Can I be honest? Even though I love horror, super-gore isn’t my forte. I want the sickly sweet scent of fear to linger in the air, the anticipation of being found or caught so sharp you’d open your palm trying to turn it over in your hand.
The “Terrifier” series is sort of the exact opposite of that; they ask the question, “how gross is possibly too gross and how can we catapult over that threshold?” They’re just so fucking gross. The wet squish of bodily harm is a never-ending chorus underscoring each film. Between that and the “clown cafe” ditty, my brain aches.
So how does someone who isn’t into gore end up bingeing the entire series before the halfway mark of the spookiest month on the calendar?
The Halloween Film project.
If you’re new here, a few years ago BP came to me with the idea of using the month of October to watch a horror franchise we’d yet to conquer together. So far we’ve done all of the “Scream” movies, most of the “Friday the 13th” movies, and the “Final Destination” franchise.
This year BP was the first to suggest the franchise: the “Terrifier” movies, starting with the short film and anthology series. I was a bit surprised–BP isn’t into gore much either, but the third movie was finally available to watch on streaming so I figured, “why not?” and away we went!
I did not enjoy myself. They’re incredibly gory, with the plot being strung out over three movies now–-sort of like the “Paranormal Activity” arc. There is a lot of pointed violence towards women (particularly the mutilation of them), though men and children aren’t safe from Art either. There’s one scene in the third movie in particular involving a lewd act and a giant shard of mirrored glass that is forever burned into my memory. I really wish it weren’t. A horror podcast I’m quite fond of covered the first film and likened Art to Bugs Bunny, and even framing him that way, he’s just not a baddie I can get behind. I’m never gleefully rooting for him to chase down an idiotic youth. His violence leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
Therefore, I can’t recommend these movies, personally. If you’re a gleeful gore-hound, you’ll be right at home amongst the dismembered body parts and all matter of entrails. They’re just not for me. I did watch some more of the Horror ABC’s I’m doing this year so stay tuned for that update soon!
A Place For Everything. 