Dispatch from The Quest: Ben Odgren
Last week as we did here on GITS, the Quest writers focused on the second week of Prep. Today’s dispatch: Ben Odgren ponders the “Oh no” of horror films:
The script I’m writing for The Quest has some elements of horror to it, so I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what makes that genre work for me in particular.
Horror doesn’t need to be blood or monsters or whatever we normally associate with the genre. Sure, Michael Myers is a scary guy walking around with his mask and his never dying. Yes, when the dog turns into…something…in Carpenter’s The Thing, it’s gross, and not just a little unsettling. Cornerstones of the genre, for sure.
It’s the “Oh no…” of anticipation that connects the most for me, though.
There’s that moment in Alien when Harry Dean Stanton is standing in a room looking around as water drips on his face. The water just keeps dripping and the camera never cuts. I’m not sure how long the take is, but it feels like it goes on forever. Just Stanton and some water and being armed with the knowledge that somewhere in that room there is an alien that is about to get him.
That “Oh no…” moment is a universal one because it doesn’t necessarily need to be contained to just your typical horror movie.
Is Jurassic Park a horror movie? I suppose not, but it’s got that “Oh no…” moment all over the place. The scene with Dennis Nedry getting attacked by the dilophosaurus (he said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose) is straight out of a horror movie. Silly at first, and then the dino’s neck fan things unfold and suddenly, oh no, it’s a horror movie. The dinosaur even pulls a Jason Vorhees, appearing right beside Nedry when he climbs back into the “safety” of the jeep.
Heck, I saw Finding Nemo in 3D this past weekend, and it’s got a few “Oh no…” moments. When the blood from Dory’s scratch floats up into Bruce the shark’s nose and his eyes turn black? Get out of there! Or when the jellyfish appear one by one around Marlin and Dory? It’s got the gloves on, so to speak, but that moment of anticipation is there.
And writing those moments can definitely be a challenge. Sometimes NOTHING is happening on screen for a long time. It’s all atmosphere and building up a sense of dread. Other times it’s getting the timing down just right so the reader can have their own split-second moment of “Oh no!” right before the crazy monster/crazy guy/crazy squirrels attack.
What I’m trying to say is……………………don’t……..look…….behind you………
If you think about it, there are “Oh, no!” moments in every movie. Sure, sometimes they’re jellyfish, dinosaurs, Michael Myers or other ‘horror’ threats. But other times and other genres, it can be events like this:
http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=LSWJ
Or this:
http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=Ypcq
Or even this:
http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=6Ui9P
Ben gives us a good reminder: Look out for the possibility of “Oh no” moments in our stories.
Tomorrow: Another Dispatch from The Quest.
About Ben: Maine writer with a love for pulpy genre movies, keeping library books out for a little too long, and strong coffee. Twitter: @benodgren.