"It's more comfortable for you to label me as insane." |
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What makes a person mad? To be completely nuts, off their respective rocker, and assuredly wacko, are their certain qualities you must have? I suppose so. The American Heritage Dictionary defines insanity as "Mental illness or derangement. No longer in scientific use." So I guess if you're insane, you can't take part in those cool lab experiments where they deprive you of sleep or feed you soda all day or something.
In film, insanity is not a solid characteristic. To be crazy does not necessarily mean to be loud, brash, or even foolish. It just means to act in a manner that is not acceptable in our society. However, many psychotics act quite normally in their daily lives; it's their extracurricular activities that are of concern.
What's that old cliché? "He was always quiet", "Couldn't have had a nicer neighbor", "Never would have thought he'd be capable of such a thing." Being insane is to be ambiguous and an enigma. That's part of the charm I suppose, you'll just never know who they'll gut and use as a hat next!
In horror, serial killers are as diverse as they are in reality. One of the most realistic fictional characters in horror is Jame Gumb or "Buffalo Bill" from the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. He was of course based on actual serial killers, namely Ed Gein, but nonetheless Ted Levine's 
"BLAM, KABLOOIE, CRASH, BANG, KABOOOM!" That's the movie pretty much. |
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acting prowess added to the realism. Gumb seemed nervous and amateur about what he was doing. Serial killers are not trained in their trade, they can mistakes.
Then you have the methodical serial killers in the horror genre. These are usually the most entertaining to watch. Hannibal Lector is the prime example, but also John Doe from SE7EN. Kevin Spacey plays a quiet, very intelligent man who is seemingly almost...soft. However, push him to certain edges and he can snap like an angry pit bull. Both characters enjoyed what they had done thoroughly.
And lastly is the serial killer that makes us cringe. He isn't respected like Lector and Doe or almost pitied like Gumb. This style is the one we don't like in any sense, the type we just want dead and gone. In the film CON AIR, steve Buscemi plays the character of Garland Greene who no one wants to be around. A serial killer that murderers fear. There is a scene where Garland has a tea party with a very young girl, and everyone who sees this has the same thought.
Serial killers are not normal, that is for certain. But their distinctions and attributes are all unique. To classify them all as the same is just ignorance, in horror and reality. And it is that individuality that makes them so feared. We have no idea what is going on in their minds.
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| The Lair of the Mad |
Every other Tuesday
'The Lair' discusses the many aspects and qualities of the horror genre. From actors, to make-up, to music, James Shafie explores everything the "cult" genre spews up.
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| James Shafie |
James Shafie is an avid watcher of movies of all sorts, but the horror genre is closest to his heart. He loves to read and is addicted to music, mostly metal and it’s thousands of sub-genres. He was once fired by Blockbuster, which we see as a strong character trait.
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