Horror films always manage to burn themselves into our memory: disturbing images, unforgettable characters, surprising twists that take our breath away – and elicit one or two screams of terror from us. One film was able to knock the socks off even the experienced film expert Steven Gätjen with its unmistakable horror charm.
What makes a horror film memorable?
What makes a horror film unforgettable is the combination of psychological horror, iconic characters and of course lots of innovative ideas. Even non-horror fans have at least heard the name Norman Bates or know the iconic shower scene with the screaming violins from “Psycho” (1960).
In contrast, “The Exorcist” (1973) is still convincing today with its technically perfect special effects, especially for the time. We remember 12-year-old Regan walking down the stairs on all fours, backwards like a spider. Pure goosebumps!
<img alt="In "Der Exorzist" Regan (Linda Blair) is possessed by a demonic creature. In the iconic staircase scene, she crawls backwards down the stairs while her body is twisted in an eerie way.” loading=”lazy” decoding=”async” data-nimg=”fill” class=”css-1y20zlf” style=”position :absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;object-fit:contain;color:transparent” src=” “The Exorcist” Regan (Linda Blair) is possessed by a demonic creature. In the iconic staircase scene, she crawls backwards down the stairs while her body is twisted in an eerie way.© picture alliance / COLLECTION CHRISTOPHEL
When you think of the word innovation, you could name a lot of horror films. “Get Out” (2017), for example, sets new standards and provokes by portraying racism itself as a kind of American monster.
Do you want to really scare yourself again?
Another example is “The Blair Witch Project” (1999), a film that used the so-called “found footage technique” to create a new sub-genre of horror. “Found footage films” tell the story through “found” or “rediscovered” footage, which often appears unedited and raw, as if it were played directly from the characters’ camera. A very popular one, especially for horror films
Through its design, “The Blair Witch Project” catapults us as viewers directly into the dark forest and gives us the feeling of being part of the film and rooting for the protagonists even more. Constant blur, crooked image angles and shaky camera movements reinforce the incessant fear of the invisible. That’s what film expert Steven Gätjen felt when he first watched it:
I felt really sick after half an hour.
Steven Gätjen
Just as good, if not better than the original: You can stream Blair Witch II for free on Joyn
