Spotlight on Horror: Psychological Horror

To finish out 2012’s month long Spotlight on Horror series, I chose the crucial horror sub-genre of Psychological Horror. Keep reading to find out the films I picked to showcase great examples of Psychological Horror films.

Psychological Horror relates fear with someone’s mental state. Often times films will focus on a character’s emotional instabilities including paranoia, delusion and sometimes hallucinations. Let’s take a look at a few films I chose to highlight.

BLACK SWAN (2010)
While Black Swan is loaded with disturbing examples of body horror, it’s the undercurrent of psychological terror that will reek havoc on the viewer. Starring Natalie Portman in her (deserved) Oscar-Winning role, the film follows ballerina Nina as she struggles to create the perfect mixture of the structured and dangerous dancing required to perform the duel role of both the White & Black Swan in Swan Lake. I personally feel that the movie can be interpreted multiple ways because of it’s expertly crafted narrative of psychological horror. As Nina struggles to understand not only herself but also what is reality, so does the audience. Each turn has you thinking and often times cringing at just what is waiting around each corner. It’s a fabulous piece of filmmaking that proves master director Darren Aronofsky is not planning on slowing down any time soon.

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES (2002)
The often forgotten 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies starring Richard Gere is a twisty tale that centers around a mysterious figure known as the Mothman and the strange, horrific happenings surrounding it. John Klein (Gere), is a reporter dealing with the tragic loss of his wife who coincidentally finds himself faced with the Mothman legend and begins to research it. The movie starts out with smart subtle terror and slowly creeps into a whole new type of fear. It’s hard to wrap your head around the bizzare events taking place and soon you too are lured into the conspiracy.

1408 (2007)
1408 is a horror film based on short story written by Stephen King and for me, it contains all of my favorite elements of King’s writing. John Cusack plays Mike Enslin, an author known for writing ‘real haunts’ non-fiction books. His writing is unfulfilling and he has become cynical of the paranormal after continuous unproductive efforts. After he receives a mysterious postcard suggesting a particular haunted hotel room, Mike stays for the night only to experience a series of alarming events. The tension builds from the psychological horror in the film and turns into a truly creepy thriller that will keep you guessing.

FUNNY GAMES (1997) OR (2007)
The 1997 film by Michael Haneke was remade shot for shot by Haneke himself in 2007 under the impression that the film would then be more accessible to American audiences. For that reason, I can safely include both films at the same slot because they are essentially equal in comparison. Funny Games is not a film that falls easily into categorization, though. The plot line reads like a straightforward horror film: Two psychopathic men take a family hostage in their vacation home and force the victims to play sadistic games. But while you might expect to see some terrible sights of gore and torture, Haneke quickly turns your expectations on their heads. Instead, he film’s intent is to make the viewer examine their relationship to violence in the media. The purpose is clearly defined in the film but as the demented acts continue, the psychological horror still resonates with the audience whether Haneke wants it to or not.

SESSION 9 (2001)
Sunglasses enthusiast David Curuso stars in this deeply creepy film about an asbestos removal team working at an abandoned mental hospital. A crew member comes across nine audio recordings that are taped therapy sessions of a patient suffering from multiple personalities disorders. Quick recap: abandoned mental hospital, spooky recordings and multiple personalities. Uhh, dreadful atmosphere? CHECK! Session 9 has more to offer though as the plot unfolds into a troubling scenario as the crew members are attacked one by one by an unseen aggressor. It’s a simple film that isn’t as cookie-cutter as you might expect, willing to test your nerves and rattle your brain.

JACOB’S LADDER (1990)
This is one of the best examples of psychological horror ever put to screen. The film follows a U.S. soldier named Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) as he experiences a series of terrifying hallucinations after his return from the Vietnam War. Singer begins to unravel a troubling conspiracy theory involving secret drug experiments used on the soldiers during the war. Besides a superb performance from Robbins, director Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction) rages brilliantly against the challenging narrative. Jacob’s Ladder is worth a watch for it’s unsettling and memorable visuals alone.