A scary thing happened on the way to the Movie Forums - Horrorcrammers

Yes, I've got a general idea of what I'm in for.


Many years ago I attempted to watch all of his films and The Devils was the only one I couldn't locate. I even found Lisztomania for heaven's sake. So this excitement of mine is more of an OCD "I can finish that unfinished thing!" situation.

Yes, I've got a general idea of what I'm in for.


Many years ago I attempted to watch all of his films and The Devils was the only one I couldn't locate. I even found Lisztomania for heaven's sake. So this excitement of mine is more of an OCD "I can finish that unfinished thing!" situation.

2) I'm on Woolys side in regards to the films portrayal of handicapped characters. Yes, in real life they are frequently treated as a burden, but in film they are generally depicted with a kind of sainthood. I find that actually more of an obstacle in viewing them as just any other person(which is how they should be viewed). I see nothing wrong with having this particular character in a wheelchair be painted in an unflattering light. I have enough disabled people in my family to know that they are quite capable of being ********, and that ******* disabled people need representation too.

And one of my biggest blind spots, Ken Russell's The Devils, is on Shudder now.
Sweeeeeeet!

But that still raises the question of how appropriate it is to portray a character in an unsympathetic, mocking fashion when they're part of a group that already faces a lot of discrimination in general, especially in a movie that pre-dated things like the Americans With Disabilities Act by over a decade and a half, you know?

1) Franklin is not badly acted as a character. He's over the top at times, and his fall down the hill is kind of hilariously bad, but there is a lot of nuance in what a sad sack he is. Like when he is talking with the hitchhiker and trying to accomodate his conversation about head cheese.


2) I'm on Woolys side in regards to the films portrayal of handicapped characters. Yes, in real life they are frequently treated as a burden, but in film they are generally depicted with a kind of sainthood. I find that actually more of an obstacle in viewing them as just any other person(which is how they should be viewed). I see nothing wrong with having this particular character in a wheelchair be painted in an unflattering light. I have enough disabled people in my family to know that they are quite capable of being ********, and that ******* disabled people need representation too.


3) I don't think it is unfair to criticize the film for basically garnering cheers for Frankins death. If keeping the film entirely grim and humorless is your angle, I can give that to you. But in a film where the 'dropping the hammer' scene is played as not only one of its most disturbing moments, but also one of its most blackly funny, inappropriate humor is at the heart of the film. I think giving the audience some completely horrifying things to root for is part of its deeply nihilistic appeal.

Oddly enough, I actually felt sympathy for Franklin. Sure, he can come off as a weirdo at times, but really, I think it's more a case that the other characters are kinda just dicks to him and treat him as an outcast in their group to an extent, so I think much of his behavior in the film is more out of anxiousness than anything. As someone with anxiety myself, I often talk and repeat myself a lot around my friends and I suppose that can come off as annoying, so his behavior in the film is certainly valid.

Interestingly enough, in fact, when I streamed the film to a group of friends in a Discord server last summer, they all noticed the other characters' treatment of Franklin as well, cheered when the other three characters died, but were bummed out when Franklin died.

Yeah, I'm not buying this. Hardly a cash-in in any way and unquestionably a different look at the situation. Franklin isn't a burden specifically because he's handicapped, he's a burden because he's an ass. And he's handicapped. You never met a disabled person who was also an *******? They're out there, just like every other flavor of person one can imagine. And you can show that in a movie without it being an exploitative cash-in.

Wait, you're on Discord too?!

But that still raises the question of how appropriate it is to portray a character in an unsympathetic, mocking fashion when they're part of a group that already faces a lot of discrimination in general, especially in a movie that pre-dated things like the Americans With Disabilities Act by over a decade and a half, you know?

And Don't Look in the Basement is fine. But it won't be if one is looking for a Messiah of Evil or even a Carnival of Blood. It's just a minor, understatedly weird, cheapo horror film that has a bit of charm but not a lot of scares. Same goes for Don't Open the Door, which is either slightly better or slightly worse, but in the same ballpark

Sure, I’ve known disabled ********. That has no bearing on making that a good choice given the goals of the film. “Realism” is just about the laziest justification for any element of a movie.

His characterization a vestigial element of Hooper’s failure to make a slapstick horror flick. If Franklin were in TCM 2, I’d have very little issue.

I guess the question doesn’t arise for everyone, you know? I like crumbs find it appropriate enough, certainly more so than the sanctification, which is still a much more common approach imo. I also do completely appreciate why people would have reservations about that, but this is the whole debate about filmmakers being at least partly guided in their artistic choices by how disabled people will be affected by said choices, and that’s just something that I find truly detrimental to good filmmaking. Nowadays especially it seems a filmmaker simply cannot portray a group without considering how said group will be affected by the portrayal, and I feel like that’s just too much to ask.

Yeah, here's my id if you're interested:

bberta#9908

Oddly enough, I actually felt sympathy for Franklin. Sure, he can come off as a weirdo at times, but really, I think it's more a case that the other characters are kinda just dicks to him and treat him as an outcast in their group to an extent, so I think much of his behavior in the film is more out of anxiousness than anything. As someone with anxiety myself, I often talk and repeat myself a lot around my friends and I suppose that can come off as annoying, so his behavior in the film is certainly valid.

Interestingly enough, in fact, when I streamed the film to a group of friends in a Discord server last summer, they all noticed the other characters' treatment of Franklin as well, cheered when the other three characters died, but were bummed out when Franklin died.

Realism is what the movie is famous for.

3) Show me where else the horror is outright undercut by the humor besides Franklin. It’s usually an accent to the off kilter insanity. Franklin is tonally in the wrong film.

No. The film isn't mocking of his disability.

I can grant you that the franklin falling down the hill bit as being demeaning.