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October 24, 2006
Wolf Creek
“Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature?”
-Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs
The other night, I finally got around to watching Wolf Creek. Now, I watch a lot of horror films, but this one was disturbing to the point of making me question why I watch horror films at all. The film is unquestionably well-made: the characters are developed, the scenario is realistic, and the action is engrossing, if also brutal and extremely graphic. Part of me has been thinking this is the way all horror films should be. Shouldn’t people always be shocked and horrified to see people die in violent ways? But, often, horror films aren’t nearly so unsettling. They provoke thought, they satisfy the urge to solve a mystery, and sometimes they’re funny. What makes this one different?
Horror comes in two basic types. There is the horror that is a subset of fantasy and lives solidly in the world of metaphor and symbol: stories about vampires, werewolves, zombies and the like. This is the kind of horror I prefer, but it’s not at all what we have in Wolf Creek. Wolf Creek is part of a more realistic vein of horror, the kind of that focuses on real-world monsters, serial killers. These are the kinds of films that can truly frighten me, but they’re also the easiest kind to screw up and make completely laughable.
As far as I’m concerned, the litmus test of serial killer films is The Silence of the Lambs. That film is truly frightening, but it’s also one I’ve purposefully watched more than once. It’s disturbing, certainly, and brutal, but it also has something to say. Through her investigation, Clarice Starling is on a literal and figurative journey, learning about herself and growing as a person. Fear, it turns out, is controlling her life, and the film forces her to simultaneously confront that which terrifies her (her past) and that which terrifies us (Hannibal Lecter and Moth Guy). When Clarice confronts her – and our – fears, she conquers them and, as is often the case in horror, emerges battered but victorious.
The characters in Wolf Creek are on a literal journey across Australia. When they’re kidnapped by a serial killer, they’re forced to confront very real and immediate fears – namely that the crazy guy is going to torture and kill them, which he proceeds to do with enthusiasm. The difference between The Silence of the Lambs and this film, though, is that this is all there is – this horrifying, violent, extremely graphic reality. These filmmakers know their genre, and the film is expertly made. It very successfully manipulates the viewers, using their expectations against them in surprising ways. With a few exceptions, the writing is tight, and the acting is startlingly good for this type of film. Watching it, you’re right there with the characters, but why? What is there in watching characters you’ve recently become emotionally invested in suffer and die? What’s the point?
The thing is that I’m not sure there is one, aside from scaring the audience – which this film certainly does. It’s hard to know what to say about something like this. In another genre, it might have been boring, but most horror films without a point aren’t so carefully crafted and become – intentionally or unintentionally – funny (Cabin Fever and Dead Alive come to mind). In the end, Wolf Creek made me think, but not about anything I particularly wanted to consider. I wouldn’t put myself through watching it again, and I wouldn’t want to watch more horror movies like it. But was it bad? Not really. Interesting.
Check out the trailer on YouTube, if you're brave.
Posted by adrienne at October 24, 2006 12:02 AM
Comments
Hi Adrienne! I write for The Edge of the Forest also, so after I proofed my newest piece, I peeked at yours - and cheered! The Skippyjon Jones books are delightful. I'm partial, yes, because I have a Siamese cat for a daughter pet My Siamese cat OWNED me. :)
Posted by: Little Willow at October 24, 2006 10:35 AM
Well, of course, the cats are entirely in control in my house. :)
Posted by: adrienne at October 24, 2006 08:14 PM