Think of films as food. Mark has developed his palate over the years to that of a gastronome - needing exciting new flavours and textures to feel satisfied. The Conjuring is a steak dinner. A well-cooked steak dinner, you might argue, with good quality meat, complementary accompaniments and just the right amount of seasoning. But it's still just a steak dinner. And, to be fair, lots of people love a good steak.
He's right. It's basically all atmosphere, quiet bits that lead to big loud bits, intermixed with creepy visuals. It's well done, but it didn't scare me enough to make me jump. I did enjoy the film though.
what kermode is missing is the enjoyment he'd have if he just took each film he watched at face value, instead of expecting every horror film to be the exorcist and every science fiction film to be blade runner. it's a jaded way to approach watching films of any genre. . .
Being an enthusiast often means losing the ability to appreciate what everyone else enjoys. The trick is to jump from one subject to another, otherwise you'll get so enthused that you'll only be able to enjoy the meta stuff.
I am 47 and it is because we are not surprised, we know what happens in a horror film when there is a mirror, a closet, or when the character lights a match in a dark stairway etc etc.
I saw the Conjuring a week ago and thinking about it still really creeps me out. Along with that, I appreciated the use of ominous sounds and practical effects instead of relying heavily on blood and gore. And in terms of the ending scene, only being able to see a portion of what's scary in that scene shortly before seeing it all, heightened the tension for me. It's a great movie in my opinion.
I think it’s a modern classic horror film! There is every cliche in the book in this film but I was totally gripped all the way. The director has done some really good films such as Insidious which is another classic in my view!
I don't see appeal much at all with The Conjuring or Insidious films. Thought the first Conjuring was pretty decent and the first half of Insidious was pretty good, everything after both series was pretty rubbish
I loved it. I thought it was expertly made, the characters were well developed, I cared about them. I'm not sure I would say it's scary so much as creepy and suspenseful. But I loved it, I loved the atmosphere and the performances. Vera Farmiga in particular is excellent. One of the best of the summer and year.
I've never been keen on horror films, while these films might make me jump occasionally they never truly unsettle me and they're normally grotesque and loud rather than psychologically disturbing. Horror video games do a better job of creating that connection that most modern horror films lack for me. Actually the scariest things are those films that are unsettling, that are so brutally real they take you back. Dead Man's Shoes is a favourite, the laughter quickly drained when it kicked off.
I think maybe we are not scared because it's so difficult nowadays to come up with scares we haven't seen a million times already. We know when the girl goes to the mirrored bathroom cabinet, opens it, gets something out and closes it, there will be something grotesque in the mirror over her shoulder. And cue a loud screechy music riff. There's a big difference between making someone jump and making someone scared.
I'll be watching The Conjuring tomorrow. While I don't watch these sorts of modern jump scare horror films often, I do think they have their time and place. The Conjuring seems to me like a fun film to watch as a fun social event with friends, while A Field In England is more fitted to lone viewing. They're different beasts and while I'll likely enjoy A Field In England more, I think they both have their place.
I loved horror films as a teenager/early twenties, but they become less scary as I get I get older. The last film to really give me chills was the Orphanage as it really got under my skin through subtle shocks. I believe it's the tone they get wrong these days - The Exorcist worked back in 1973 because it has a very natural/docu drama feel which was quite fresh back then. The horror films of today feel too contrived/glossy, using the same old tricks which just wash over this jaded film fan.
I think it doesn't do it for most people these days because we have learned how to READ a horror film - not to mention majority of cinema which is bound by the cinematic language anyone can learn through watching hundreds if not thousands of films. Like that clip at the end of this video, you just know some scary image is going to pop up somewhere occupied by a sound effect.
To me the ultimate horror film-type is Hitchcock's "The Birds" simply because it's something that would never happen, but could. It doesn't rely on paranormal, on jump cuts, just truly terrifying imagery on the screen.
I had the same experience the young crowd around me were in hysterics and I barely flinched. it was like they had never seen a horror film before. way over-hyped.
That's exactly how I felt about the remake of The Amityville Horror. I sat there, bored, while the audience screamed their heads off at every single "boo." No atmosphere, no tension, just a moment of silence, then BANG. As pompous as it may sound, I think the type of audience that shrieks and jumps at these movies are people who THINK they like horror movies, but really only like movies with the most innocuous and obvious of scares. Something they can scream and laugh at then forget about.
I agree. Once I heard the Zombies singing "Time of the Season" I knew the producers were falling back on the cliché of using that song to say "hey, we're in the 60s or early 70s". I bet this movies' screenplay was vetted by a committee.
Having been closely involved with a family that had similar experiences, I can honestly say that Wan does a great job of capturing the growing sense of dread and of a normal life suddenly spinning wildly out of control.
true. but horror fans can sometimes enjoy a horror film even if they are not scared, just because they love the genre and all its predictable conventions.
Totally agree with Mark Kermode, having seen the film for first time recently. Good cast and slick production, but it wanders about somewhat. The narrative and mood are not solidly nailed down and the frights are mostly ho hum.
Of the reviews I've read on The Conjuring, the consensus is film offers effective, old-school scares. If this is going to work, it depends on what kind of horror you are used to. For the casual viewers who haven't seen as much, it will be more profound, but for hardcore horror fanatics it may have less impact for they are immune to jump scares. This doesn't mean however, that the hardcore fans can't appreciate the effort put in to maintain the strength of these scares for mainstream audiences.
The Conjuring was executed much better than most recent horror films that do well in the theaters but definitely was not terrifying. It was just a fun watch. A great movie that is unsettling and creepy is Session 9. I'm sure you've seen it Mark. That movie does everything very well!
I am a huge horror fan. It's been years since I can remember be truly frightened by a film. That is, until I saw The Conjuring. Out of the hundreds of so-called 'scary' films I've seen, The Conjuring is one of the most terrifying. It understands that anticipation and dread is everything you need to setup a good scare. I experienced true fear in the cinema, for the first time.
I’m no horror fan but I know that once you get too much of something you’ll very likely become desensitized from it and in this genre pretty much everything has been done already. The best way to enjoy horror cinema is to try to imagine we’re seeing everything for the first time, even elements that are obviously “borrowed” from previous films and I’m looking forward to apply this to The Conjuring. BTW Dr. K, you’re a very selective horror fan, when was the last time you liked a horror film?
I do find I have this problem with mysteries. Having watched and read many, many mysteries over the years, I find there are very few movie mysteries that are mysterious at all. Usually I guess everything just a few minutes in. In fact, sometimes I come up with a much more interesting solution than the one that happens in the film. Real surprises and unexpected plot twists are a great pleasure and are rare treasures to be savoured.
If you're in the theatre surrounded by distractions than you are not going to get involved with the picture. I felt The Conjuring was a very effective chiller and got goosebumps at several moments during the duration, but if the crowd around me was pulling me out of the experience than I wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. I'd put some of the blame on a bad audience there.
Revolutionary horror movies show you that which you are least prepared to see. That which is going to be most painful for you to confront. And they force that confrontation, and then we fall in love with them, because they gave us catharsis. That which we've faced loses its power over us. What in the premise of The Conjuring gives the promise of this? It is literally described as a mashup of three other horror films, all of which came out in the 70's or 80's.
Think of movies as food. Mark has developed his palate to that of a gastronome, needing interesting new flavours and textures in order to be satisfied. The Conjuring is a steak dinner. It may be a particularly well-cooked steak dinner - with some succulent meat, decent accompaniments and the right amount of seasoning - but it's still just a steak dinner.
Exactly right. 'Atmosphere' is what makes something like The Exorcist frightening. The film feels evil. Jump scares completely spoil any atmosphere. It's been a long time since I felt that unspoiled queasy unease throughout the full length of a movie. Perhaps Kill List was the last thing that made me feel like that.
I personally don't watch horror filns but happened to see this one and despite me knowing what was coming as many of the frights were incredibly predictable I still flinched, but perhaps this is because my horror 'senses' are sill very sensitive unlike your own which are dulled from years of watching horror films.
I was at that screening, and completely agree with you. My conclusion is that horror films are either not scary anymore or I have become too desensitised to them.
I'd really like to see it; mainly because it's directed by James Wan who made Death Sentence which was a really underrated revenge thriller, worth seeing! I'll keep my expectations low after what Kermode has said though. I am a huge horror fan although as I get older sadly I feel I'm getting more squeamish at films with alot of jump-scares such as The Conjuring by the looks of it. I found The Woman in Black last year excruciatingly tense
I think that the scariest film that I've ever seen is Bergman's 'The Seventh Seal'. Judging by the fact that Dr. Kermode puts this in his Sight and Sound cote for top 10 films of all time, maybe he agrees with me to a certain extent.
Classic film on BBC1 now.. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. Re: The conjuring, nope I don't really enjoy being scared, .. seeing the Exorcist in 1975 had a terrifying effect on me..I've never wanted a film to be over so badly, yet unable to leave my seat through sheer terror.
Mark, I think that you may have outgrown horror films. But if you ever want a genuine scare try out the computer game called: Amnesia. I know you do not fancy video games but, I do think that video games have the potential to be more terrifying than films because in a horror video game:You are the person walking around the mansion with monsters in it, and it's you having to make the effort to open a door and see what's behind it. And added onto all that its more immersive because its all in POV
I was waiting to hear your thoughts on The Conjuring Mark, I find I completely agree with you when it comes to horror so I guess I'll skip it now I know what you think. I completely agree about that scene from A Field In England though, genuinely terrifying.
You're from a different generation of horror fan Mark. In my day we had the golden age of horror. Evil Dead, Alien, Phantasm, Friday 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, Exorcist, Christine.... this was before the words "franchise" and "sequel" were common place and movies became the throw away commodity they are to most 20-somethings. they are more interested in seeing Transformers 6823 than anything of worth or challenge, and the movie companies are more interested in money that though provoking
I think being scared is like laughing in the sense that it's a social thing. If I'm sitting alone at home watching a comedy, I probably won't laugh, but if I were watching it with friends, I would. Yes, you were with a crowd, but if you felt distanced from them, you probably distanced yourself from the way they were reacting and, by extension, the film itself. Or not.
Horror fans are always looking for the next big scare. If you've spent a lifetime watching horror films then eventually you will become immune to the beats. Unfortunately, there are far fewer ways to scare someone than there are to unsettle someone, so if you're not likely to be scared, you're better off being unsettled, ala A Field in England,
I am not a horror fan and have seen very few horror movies. Though I have no intension of seeing The Conjuring, the ads alone look scary to me. I am sure I would be one of the people jumping, shrieking, and laughing in the theatre. I would also be one of those people having nightmares about it later. Since I managed to scare myself by watching "The Black Dahlia" and "The Changeling" by myself, I would call myself an easy scare.
Not sure it was just you Mark - me and my friend were put off this film mainly from the trailer alone, it just looked unbelievably cliched and even in the trailer we predicted every single jump-scare and what would happen next. It just looked like you could slap any horror film name on it from recent years - Paranormal Activity 5 Country Edition could've worked.
I really liked Wan's Insidious, not because it's amazingly scary - it isn't - but for its several remarkably (for a mainstream release) peculiar scenes. Gas masks and Tiny Tim, etc. The gut-punching shocks are well enough staged, and a few of them caught me off guard. It is also very polished for a nearly micro-budgeted (1.5 million?) major release. Oddly, I saw The Evil Dead as a kid and nothing in it scared me. Great example of what can be done with next to nothing ... but that's all.
I know I'm going to be hated for saying this but viewing movies at home is just so much better. No giggling, horrible adverts, tall people blocking your view, impromptu bathroom breaks where you miss five minutes of the film or seven dollar popcorn. And you can rewind and run the closed captioning to follow mumbled asides and critical exposition.
He's right. It's basically all atmosphere, quit bits that lead to big loud bits, intermixed with creepy visuals. It's well done, but it didn't scare me enough to make me jump. I did enjoy the film though.
I agree with Mark on this. That scene in Field In England was creepy and go to think about I never been scare of films about haunted houses or a psycho in a mask. The films that scare me are films like Inland Empire which feel like you are stepping into someone's nightmare. And yes I will watch Conjouring
I'm from America so I was able to see The Conjuring on July 19. I was looking forward to it because I absolutely love horror films and I saw its 85% "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and very positive reviews, and while I did really like it, I didn't "love" it at all. I had fun with it but it didn't stay with me at all like The Shining, something that still terrifies me just by thinking about it. Clichés are something that don't bother me if they're handled well and/or satirically.
Think of movies as food. Mark has developed his palate to that of a gastronome, needing interesting new flavours and textures in order to be satisfied. The Conjuring is a steak dinner. It may be a particulat
Don't give up on horror. There is a lot of tripe in the horror genre (sometimes because the creators feel they're slumming), and it was ever thus. Stay strong! A 'The Woman', a "Kill List", or an "American Mary" will come along.
I am looking forward to The Conjuring, mainly due to the films rave reviews, as Mark mentions, and fellow horror fanatics Tweeting its praises. I however share the same apprehension as Mark has just confirmed - immunity to the jump-scares and generic narrative devices. Seen it ALL before (apart from Reece Shearsmith demonically emerging from a tent - thank you Ben Wheatley), but still hoping James Wan has one or two new tricks up his sleeve. Bring on August 2nd.
I would like to consider myself as at least on the fringes of horror cognoscenti (8 years of Frightfest, film ed of website, Alan Jones says hello to me etc) and I watched The Conjuring with the FFest crowd and thought it was scary as anything! It built up tension well, handled the boo scares very well and it was technically excellent. That review sounded exactly like your "I don't get Borat/Superbad etc" reviews - everyone else laughing, you thinking 'why?' - you were wrong then and wrong now!
After a while, especially if you're an avid horror fan, jump-scares grow tiresome and ineffective. I, like Mark, am desensitised to them, and would attribute that to the fact that I've seen it done all too frequently. I was still impressed by this film, though. It reminded me that the best horror films are the ones that bother to develop the characters and get you emotionally invested. It didn't just PIG OUT on jump-scares and omit the necessary drama. Kudos for that, very rare these days :)
The modern Horror Film, typified by Paranormal Activity, Insidious etc. fills pretty much the same niche in entertainment as a rollercoaster. It's something some friends can experience, get a quick thrill out of, and laugh at each other's reactions afterwards. The average cinema-goes doesn't want to sit through something like Audition, with a great long buildup to a truly horrifying finale, one big scare that will stick with you afterwards. I will not be watching The Conjuring.
I will buy the Blu Ray when it comes out but it's not special enough to warrant a movie theater visit, which I reserve for movies that sound worthy enough to be experienced on the big screen. BTW: I saw the new evil Dead last weekend on Blu Ray. Technically competent movie but in no way or form scary.
I'm not really great with horror films honestly but I've been trying to ramp myself up to full fledged horror films, like The Shining. Fantastic film in my opinion. Although this situation reminds me remarkably of the release of the original Paranormal Activity. Lots of glowing reviews, people raving about it everywhere, hell, one of the most viewed videos on RUclips is essentially a trailer for Paranormal Activity, which I found incredibly disappointing. I'll probably watch Conjuring on DVD.
Films like Insidious and Conjuring are nicely made popcorn horror IMO. They play out the old tropes, perform the same jump scares that have been done million times before. But that's kind of the point. They've been done before because if pulled off proficiently they work. They're the climb and drop of a roller-coaster. Nothing profound in it, nothing really scary, just entertainment. Fire Walk With Me by far filled me with more unsettled dread and fear leading to real horror.
I had high hopes for this one, as I had heard good reviews of it, and I am a hardcore horror fan (not slasher fan but true horror movies). So I decided to wait till it came to itunes and bought it. I enjoyed the film, for what it was, But just like you Mark, found that as it went on I felt removed from being in it. I will admit any possession style movies or psychologically warped films are my favourites, and that is where I find asian horror to still have the edge on western films. I came to the conclusion, it was a fun movie and enjoyed the jumps in it, but found it too cliched in the end. I am still waiting on finding a good horror movie to come out soon, As I may have exhausted the genre so far.
I'm not sure what you're missing. I'm a horror fan who likes the conjuring. I'm also the kind of fan who likes martyrs... idk, I like all three. Maby it's the characters. The scares are well executed, but It could have been anyone in that house. There's something to be said about well executed set pieces intertwined with a person's psychology. Like the "mutant" thing in martyrs. That's my best guess for what's missing.
I'm interested to see it, but I'm also massively sceptical after being bored to tears by Parasnormal Activity 1-45 and being less than convinced by Insidious. I want to be scared, but these films use all the same tricks, I tend to know what's going to happen before it does. Insidious is the closest I've come to being scared. The first half of that film actually had some good moments and slow methodic pacing. God knows what they were thinking when it came to the 2nd half though.
Im a big horror fan. Seen many of the classics. I watched this movie the first say it came out due to my.. interest more with the warrens. Yet i was pleasantly surprised. I did get scared. And was connected with the film, since only 5 people were present in the cinema. I enjoyed the film the first time, i watched it again. However, after word of mouth. The cinema was almost full this time. With the stupid phone calls and chatting which changed my view, that i didnt enjoy the film the 2nd time.
I want to see this badly still. I love horror movies and Mark might not like it so much, but everybody says it scares me. I hope it's scary besides jump scares - that's seriously just cheap and its kinda cheating. Is Mark going to review this on the show again?
I think the main problem with The Conjuring and most modern day, mainstream Horror films is that they are overhyped and overly promoted to the max. So after viewing these films you are left feeling disappointed and short changed by them, certainly if you are a Horror film aficionado anyway. Paint by numbers scares and textbook chills ran their course with me an age ago, The Conjuring looks to be of that ilk. I will still give it a watch though, to see if it has anything of any worth going on it.
Films like Insidious and Conjuring are nicely made popcorn horror IMO. They play out the old troupes, perform the same jump scares that have been done million times before. But that's kind of the point. They've been done before because if pulled off proficiently they work. They're the climb and drop of a roller-coaster. Nothing profound in it, nothing really scary, just entertainment. Fire Walk With Me by far filled me with more unsettled dread and fear leading to real horror.
i don't care for horror films generally, as it's a hugely over saturated genre of very lazily put together films. but i loved this one. it had me on edge for pretty much all of it! my favourite horror films are alien and the thing btw.
Horror films are in vogue again but only as quick roller coaster ride for most people. If you are a big horror fan like me , then alot of stuff now is not going hit you on a deep or profound level. I cant think of any film recently , maybe only " GET OUT" that really shook my tree. But really the golden greats of yesteryear are not being made anymore. I recently saw the SHINING 4k restoration and some bloke was actually asleep during it , probably pissed i supect , snoring away noisly in the cinema. Where I was as mesmerised with it still , however many times i've seen it. I am a film buff and a horror fan , its my passion. But as with all things , its subjective. We cant all like the same thing . We dont all dig the same films. Simple as that.
Can't remember the last time a horror film which was given a big cinema release wasn't apparently 'the scariest film this year' yet still managed to produce something relatively generic and cliched. The things that scare me are disease, nuclear weapons, and the horrific things that people do. Ghosts and monsters don't seem to have much of a place in genuine horror anymore, they just jump out at people and kill off unlikeable characters, seen it hundreds of times and now I'm bored of it.
I don't understand how anyone can get scared in a cinema. Horror should be watched on your own in the dark in an empty house. Add cats for added fear as they randomly come out of nowhere and jump on your lap or start starring at the empty corner of the room and growl.
I understand exactly what you're saying, it worked for non horror fans, the same way The Shinning also works for non horror fans.... But maybe it's because over and over they said how true it was and how this (or something like this happened in reality) happened and here are all the real people and places... it gave me this cold chill and made me really invested in the story.
I'm looking forward to viewing it; but will never go to the cinema again precisely for the reasons you stated. Noisy audiences would ruin the experience for me, especially having paid an extortionate admission fee. Or maybe I'm just getting old!?
For me the air went out of most horror when I became an atheist at 19. Up until then, what added edge to it was a belief that I actually could be visited by a ghost or a demon, or that witchcraft was real. Perhaps for you Mark it's a similar question of maturity - even if you're not an atheist, you're probably well aware that most bumps in the night are innocuous. I suspect that another commenter has the right idea though - you're just so used to horror tropes that they have less impact.
I thought it worked fairly well. I saw it with my brother in a mostly empty theater. I think that worked to the film's advantage because there wasn't any audience tomfoolery taking me out of the film. That being said I thought it could have been more disturbing than it was, although I thought there were good scares with The Conjuring. Didn't reach the greatness of The Omen or The Exorcist.
Let's get one thing straight. This modern slew of films shouldn't have a 'horror genre' attribution. That belongs to films lie, Nosferatu or The Exorcist. Since the turn of the century, however, an offshoot developed which I'd prefer they called 'Startlers' or 'Jumpies'. "Oh I've just been to see Sinister - the best jumpy I've seen in months!"
I'm immensely interested in the concept of the film - nothing satisfies me more than a sinister, brooding, eerie supernatural horror film... all the advertising would have me believe that this film fits that bill - however, I've been disappointed far too many times to take the bait again... the premise of The Conjuring is right up my alley, but I anticipated precisely what's been confirmed by Mark - an inevitable spiral into jump cutting, clumsy excess, and CGI mania - no thanks
I do want to see The Conjuring- I have a interest in the Warrens and ghosts in general.However, I could tell from the trailer that the film was going to be a cliched"quiet bit BANG!!" film. They seem to be exceptionally popular nowadays, and although it is effective (Paranormal Activity does it very well), it is a cheap scare tactic. I've got to the stage where I know the film is going to do it so I'm thinking "Just get on with the bang, I know it's coming." Maybe that's Mark's problem too?
Why does every single horror movie these days has to involve a haunted house or a possession? I just want to see a original, creepy and well executed horror movie for once. Oh and it would be nice if it's actually scarry.
I saw The Conjuring the other day. I would never had seen it if it wasn't for the fact that a bunch of friends were going to see it, the trailers just looked like every modern horror movie. And? The movie was slightly better than every modern horror movie...which isn't really saying much. There was some effective shots but nothing truly scary and I've never considered jump scares as scary. It's at least well acted though I didn't care for the camera constantly moving and zooming.
Can't say Dr. K. I'm very cynical in regards to horror films these days, but I came away very impressed to the film. I found some bad dialogue cliches here and there, but the performances and director James Wan's usage of buildup is what really clicked for me. Also, you guys misspelled Conjuring.
I saw it 2 months before it came out, before the positive reviews etc. I didn't find it scary. Its an exact copy of Amityville and too much like Insidious. One of the reasons why it doesn't fright is because we've seen all these scare devices used before. They're too familiar so you know when they're coming. It doesn't have any subtlety either. People have praised how well its made. Since when is making loud noises inventive? Kermode is on the money with this one.
Modern horror films has come to using cheap scares : attractive teen-like actors in dark moody quiet atmosphere and then... BANG! That is why I don't bother watching horror movies very offend.
I think these days horror films are ruined with the over use of special effects . There is just something about old films that have that twinge of looking slightly unrealistic that somehow made them scarier .
Think of films as food. Mark has developed his palate over the years to that of a gastronome - needing exciting new flavours and textures to feel satisfied. The Conjuring is a steak dinner. A well-cooked steak dinner, you might argue, with good quality meat, complementary accompaniments and just the right amount of seasoning. But it's still just a steak dinner. And, to be fair, lots of people love a good steak.
I think "generic haunted house movie boo" is a pretty accurate description...in a nutshell
Not all Kermodians are horror fans. I hate the genre, I just love your show.
He's right. It's basically all atmosphere, quiet bits that lead to big loud bits, intermixed with creepy visuals. It's well done, but it didn't scare me enough to make me jump. I did enjoy the film though.
what kermode is missing is the enjoyment he'd have if he just took each film he watched at face value, instead of expecting every horror film to be the exorcist and every science fiction film to be blade runner. it's a jaded way to approach watching films of any genre. . .
Being an enthusiast often means losing the ability to appreciate what everyone else enjoys. The trick is to jump from one subject to another, otherwise you'll get so enthused that you'll only be able to enjoy the meta stuff.
I am 47 and it is because we are not surprised, we know what happens in a horror film when there is a mirror, a closet, or when the character lights a match in a dark stairway etc etc.
I saw the Conjuring a week ago and thinking about it still really creeps me out. Along with that, I appreciated the use of ominous sounds and practical effects instead of relying heavily on blood and gore. And in terms of the ending scene, only being able to see a portion of what's scary in that scene shortly before seeing it all, heightened the tension for me. It's a great movie in my opinion.
I think it’s a modern classic horror film! There is every cliche in the book in this film but I was totally gripped all the way. The director has done some really good films such as Insidious which is another classic in my view!
I don't see appeal much at all with The Conjuring or Insidious films. Thought the first Conjuring was pretty decent and the first half of Insidious was pretty good, everything after both series was pretty rubbish
I loved it. I thought it was expertly made, the characters were well developed, I cared about them. I'm not sure I would say it's scary so much as creepy and suspenseful. But I loved it, I loved the atmosphere and the performances. Vera Farmiga in particular is excellent. One of the best of the summer and year.
I've never been keen on horror films, while these films might make me jump occasionally they never truly unsettle me and they're normally grotesque and loud rather than psychologically disturbing. Horror video games do a better job of creating that connection that most modern horror films lack for me.
Actually the scariest things are those films that are unsettling, that are so brutally real they take you back. Dead Man's Shoes is a favourite, the laughter quickly drained when it kicked off.
I think maybe we are not scared because it's so difficult nowadays to come up with scares we haven't seen a million times already.
We know when the girl goes to the mirrored bathroom cabinet, opens it, gets something out and closes it, there will be something grotesque in the mirror over her shoulder. And cue a loud screechy music riff.
There's a big difference between making someone jump and making someone scared.
I'll be watching The Conjuring tomorrow. While I don't watch these sorts of modern jump scare horror films often, I do think they have their time and place. The Conjuring seems to me like a fun film to watch as a fun social event with friends, while A Field In England is more fitted to lone viewing. They're different beasts and while I'll likely enjoy A Field In England more, I think they both have their place.
I loved horror films as a teenager/early twenties, but they become less scary as I get I get older. The last film to really give me chills was the Orphanage as it really got under my skin through subtle shocks. I believe it's the tone they get wrong these days - The Exorcist worked back in 1973 because it has a very natural/docu drama feel which was quite fresh back then. The horror films of today feel too contrived/glossy, using the same old tricks which just wash over this jaded film fan.
I think it doesn't do it for most people these days because we have learned how to READ a horror film - not to mention majority of cinema which is bound by the cinematic language anyone can learn through watching hundreds if not thousands of films. Like that clip at the end of this video, you just know some scary image is going to pop up somewhere occupied by a sound effect.
If someone answered their phone beside me in the cinema I'd go mental, lol
To me the ultimate horror film-type is Hitchcock's "The Birds" simply because it's something that would never happen, but could. It doesn't rely on paranormal, on jump cuts, just truly terrifying imagery on the screen.
I had the same experience the young crowd around me were in hysterics and I barely flinched. it was like they had never seen a horror film before. way over-hyped.
That's exactly how I felt about the remake of The Amityville Horror. I sat there, bored, while the audience screamed their heads off at every single "boo." No atmosphere, no tension, just a moment of silence, then BANG. As pompous as it may sound, I think the type of audience that shrieks and jumps at these movies are people who THINK they like horror movies, but really only like movies with the most innocuous and obvious of scares. Something they can scream and laugh at then forget about.
I agree. Once I heard the Zombies singing "Time of the Season" I knew the producers were falling back on the cliché of using that song to say "hey, we're in the 60s or early 70s". I bet this movies' screenplay was vetted by a committee.
Having been closely involved with a family that had similar experiences, I can honestly say that Wan does a great job of capturing the growing sense of dread and of a normal life suddenly spinning wildly out of control.
true. but horror fans can sometimes enjoy a horror film even if they are not scared, just because they love the genre and all its predictable conventions.
Totally agree with Mark Kermode, having seen the film for first time recently. Good cast and slick production, but it wanders about somewhat. The narrative and mood are not solidly nailed down and the frights are mostly ho hum.
Fantastic film, 6th biggest grossing horror film of all time. White knuckle clenched the seat the whole way through. Adored it!
I don't know why, perhaps its the subject matter, but for some reason that white van that passes in the back ground really seems eerie
Of the reviews I've read on The Conjuring, the consensus is film offers effective, old-school scares. If this is going to work, it depends on what kind of horror you are used to. For the casual viewers who haven't seen as much, it will be more profound, but for hardcore horror fanatics it may have less impact for they are immune to jump scares. This doesn't mean however, that the hardcore fans can't appreciate the effort put in to maintain the strength of these scares for mainstream audiences.
The Conjuring was executed much better than most recent horror films that do well in the theaters but definitely was not terrifying. It was just a fun watch. A great movie that is unsettling and creepy is Session 9. I'm sure you've seen it Mark. That movie does everything very well!
I am a huge horror fan. It's been years since I can remember be truly frightened by a film. That is, until I saw The Conjuring. Out of the hundreds of so-called 'scary' films I've seen, The Conjuring is one of the most terrifying. It understands that anticipation and dread is everything you need to setup a good scare. I experienced true fear in the cinema, for the first time.
I’m no horror fan but I know that once you get too much of something you’ll very likely become desensitized from it and in this genre pretty much everything has been done already. The best way to enjoy horror cinema is to try to imagine we’re seeing everything for the first time, even elements that are obviously “borrowed” from previous films and I’m looking forward to apply this to The Conjuring. BTW Dr. K, you’re a very selective horror fan, when was the last time you liked a horror film?
I do find I have this problem with mysteries. Having watched and read many, many mysteries over the years, I find there are very few movie mysteries that are mysterious at all. Usually I guess everything just a few minutes in. In fact, sometimes I come up with a much more interesting solution than the one that happens in the film. Real surprises and unexpected plot twists are a great pleasure and are rare treasures to be savoured.
If you're in the theatre surrounded by distractions than you are not going to get involved with the picture. I felt The Conjuring was a very effective chiller and got goosebumps at several moments during the duration, but if the crowd around me was pulling me out of the experience than I wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. I'd put some of the blame on a bad audience there.
Revolutionary horror movies show you that which you are least prepared to see. That which is going to be most painful for you to confront. And they force that confrontation, and then we fall in love with them, because they gave us catharsis. That which we've faced loses its power over us.
What in the premise of The Conjuring gives the promise of this? It is literally described as a mashup of three other horror films, all of which came out in the 70's or 80's.
I agree. People have nowadays have no idea what cinema etiquette is.
On a totally unrelated genre, have you reviewed The Man from Earth?
No it's not a movie i wish to see. You have literally explained how i fell in this video about horror movies. disconnected is the word !
Are you going to be doing a Only God Forgives review?
Think of movies as food. Mark has developed his palate to that of a gastronome, needing interesting new flavours and textures in order to be satisfied. The Conjuring is a steak dinner. It may be a particularly well-cooked steak dinner - with some succulent meat, decent accompaniments and the right amount of seasoning - but it's still just a steak dinner.
Exactly right. 'Atmosphere' is what makes something like The Exorcist frightening. The film feels evil. Jump scares completely spoil any atmosphere. It's been a long time since I felt that unspoiled queasy unease throughout the full length of a movie. Perhaps Kill List was the last thing that made me feel like that.
I personally don't watch horror filns but happened to see this one and despite me knowing what was coming as many of the frights were incredibly predictable I still flinched, but perhaps this is because my horror 'senses' are sill very sensitive unlike your own which are dulled from years of watching horror films.
Honestly, I thought the movie worked extremely well as a supernatural drama movie rather than a horror. Kind of like The Sixth Sense
The problem is that as someone of 44 I've seen it all before.
I was at that screening, and completely agree with you. My conclusion is that horror films are either not scary anymore or I have become too desensitised to them.
I'd really like to see it; mainly because it's directed by James Wan who made Death Sentence which was a really underrated revenge thriller, worth seeing! I'll keep my expectations low after what Kermode has said though. I am a huge horror fan although as I get older sadly I feel I'm getting more squeamish at films with alot of jump-scares such as The Conjuring by the looks of it. I found The Woman in Black last year excruciatingly tense
I think that the scariest film that I've ever seen is Bergman's 'The Seventh Seal'. Judging by the fact that Dr. Kermode puts this in his Sight and Sound cote for top 10 films of all time, maybe he agrees with me to a certain extent.
Classic film on BBC1 now.. One flew over the cuckoo's nest. Re: The conjuring, nope I don't really enjoy being scared, .. seeing the Exorcist in 1975 had a terrifying effect on me..I've never wanted a film to be over so badly, yet unable to leave my seat through sheer terror.
Mr. Kermode, were you planning on doing a review of Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives?"
Mark, I think that you may have outgrown horror films. But if you ever want a genuine scare try out the computer game called: Amnesia. I know you do not fancy video games but, I do think that video games have the potential to be more terrifying than films because in a horror video game:You are the person walking around the mansion with monsters in it, and it's you having to make the effort to open a door and see what's behind it. And added onto all that its more immersive because its all in POV
I was waiting to hear your thoughts on The Conjuring Mark, I find I completely agree with you when it comes to horror so I guess I'll skip it now I know what you think. I completely agree about that scene from A Field In England though, genuinely terrifying.
You're from a different generation of horror fan Mark. In my day we had the golden age of horror. Evil Dead, Alien, Phantasm, Friday 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, Exorcist, Christine.... this was before the words "franchise" and "sequel" were common place and movies became the throw away commodity they are to most 20-somethings. they are more interested in seeing Transformers 6823 than anything of worth or challenge, and the movie companies are more interested in money that though provoking
In Drafthouse cinemas in America, if you use your phone, they kick you out, no 2nd chances, no refunds. You're out.
I think being scared is like laughing in the sense that it's a social thing. If I'm sitting alone at home watching a comedy, I probably won't laugh, but if I were watching it with friends, I would. Yes, you were with a crowd, but if you felt distanced from them, you probably distanced yourself from the way they were reacting and, by extension, the film itself.
Or not.
Horror fans are always looking for the next big scare. If you've spent a lifetime watching horror films then eventually you will become immune to the beats. Unfortunately, there are far fewer ways to scare someone than there are to unsettle someone, so if you're not likely to be scared, you're better off being unsettled, ala A Field in England,
I am not a horror fan and have seen very few horror movies. Though I have no intension of seeing The Conjuring, the ads alone look scary to me. I am sure I would be one of the people jumping, shrieking, and laughing in the theatre. I would also be one of those people having nightmares about it later. Since I managed to scare myself by watching "The Black Dahlia" and "The Changeling" by myself, I would call myself an easy scare.
Not sure it was just you Mark - me and my friend were put off this film mainly from the trailer alone, it just looked unbelievably cliched and even in the trailer we predicted every single jump-scare and what would happen next. It just looked like you could slap any horror film name on it from recent years - Paranormal Activity 5 Country Edition could've worked.
I really liked Wan's Insidious, not because it's amazingly scary - it isn't - but for its several remarkably (for a mainstream release) peculiar scenes. Gas masks and Tiny Tim, etc. The gut-punching shocks are well enough staged, and a few of them caught me off guard. It is also very polished for a nearly micro-budgeted (1.5 million?) major release. Oddly, I saw The Evil Dead as a kid and nothing in it scared me. Great example of what can be done with next to nothing ... but that's all.
I wonder how a young Mark Kermode, new to the horror genre, would've reacted to this film.
I know I'm going to be hated for saying this but viewing movies at home is just so much better. No giggling, horrible adverts, tall people blocking your view, impromptu bathroom breaks where you miss five minutes of the film or seven dollar popcorn. And you can rewind and run the closed captioning to follow mumbled asides and critical exposition.
He's right. It's basically all atmosphere, quit bits that lead to big loud bits, intermixed with creepy visuals. It's well done, but it didn't scare me enough to make me jump. I did enjoy the film though.
I agree with Mark on this. That scene in Field In England was creepy and go to think about I never been scare of films about haunted houses or a psycho in a mask. The films that scare me are films like Inland Empire which feel like you are stepping into someone's nightmare. And yes I will watch Conjouring
i'm gonna wait till i see this movie. i want the theatre to be empty.
I'm from America so I was able to see The Conjuring on July 19. I was looking forward to it because I absolutely love horror films and I saw its 85% "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and very positive reviews, and while I did really like it, I didn't "love" it at all. I had fun with it but it didn't stay with me at all like The Shining, something that still terrifies me just by thinking about it. Clichés are something that don't bother me if they're handled well and/or satirically.
Mr Kermode, the voice of reason :-)
Think of movies as food. Mark has developed his palate to that of a gastronome, needing interesting new flavours and textures in order to be satisfied. The Conjuring is a steak dinner. It may be a particulat
Don't give up on horror. There is a lot of tripe in the horror genre (sometimes because the creators feel they're slumming), and it was ever thus. Stay strong! A 'The Woman', a "Kill List", or an "American Mary" will come along.
I am looking forward to The Conjuring, mainly due to the films rave reviews, as Mark mentions, and fellow horror fanatics Tweeting its praises. I however share the same apprehension as Mark has just confirmed - immunity to the jump-scares and generic narrative devices. Seen it ALL before (apart from Reece Shearsmith demonically emerging from a tent - thank you Ben Wheatley), but still hoping James Wan has one or two new tricks up his sleeve. Bring on August 2nd.
I would like to consider myself as at least on the fringes of horror cognoscenti (8 years of Frightfest, film ed of website, Alan Jones says hello to me etc) and I watched The Conjuring with the FFest crowd and thought it was scary as anything! It built up tension well, handled the boo scares very well and it was technically excellent.
That review sounded exactly like your "I don't get Borat/Superbad etc" reviews - everyone else laughing, you thinking 'why?' - you were wrong then and wrong now!
After a while, especially if you're an avid horror fan, jump-scares grow tiresome and ineffective. I, like Mark, am desensitised to them, and would attribute that to the fact that I've seen it done all too frequently.
I was still impressed by this film, though. It reminded me that the best horror films are the ones that bother to develop the characters and get you emotionally invested. It didn't just PIG OUT on jump-scares and omit the necessary drama. Kudos for that, very rare these days :)
The modern Horror Film, typified by Paranormal Activity, Insidious etc. fills pretty much the same niche in entertainment as a rollercoaster. It's something some friends can experience, get a quick thrill out of, and laugh at each other's reactions afterwards. The average cinema-goes doesn't want to sit through something like Audition, with a great long buildup to a truly horrifying finale, one big scare that will stick with you afterwards. I will not be watching The Conjuring.
I will buy the Blu Ray when it comes out but it's not special enough to warrant a movie theater visit, which I reserve for movies that sound worthy enough to be experienced on the big screen. BTW: I saw the new evil Dead last weekend on Blu Ray. Technically competent movie but in no way or form scary.
Sweet shades Dr K
I'm not really great with horror films honestly but I've been trying to ramp myself up to full fledged horror films, like The Shining. Fantastic film in my opinion. Although this situation reminds me remarkably of the release of the original Paranormal Activity. Lots of glowing reviews, people raving about it everywhere, hell, one of the most viewed videos on RUclips is essentially a trailer for Paranormal Activity, which I found incredibly disappointing. I'll probably watch Conjuring on DVD.
Films like Insidious and Conjuring are nicely made popcorn horror IMO. They play out the old tropes, perform the same jump scares that have been done million times before. But that's kind of the point. They've been done before because if pulled off proficiently they work. They're the climb and drop of a roller-coaster. Nothing profound in it, nothing really scary, just entertainment. Fire Walk With Me by far filled me with more unsettled dread and fear leading to real horror.
I like your sunglasses
I had high hopes for this one, as I had heard good reviews of it, and I am a hardcore horror fan (not slasher fan but true horror movies). So I decided to wait till it came to itunes and bought it. I enjoyed the film, for what it was, But just like you Mark, found that as it went on I felt removed from being in it. I will admit any possession style movies or psychologically warped films are my favourites, and that is where I find asian horror to still have the edge on western films. I came to the conclusion, it was a fun movie and enjoyed the jumps in it, but found it too cliched in the end. I am still waiting on finding a good horror movie to come out soon, As I may have exhausted the genre so far.
I'm not sure what you're missing. I'm a horror fan who likes the conjuring. I'm also the kind of fan who likes martyrs... idk, I like all three. Maby it's the characters. The scares are well executed, but It could have been anyone in that house. There's something to be said about well executed set pieces intertwined with a person's psychology. Like the "mutant" thing in martyrs. That's my best guess for what's missing.
I'm interested to see it, but I'm also massively sceptical after being bored to tears by Parasnormal Activity 1-45 and being less than convinced by Insidious. I want to be scared, but these films use all the same tricks, I tend to know what's going to happen before it does.
Insidious is the closest I've come to being scared. The first half of that film actually had some good moments and slow methodic pacing. God knows what they were thinking when it came to the 2nd half though.
Im a big horror fan. Seen many of the classics. I watched this movie the first say it came out due to my.. interest more with the warrens. Yet i was pleasantly surprised. I did get scared. And was connected with the film, since only 5 people were present in the cinema. I enjoyed the film the first time, i watched it again. However, after word of mouth. The cinema was almost full this time. With the stupid phone calls and chatting which changed my view, that i didnt enjoy the film the 2nd time.
I want to see this badly still. I love horror movies and Mark might not like it so much, but everybody says it scares me. I hope it's scary besides jump scares - that's seriously just cheap and its kinda cheating. Is Mark going to review this on the show again?
I think the main problem with The Conjuring and most modern day, mainstream Horror films is that they are overhyped and overly promoted to the max. So after viewing these films you are left feeling disappointed and short changed by them, certainly if you are a Horror film aficionado anyway.
Paint by numbers scares and textbook chills ran their course with me an age ago, The Conjuring looks to be of that ilk.
I will still give it a watch though, to see if it has anything of any worth going on it.
Films like Insidious and Conjuring are nicely made popcorn horror IMO. They play out the old troupes, perform the same jump scares that have been done million times before. But that's kind of the point. They've been done before because if pulled off proficiently they work. They're the climb and drop of a roller-coaster. Nothing profound in it, nothing really scary, just entertainment. Fire Walk With Me by far filled me with more unsettled dread and fear leading to real horror.
i don't care for horror films generally, as it's a hugely over saturated genre of very lazily put together films.
but i loved this one. it had me on edge for pretty much all of it!
my favourite horror films are alien and the thing btw.
Horror films are in vogue again but only as quick roller coaster ride for most people. If you are a big horror fan like me , then alot of stuff now is not going hit you on a deep or profound level. I cant think of any film recently , maybe only " GET OUT" that really shook my tree. But really the golden greats of yesteryear are not being made anymore. I recently saw the SHINING 4k restoration and some bloke was actually asleep during it , probably pissed i supect , snoring away noisly in the cinema. Where I was as mesmerised with it still , however many times i've seen it. I am a film buff and a horror fan , its my passion. But as with all things , its subjective. We cant all like the same thing . We dont all dig the same films. Simple as that.
Can't remember the last time a horror film which was given a big cinema release wasn't apparently 'the scariest film this year' yet still managed to produce something relatively generic and cliched. The things that scare me are disease, nuclear weapons, and the horrific things that people do. Ghosts and monsters don't seem to have much of a place in genuine horror anymore, they just jump out at people and kill off unlikeable characters, seen it hundreds of times and now I'm bored of it.
I'm a huge horror fan but this
I don't understand how anyone can get scared in a cinema. Horror should be watched on your own in the dark in an empty house. Add cats for added fear as they randomly come out of nowhere and jump on your lap or start starring at the empty corner of the room and growl.
I understand exactly what you're saying, it worked for non horror fans, the same way The Shinning also works for non horror fans.... But maybe it's because over and over they said how true it was and how this (or something like this happened in reality) happened and here are all the real people and places... it gave me this cold chill and made me really invested in the story.
I'm looking forward to viewing it; but will never go to the cinema again precisely for the reasons you stated. Noisy audiences would ruin the experience for me, especially having paid an extortionate admission fee. Or maybe I'm just getting old!?
For me the air went out of most horror when I became an atheist at 19. Up until then, what added edge to it was a belief that I actually could be visited by a ghost or a demon, or that witchcraft was real. Perhaps for you Mark it's a similar question of maturity - even if you're not an atheist, you're probably well aware that most bumps in the night are innocuous. I suspect that another commenter has the right idea though - you're just so used to horror tropes that they have less impact.
I thought it worked fairly well. I saw it with my brother in a mostly empty theater. I think that worked to the film's advantage because there wasn't any audience tomfoolery taking me out of the film. That being said I thought it could have been more disturbing than it was, although I thought there were good scares with The Conjuring. Didn't reach the greatness of The Omen or The Exorcist.
Let's get one thing straight. This modern slew of films shouldn't have a 'horror genre' attribution. That belongs to films lie, Nosferatu or The Exorcist. Since the turn of the century, however, an offshoot developed which I'd prefer they called 'Startlers' or 'Jumpies'. "Oh I've just been to see Sinister - the best jumpy I've seen in months!"
I'm immensely interested in the concept of the film - nothing satisfies me more than a sinister, brooding, eerie supernatural horror film... all the advertising would have me believe that this film fits that bill - however, I've been disappointed far too many times to take the bait again... the premise of The Conjuring is right up my alley, but I anticipated precisely what's been confirmed by Mark - an inevitable spiral into jump cutting, clumsy excess, and CGI mania - no thanks
I'm interested in seeing this movie only because it apparently got bumped up to a 15 for being 'too scary'
Quiet quiet quiet ...BANG...quiet quiet...BANG....quiet quiet quiet...BANG...quiet quiet ..BANG
I do want to see The Conjuring- I have a interest in the Warrens and ghosts in general.However, I could tell from the trailer that the film was going to be a cliched"quiet bit BANG!!" film. They seem to be exceptionally popular nowadays, and although it is effective (Paranormal Activity does it very well), it is a cheap scare tactic. I've got to the stage where I know the film is going to do it so I'm thinking "Just get on with the bang, I know it's coming." Maybe that's Mark's problem too?
Why does every single horror movie these days has to involve a haunted house or a possession? I just want to see a original, creepy and well executed horror movie for once. Oh and it would be nice if it's actually scarry.
I saw The Conjuring the other day. I would never had seen it if it wasn't for the fact that a bunch of friends were going to see it, the trailers just looked like every modern horror movie. And? The movie was slightly better than every modern horror movie...which isn't really saying much. There was some effective shots but nothing truly scary and I've never considered jump scares as scary. It's at least well acted though I didn't care for the camera constantly moving and zooming.
Can't say Dr. K. I'm very cynical in regards to horror films these days, but I came away very impressed to the film. I found some bad dialogue cliches here and there, but the performances and director James Wan's usage of buildup is what really clicked for me.
Also, you guys misspelled Conjuring.
I saw it 2 months before it came out, before the positive reviews etc. I didn't find it scary. Its an exact copy of Amityville and too much like Insidious. One of the reasons why it doesn't fright is because we've seen all these scare devices used before. They're too familiar so you know when they're coming. It doesn't have any subtlety either. People have praised how well its made. Since when is making loud noises inventive? Kermode is on the money with this one.
Modern horror films has come to using cheap scares : attractive teen-like actors in dark moody quiet atmosphere and then... BANG!
That is why I don't bother watching horror movies very offend.
I think these days horror films are ruined with the over use of special effects . There is just something about old films that have that twinge of looking slightly unrealistic that somehow made them scarier .