Podcast: Technology and Horror Films

The first segment of many that discusses the use of technology and horror films. This one talks about “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, “The Conjuring”, “Unfriended”, and “The Blair Witch Project.”

 

“The Conjuring.” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. 4 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Jan. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conjuring&gt;.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. 24 Jan. 2016. Web. 20 Jan. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nightmare_on_Elm_Street&gt;.

Balir Witch Project. Web. 20 Jan. 2016. <http://www.blairwitch.com&gt;.

“The Blair Witch Project.” Balir Witch Project. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 20 Jan. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blair_Witch_Project&gt;.

“Unfriended.” Wikipedia the Free Enclyopedia. Web. 20 Jan, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfriended

Frances, Laura. “The Conjuring Movie Review.” Screen Cave. 18 July 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2016. <http://screencrave.com/2013-07-18/conjuring-movie-review/&gt;.

Wilson, Karina. “Nine…Ten…Never Sleep Again: Nightmare on Elm Street.” Horror Film History. Web. 20 Jan. 2016. <http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/index.php?pageID=nightmare&gt;.

Movie Review: Unfriended

Unfriended came out April of 2015 and I was really bummed that I didn’t get to see it in theatre. (For those of you that don’t know I love horror movies) But I finally watched it today for a project I’m doing in one of my classes. And I’m actually really glad I didn’t pay to see it in theaters. In all honesty, this was a much better idea in concept than in practice.
For those of you that don’t know (and don’t want to watch the trailer) Unfriended takes place over Skype on the one year anniversary of a girl’s death. Supposedly her spirit takes over a Skype session between a bunch of friends and one by one they get picked off in an act of revenge.
Cool right? I thought so too. With technology becoming a more prominent part of our lives, a horror movie that really hones in on that should be really scary. Instead it felt like an MTV movie that took itself too seriously. It felt like a cigarette commercial but instead of cigarettes it centered around bullying.
I get it. Everyone has secrets and there are some really shitty people out there but there are so many things this movie could have done better. Yes we can appreciate the Skype quality. But unless you’re watching it on your computer it’s not that scary because then the whole thing is out of context. And unless you relate to any of the characters there’s not a whole lot to worry about you know? I wasn’t a party kid in high school and I would never do what these people did in the movie. (I’m trying to avoid spoilers here.) Even now I wouldn’t. So it feels like unless you are a teenager that acts like that there’s not a big impact that the movie can have.
Am I kind of inclined to cover my laptop camera when I’m not using it? Sure. But beyond that…. eh.