Splatter

The term was originally coined by George Romero for his film Dawn of the Dead . By his own definition, this is a film in which blood and cut off parts of the body occupied 80% of screen time ^[1] . The combination of graphic and sexual violence in a number of subgenre films led to the emergence of an offshoot from it called torture porn or mountain ( gorno - formed from the words English gore ("blood") and porn ("porn") ) ^[2] , which in Russian is equivalent to the indefinite term “torture pornography”. In contrast, in films such as Braindead, violence is sometimes so excessive that it carries an element of comic.

Splatter movies, according to film critic Michael Arnzen, are “modest fun in fake blood as a form of art.” Where classic horror scares the viewer with obscurity, supernatural, darkness, etc., splatters evoke fear by demonstrating the physical destruction of the body. Emphasis is also placed on visual effects, style and technique, including hyperactive camera work. If other horror films are aimed at restoring social order and moral standards with the obligatory victory of good over evil, splatter films thrive in the meaninglessness of the plot and the lack of order. Arnzen argues that "a spectacle of violence replaces any claim to a narrative structure because blood is only a firmly woven part of the film." In addition, fragmented storytelling and directing are characteristic of splatters, for example, "manic installation of camera-out-of-the-eye movements ... cutting a hunt for a hunter, ominous contrasts and contrasts."

The splatter is rooted in the French Gran Gignol Theater, which sought to show realistic scenes with blood and carnage. In 1908, Gran Gignol first appeared in England ^[3] .

The first appearance of blood and a realistic mutilation of the human body can be seen in David Griffith's film Intolerance (1916), which presents a scene where the spear moves slowly through the soldier’s naked stomach. Several subsequent films by Griffith and his contemporary Cecil B. Demil also showed realistic carnage.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, films were again shown to the public with a demonstration of the massacre. Alfred Hitchcock's ( Psycho ) movie (1960) and the famous Hammer Film Productions films were released: The Curse (1957) and Dracula (1958). Perhaps the most furious film of this era was " Hell " (1960) by Nobuo Nakagawa , which included numerous scenes of splitting and dismembering.

In the early 1960s, splatter came as a subgenre of horror with Herschell Gordon Lewis films. In an effort to maintain a profitable niche, Lewis turned to what was rarely mentioned in the movies: scenes of visceral, clear blood. In 1963, he shot The Blood Feast (1963), which is considered the first splatter ^[4] . Subsequently, two more Herschell Gordon Lewis films were released in this genre, “ Two Thousand Maniacs ” (1964) and “ Paint Me Blood Red ” (1965).

The popularity of splatters in the 1970s was met with strong debate in Western countries. U.S. parliamentarians Roger Ebert and Britain's Graham Bright led the censorship movement for home video films and criticized the films. A law was developed on video recordings, a censorship and certification system for home videos in the UK, which led to the direct prohibition of many splatter players, which in the British press were considered "video muck" ^[5] .

Some splatter directors continued to release their hits. Peter Jackson began his career in New Zealand by filming the splatter films " Bad Taste " (1987) and " Living Carrion " (1992). A lot of blood was shown in these films, which became their comedic element. Such comedy films have received the term “splatstick” (splatstick), defined as physical comedy, which includes dismemberment. Splastic was more common in Japan, where the films Robogeisha , Tokyo Blood Police and Submachine Gun were released.

Splatters have become pioneers of techniques used in other genres. For example, the 1999 popular film “ The Blair Witch: Coursework from Beyond the World ” used the effect of the film found , which was first used in the “ Cannibal Hell ” splatter (1980) ^[6] .

In the 2000s, especially between 2003-2009, films were shot in which elements of the splatter and slasher genres were combined. The critic David Edelstein introduced the new term torture porn ^{[7] [8]} . Films of the torture porn subgenre highlight scenes of violence, blood, nudity, torture, mutilation, and sadism.

Film director Eli Roth directed the hostel splatter (2005). The critic Edelstein called him the first film in the subgenre of torture porn. The classification has since been applied to the films Saw: A Game for Survival and its sequels (although its creators do not agree with this classification) ^[9] , “ Expelled by the Devil ” (2005), “ Wolf Pit ” (2005), “ Fuck Me "(2000) and Ichi-killer (2001) ^{[10] [11]} . The difference between this group of films and earlier splatters is that they are often the main Hollywood films that are widespread and have relatively high production rates ^[12] .

The torture porn subgenre turned out to be very profitable: “Saw”, with a budget of $ 1.2 million, collected more than $ 100 million worldwide at the box office, and “Hostel”, which cost less than $ 5 million in production, raised more than $ 80 million ^{[ 13]} . Studio Lionsgate , who made these films, has achieved significant success ^[14] . Financial success led to the release of such films: “ Turistas ”, “ Hostel 2 ”, “ Beyond Fear ” and “ Abduction ” ^[15] . Indeed, in 2009 the Saw film series became the most profitable horror movie franchise of all time ^[16] . Subsequently, the film " Collector " was released. Despite these financial successes, the label of torture porn on the film is perceived as derogatory. Some of these films had loud obscene advertising campaigns; billboards and posters used in the marketing of "Hostel 2" ^[17] and "Abductions" attracted criticism for their graphic images, which to their removal in many places ^[18] . Director Eli Roth sought to defend the subgenre ^{[19] [20]} . Horror writer Stephen King also defended Hostel 2 and the sub-genre of torture porn ^[21] . The influential horror director George Romero stated that he does not remove torture porn and that they lack a metaphor ^[22] .

In 2001, 2003, and 2007, Fred Vogel released three extreme films: Underground , Underground 2 , and Underground 3: Repentance . All three use highly realistic special effects to create artificial Snuff video .

The success of torture porn, and its boom in the mid-2000s, led to an interweaving of genres. This became apparent thanks to the release of many thrillers, in particular the 2007 film “ I Know Who Killed Me, ” as well as the 2008 film “ Without a Mark ” ^[23] . The British film “ Torture Chamber ” (2007) and his American counterpart “ Scar 3D ” continued to promote a hybrid form of torture porn, which was also less evident in films such as “ Version ” (2007), “ Law Abiding Citizen ” (2009) and The Unthinkable (2010) ^[24] .

In the mid-2000s, splatters received a powerful impetus in the horror industry with a new wave of French films, usually called the “New French Extremeness”, which became known throughout the world for their extremely cruel character: Martyrs (2008), Border ( 2007) and Revenge of the Unborn (2007) ^[25] . Rapper Eminem explored the genre in his music video for the single “ 3 am, ” in the same year ^[26] . The Danish splatter “ Antichrist ” was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009 and was criticized because of scenes of extreme violence, graphic sex ^[27] .

By 2009, the tendency to shoot remakes of the early horror films of the past decades has become profitable in the USA: “ Dawn of the Dead ” (2004), “ The Amityville Horror ” (2005), “ House of Waxworks ” (2005), “ Black Christmas ” (2006), “ Halloween 2007 ”(2007),“ My Bloody Valentine ”(2009),“ Friday the 13th ”(2009),“ The Wolfman ”(2010),“ Mad Men ”(2010) and“ A Nightmare on Elm Street ”( 2010) ^[28] . Some of these remakes, such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Hills Have Eyes (2006) (and continued 2007 ), Fun Games (2008), Last House on the Left (2009), and I spit on your graves ”(2010) were referred to as“ torture porn ”in press reviews ^{[29] [30] [31] [32] [33]} .

At the end of the decade, Human Centipede (2009) and Serbian Film (2010) were some of the most notable releases of torture porn, although not as financially successful as Saw or Hostel ^[34] . The Serbian film and Human Centipede 2 (2011) drew media attention to its graphic depiction of forced fecal consumption and necrophilia ^{[35] [36]} and both films were censored ^{[37] [38]} Other films such as “ Grotesque ” and “ Rabbit games ”were completely banned by the BBFC ^{[39] [40]} .

Subsequently, torture porn is increasingly becoming a DVD-oriented subgenre. For example, “ Hostel 3 ” (2011) was released directly on DVD, unlike previous films in the series. The film received less negative press attention. The films “ What would you do ... ” (2012), “ Shiver ” (2012) and “ Collector 2 ” (2012) were also released.

Elements of the genre have also been used in episodes of many popular American television shows, including in the series Think Like a Criminal , Dexter , Supernatural , Blind Zone , and American Horror Story .

Some scholars have published analyzes of torture films. For example, Steve Jones’s book, Torture Porn: Popular Horror after Saw, was published in 2013.

• Slasher
• Eroguro
• Operational cinema