Candice is a writer and editor with an MFA in poetry. She has been writing essays about pop culture on her personal blog for over 15 years.
The '90s are perhaps best remembered for self-aware slashers like Scream or I Know What You Did Last Summer — movies that are fun but not exactly ranked among the scariest. While mainstream horror movies of the era were often criticized for being formulaic, international films started to gain popularity with American audiences. For instance, the late '90s saw the start of the J-horror wave that would continue well into the next decade.
At the time of its release, much of the power of The Blair Witch Project came from its marketing as a"real" found footage film. The actors were unknown, and their real names were used for their characters. They were urged to lay low around the time of the film's release, lending credence to the idea that they were real film students who had actually disappeared in the woods.
What makes Lecter such a frightening figure is the contrast between his calm, sophisticated demeanor and the elaborate gruesomeness of his murders. A scene in which he escapes from his cell and stalks the guards looking for him is especially intense, demonstrating the need for the mask and restraints in which Lecter is often placed. Buffalo Bill, another serial killer known for skinning his female victims, is also a scary creation in an already unsettling film.
Funny Games is frightening, in part, because of how courteous the captors appear to be at first. The discomfort in the early scenes could be dismissed as accidents or simple misunderstandings, but then the young men kill the family's dog. Another unnerving aspect of the film is the fourth wall breaking that happens throughout. The captors periodically wink at the audience or speak to the camera. These moments emphasize the viewer's complicity in watching scenes of torture.
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