Ok, the box does make this look a lot more "comedy" than horror, and I'm an idiot.
One mans black comedy is another man's horror movie. That's precisely what I'm going to try and explore in my return to reviewing horror movies on a regular basis. The first one up to bat, didn't scare me, but there is no way in hell a studio in 2011 would green light this one, the movie is Heathers.
The film portrays a group of girls that are part of a clique, and it's interesting to see how this film could become another high school, coming of age film, but no, there is something sinister brewing. As the black sheep of the group starts to fall in love with an outsider, things start turning sinister, with the two love birds committing crimes together, and as the world starts to burn, our heroine has to decide whether to continue the sinister suicide plan, or stand out as queen of the Heathers...in an ironic twist of an ending.
First and foremost, no one is going to agree with me that this is a horror film in disguise. That's fine. But consider the actions taken by the film's characters. We are not only treated to a lot of subtext, we get to see taboos broken here. Teenagers in a school shooting others! That's why this film can not be released again today, as it would upset too many parents of students involved with shootings at school. I'm not condoning that, but I'm saying that this piece of art is far too graphic for many, even though the violence is played down a lot. If a horror movie director had a shot at this film, it would have more gore, especially with the serial killings involved in the film.
Christian Slater turns more and more sinister as the film plots along, and despite the name "Heathers", this film really takes a left turn in the third act. You no longer remember why there was a clique to begin with, and the subplot takes over, and throws the viewer into a nightmare world of zombie America.
Heathers is a black comedy, but it has some very serious underlining messages that are often missed by film reviewers. The idea of ritual suicide, murder, cover ups, all dealing with teenagers is not something film explores in a serious manner, unless you count "The Virgin Suicides" but that came much later.
Heathers might not be a go to horror film, but there is enough here to make an argument, and I have failed to even scratch the surface. I never said i was a good reviewer, but at least I'm back. Thanks to no one being around on a friday night, so much for being young. Maybe I just am reaching at straws, but hey, I got lonely and wanted to watch a movie, and this was the one I picked...sorry. I'll return to blood and guts with the next review, and it won't be British.
I'm glad to see Heathers getting a mention. I'm old, so I'll admit to having been set in my view of it as a black comedy for a long time. I like your reading of it as a horror movie. The crash through the glass table and the dream about the boiling water in the baptismal font both definitely point to "horror comedy."
ReplyDeleteI agree with initforthekills, I've always viewed Heathers as a teenager suspense flick, something in par with Jawbreaker but your perspective adds a more intriguing layer to the film. I might have to watch it again, in mind of it as a horror film.
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear you`re avoiding the British made dog-shit as i told you my old mate, well done. By the way, "Heathers" is the second most loathsome film i`ve ever seen, only Frank Perry's 1969 abomination "Last Summer" is a more nauseating movie.
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