Halloween season is upon us, which means it's time for Complete PR to dive into the scary movies we love and want you to know about.
This year we are taking a new theme, which we do every year, of writing about movies that feature actors and actresses that people don’t often associate with the horror genre. Are there rules to our list? Sure? Are they set in stone? Not really, but here are our thanksgiving day pants loose parameters.
● We are avoiding people who did some early career films in horror, but haven’t touched them since (mostly). This means no Jamie Lee Curtis or Jennifer Love Hewitt or Anya Taylor-Joy. Yeah, they moved on, but their horror bonafides will stalk their IMDB resume for decades like a killer in an early 1980s slasher film?
● Also avoiding actors and actresses who did low-budget horror films when they were starting out as a way to get a paycheck and a SAG card. So no, Vigo Mortensen in Texas Chainsaw Massacre III or Renee Zellweger in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The New Generation or Kevin Bacon in Friday the 13th or Rainn Wilson in House of 1,000 Corpses.
● We also are nixing guys like Jack Nicholson who despite being one the most decorated actors in America for more than a half century, made several stops in horror before, during and after his peak as a box office titan.
● Finally, the part has to be against type and be part of a movie with some good scares.
So, without further ado, let’s get scared:
■ Despite an early serious role in A Soldier’s Story and voiceover work on the national radio broadcast of Empire Strikes Back, David Alan Grier had found fame as a genuinely funny guy as part of the In Living Color ensemble, and some great roles in comedy movies. Basically, you prepared to laugh when Grier showed up. Which for me (John), made his turn as “monster” in 1995’s Tales from the Hood, really terrifying. His character has a name (Carl), but to me he is just “monster” and he oozes menace and dread. There is no kindness. No humor. Just pure evil.
■ When you watched the movie version of The Twilight Zone, you knew you were in for something eerie and not quite right. But when Dan Aykroyd and Albert Brooks show up in the first segment, you forget this is supposed to be a scary movie as these two comedy legends drive along a road trying to stump each other by singing the themes from popular television shows. It felt like an episode of Seinfeld. Then, well, you get a jump scare that pulls you back into, “holy, heck, I’m watching a horror movie” in the worst way. Of course, the movie’s happy ending is marred when one of those two shows up in the final scene…the horror isn’t over even though it is for the viewer.
■ Pulling a hometown one out for me (John again), with Jack Palance in Dracula (1974). To me, because my mother loved this one, Jack Palance was a horror icon and it was because of this movie. He naturally looked like a vampire in real life with his rough features and widow’s peak hairline. Add in that he grew up in the county next to mine in Pennsylvania, well, Jack Palance had to be a horror icon. But he wasn’t. He did a lot of westerns and neo-noir and some sci-fi. He won an Oscar late in his career with City Slickers. Not a lot of horror. A lot of hard guys, yes. But not scary.
■ When you think of the stereotypical “hunk,” does your mind also go immediately to Chris Hemsworth? I mean the guy is literally Thor for goodness sake. If you know where I’m going with this, you know I’m about to talk about the most polarizing horror movie of 2011, The Cabin in the Woods with bestie Chris Hemsworth as one of the main characters. Hemsworth was born for comedy and macho man roles, not horror. However I enjoyed the part he played in The Cabin in the Woods. He added to the unseriousness of the plot line while also proving he really can do an American accent. Sort of.
■ I’m embarrassed to admit this is the second time I am going to be talking about House of Wax for one of these blogs, but it doesn’t feel right for me to not mention Paris Hilton’s feature in that movie. And true, maybe this doesn’t count since she technically never went on to become much of a serious actress whatsoever. Alas, I persevere in mentioning her in this movie. House of Wax is such a beautifully early 2000’s horror film in the way it is shot and edited (to say nothing of the fashion and soundtrack choices, which are an element of horror all on their own). Seeing Paris Hilton pop up on my screen in what I believed to be a serious horror movie was a jump scare in itself, so let’s give her credit where credit is due.
■ Here’s the thing about the remake of Prom Night: it wasn’t that bad. Now that that’s on the record, I fully support the casting of Brittany Snow as the lead girl. You’re obviously never going to top scream queen Jamie Lee, but Brittany brought her own personality to the role that really enhanced the believability of the character and movie. For a moment, you forget you’re watching the same girl who would later captivate everyone in Pitch Perfect (all 3 of them) and Hairspray. Blonde, peppy and pretty, she literally is the stereotypical Prom Queen. For a moment, you forget that basically everyone she’s ever met and known is about to die brutally.
■ The Strangers was one of the most memorable experiences in theaters that I have ever had. I left with aching ears from plugging them so hard. If you’re an actress that wants to be the star of one scary movie for the rest of your career, you might as well make it a good one. So we’ve gotta hand it to Liv Tyler; The Strangers is an incredible horror movie to be the only one on your resume. Liv played an extremely relatable terrified woman after years of playing an extremely unrelatable ethereally beautiful elf in Lord of The Rings. As an honorable mention, let’s give Glenn Howerton a round of applause for showing up and getting his head blown off within 4 minutes of being on screen.
Now, let’s see who you recommend.
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