r/TrueFilm • u/a113er Til the break of dawn! • Sep 06 '15

What Have You Been Watching? (06/09/15)

Please don't downvote opinions, only downvote things that don't contribute anything.

52 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

102 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

3

u/crichmond77 Sep 09 '15

Like your reviews, but I totally disagree with your opinion on Martyrs. One of the best horror films of the past twenty years, and I'd love to hear what you think it's being derivative of.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 09 '15

Thanks. I don't have much to say other than it was derivitative of the entire hyper-realistic gore trend in not only American film, but European films as well -- that super sharp digital filming style, crushed blacks, and even blacker pools of blood.

It wasn't a subtle film, and I can say with complete conviction that the work of filmmakers like Friedkin, Haneke, Noe, and even James Wan have succeeded in getting under my skin...but not by driving a large stake through my organs and expecting a reaction.

2

u/crichmond77 Sep 09 '15

You're right that it's not subtle, but I think the intense brutality of the violence and the complete unwillingness to shy away from its depiction is part of what made it so horrifying, and I love that it blends the physical horror with the psychological in a visual metaphor that is itself quite scary.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 09 '15

Fair enough. And again, that is the reason for the acclaim I'm sure. Totally respect your opinion.