania continues.

It makes me curious though - who do you think is going to get the most out of the film's success? Obviously, your first pick might be heartthrob Robert Pattinson, but let's not forget that it's sometimes hard for an actor to break out of a role that made him huge, since everyone associates them with the part. Maybe Kristen Stewart is a stronger choice since she had already established a growing career before Twilight took over? Or maybe even someone who's more on the sidelines, like Kellan Lutz?

Link Time! Is Steven Tyler Leaving Aerosmith?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:10 -0800

Joe Perry says that Steven Tyler may have quit Aerosmith - Vulture
Leighton Meester's music video with Robin Thicke involves a lot of writhing - E! Online
The team behind the movie Se7en is reuniting for a new film - Cinematical
Eminem, aka Slim Shady, takes on a horror 3D film appropriately titled Shady Talez. - MTV Movies Blog
Harriet the Spy is getting made into a TV movie for Disney, but this time, she blogs - TV.com
Here's what (500) Days of Summer would've looked like without a script - Movieline
Demi Moore promotes two new movies in December's W magazine - PopSugar
Ashlee Simpson may be coming to Broadway as Roxie in Chicago - Zap2it
The 20 worst cover songs ever - EW

Buzz In: Which Scary Movies Do You Like - Horror or Thriller?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:30:01 -0700

Paranormal Activity, out today, is a scary movie in the vein of The Blair Witch Project in that it seems to be filmed by the characters in the movie. The characters are a couple who start experiencing some eerie happenings in their hotel room and decide to film it, and word is, it's the most terrifying movie in a long time.

Confession: I'm a bit of a 'fraidy cat, but I love a good thriller with an enthralling plot, which is why I might see this movie (OK, I might wait for it to come to DVD when I can hide behind a blanket in my home, but whatevs). I eat up movies where the scares are based on genuine thrills, but that's as far as I go.

When it comes to the horror genre, though, I'm averse. Gore doesn't scare me in that fun way - it grosses me out and gives me nightmares. However, I know plenty of people who live for the grossest, ickiest, slice-and-dice horror flicks (I'm looking at you, FabSugar). But for me, the Scream movies are the goriest I go - and yes, I'll be seeing Scream IV opening day. Which kinds of scary movies do you prefer?

P.S. Speaking of the most terrifying move ever, I might be asking your opinion about that very thing . . . very, very soon. Stay tuned.

Buzz Battle: What Is the Scariest Movie Ever?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

We're almost at the end of our long battle to determine the Scariest Movie of All Time. The two movies left standing are definitely among the classics of the horror genre: The Exorcist and The Shining. We've heard some pretty heavy arguments for each side, (particularly from my girl Fab, a horror aficionado who is on team Shining all the way) - and even the Buzz editors stand as a team divided. In today's Buzz battle, we'll give you our arguments on why each movie deserves the ultimate title.

Editor S will support The Shining while Editor B will make a case for The Exorcist. Don't forget to make your own pick after reading our arguments!

Editor S: As someone's who's long been a chicken about watching scary movies, I tend to get freaked out by a horror flick, and then eventually get over it. I have never gotten over The Shining. It's scary because it's more disturbing than anything; it's not a supernatural story like The Exorcist that you can choose not to believe in; cabin fever could realistically happen to someone - someone you know.
Editor B rebuttal: I will admit that I do think The Shining is terrifying, but it didn't haunt me the way The Exorcist does. That face? That voice? The imagery of a girl crabwalking backwards down the stairs is imprinted in my brain! You can't unsee that kinda stuff, though I wish I could. And cabin fever may be real, but The Exorcist left me believing that maybe possession is real too.

To see the rest of the arguments, just read more.

Editor S: The Shining has just about every horrific horror film element you can think of: gore, psychological disintegration, cabin fever, possession; but none of them define the movie. It's such a complex, well done film with great acting and directing. While there are a few shocks, some of the scariest moments of the movie are the quietest, like when you gaze down an empty hall, see Jack at his desk, working, or discover what's been typed on Jack's typewriter over and over again with his wife. Because the terror is so simmering and pervasive in the movie, there's no time you can stop stressing out, no calm scenes in between the madness.
Editor B rebuttal: The Exorcist has all the elements that make horror films fun and terrifying at the same time. Monstrous images? Check. Creepy child? Check. Excessive amounts of bodily fluids (hello, green bile)? Check. Not to mention the over-the-top campiness, suspenseful moments, and perhaps the scariest theme music of all time. Oh, and levitation. Talk about being stressed out - just when you think there's a safe moment, a vision of the devil flashes across the scene, trying to brainwash us all.
Editor S closing argument: With most scary movies, you can become desensitized to a gory murder scene, tell yourself it's just a movie, but that doesn't work with The Shining. It stays with you more; even as great an actor as Jack Nicholson is, I'll never not see him wielding an axe at his terrified wife. And I'm also irrationally scared of empty hotels.
Editor B: The Exorcist is the kind of movie that you can watch at 10:30 in the morning, surrounded by friends and family, and still be scared to your core. (Ever had a daymare? This is the fast track to get you there). Jack Nicholson went on to find fame with other films, but nobody could ever look at Linda Blair again without envisioning her head turning all the way around.

So, which movie has your vote?

Happy Halloween From BuzzSugar!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:54 -0700

Happy Halloween, everyone! If you're looking for a few treats before the tricks begin, I've got a whole goodie bag for you! First, head over to my scary movie bracket and vote for the scariest movie of all time! (If you need some help deciding, here are the Buzz Team's arguments on each film's behalf).

Then, put on my playlist of spooky tunes to get you in the mood while you take my horror movie trivia quiz. If you're on the fence about plans for tonight, you could throw together a movie-inspired costume or rent one of my Halloween movies for wimps. Enjoy!

Join the BuzzSugar Community!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

I've given you guys tons of Halloween stuff to get you in the spirit, but if you're the kind of person who enjoys scary movies or TV shows all year 'round, check out the BuzzSugar Community. It's full of groups devoted to spooky entertainment offerings like these guys.

Ghost Whisperer Fans	Twilight the Saga	Vampire.Witch.Halloween.enthusiast
Hooked on Vampire Diaries	The Friday Night Horror Club	True Blood Southern Vampire Series