Art has long become an integral part of our lives. At the present stage of the social development cinematography occupies a special place, as for the representatives of mankind it’s the most affordable and favorite kind of art. The great advantage of the art, including cinematography, consists in the fact that it can give people some special feelings and emotional experiences that they cannot or simply fear to experience in the real life.
The world of cinema has become valuable for all people - starting from a mischievous child and ending with old car mechanic. Moreover, there is a huge amount of film genres. Consequently, a representative of the modern society has a huge selection of movies: comedy, melodramaor something special that will fascinate and frighten simultaneously, namely movies about serial killers.
Moreover, sometimes it seems that if in the film there are no murders and gangsters, the film is doomed to the failure (but not always, of course). There are a huge number of films, where there are contradictory characters that differ by cruelty and unscrupulousness, or characters that simply are serial killers. However, this abundance of pathological violence in movies is supported by the irrepressible interest of the audience.
It may sound horribly, but the interest of society (or sufficiently large number of its representatives) in the brutal murders, ugliness and violence is quite normal, or rather it’s not new. After all, this strange human passion for cruelty can be traced throughout the whole history of humanity. Let recall at least about v, bullfights and gladiator fights! Consequently, this strange passion is laid in very nature of human, which is primarily guided by instincts, hidden desires and needs.
It’s worth noting that the nature of a human being is quite strange. The greatest scientists have studied consciousness, subconscious, and unconscious minds or, as most people are accustomed to say - the human soul. However, the man has remained an enigma. For example, how can we explain the fact that society is fascinated by serial killers?
Before we start thinking about the causes of this strange passion it is worth noting that the person by making a certain action, usually satisfies certain need or even needs (although he doesn’t know about it). What needs do people satisfy while watching films about serial killers? First of all, people are watching movies because of the boredom. There are many ways to escape from reality (at least for 2 hours) and the film is probably the safest way. During the movie, people run away from everyday worries, problems and even from the ordinary headache.
However, if we talk about movies about serial killers, it is quite difficult to imagine that such films can help a person to relax and have a rest, but rather the other way around! For this reason if in the life of a particular person there are not bright emotions and intense feelings, he can try to get them, watching movies about killers. As a rule, such movies are highly emotional. They cause fear, surge of adrenaline, bright impressions and even stress.
All of us remember the movie “Basic Instinct”, which has a number of indisputable advantages, one of these virtues is an image of a beautiful psychopathic killer.( "Basic Instinct (1992)."). Catherine Tramell (played by Sharon Stone) is clever, beautiful and charming, but intuition suggests that it’s something wrong with her.
“Basic Instinct” is a prime example of a thriller, where murderer is not a crazy misfit, who lives in the cellar, wears mother’s dress and dismembers the body of his victim. In the Verhoeven’s movie the murderer is an intellectual and manipulator, who primarily win her victims psychologically. It is also worth noting that in this movie the killer is incredibly handsome; and the combination of beauty and cruelty has always fascinated humans.
Another prime example of the intellectual serial killer is Dr. Hannibal Lecter. ("The Silence of the Lambs (1991)."). Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is both a clever psychiatrist and killer, known as "Hannibal the Cannibal".("The Silence of the Lambs Movie Review (1991) | Roger Ebert."). Only the expression of Lecter's face can cause quiet horror in the spectator’s mind.
Moreover, throughout the film the situation becomes unclear and spectator start thinking about who is the real prisoner – Lecter or Clarice?
Furthermore, situations that cause fear attract human attention automatically; and such film genres as horror or thriller consist of an incredible number of such situations. People are curious creatures. They have always been interested in incomprehensible events, mysticism, catastrophes, natural disasters, and antisocial individuals, of course. Moreover, it is worth noting that the interest (even associated with negative processes) is a positive emotion. So, the interest in the movies about killers is quite understandable too.
Also every film of this genre contains a large number of fears and phobias that people often experience in real life: fear of heights, fire, darkness and fear of manic individuals, of course. In the movie all these fears are demonstrated in an exaggerated form in order to spectator receive all the range of emotions, which he expected.
It is also important to note the assumption that, for some people, such films may be the way to get rid of subconscious aggression. Such aggression is not the consequence of mental illness (but in the case with usual average spectator, but not a real serial killer).
Society has never been perfect, and the contemporary society is not an exception. There are some individuals in every society, who are dissatisfied with their lives, who are experiencing aggression towards many surrounding things, but they carefully hide their aggression. However, movies about killers, who violate all laws of the society, sometimes can help such people to relax. For example, it the movie Natural Born Killers (1994) while Mickey and Mallory are travelling across the America and killing everyone, director Oliver Stone mocks many shortcomings of the society.( "Natural Born Killers (1994).").
However, it is worth noting the fact that there are some people, who are simply fascinated by cruelty (in the same way as some girls are fascinated by movies about beautiful love stories). In connection with this it is worth recalling the movie “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” (2006). Movie about Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is disgusting and beautiful simultaneously. It is not a primitive detective, but it’s rather a psychological drama about a lonely person, who has turned into a monster. This monster collect smells from the beauty and youth of the girls he killed. Finally Grenouille managed to create a perfume with a perfect aroma This is a film, focused on an obsession so complete and lonely it shuts out all other human experience.("Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Movie Review (2007) | Roger Ebert.").
Moreover, there is a new interesting theory, according to which people, who like to watch horror movies, take pleasure because they feel unhappy, scared or just strained. Of course, it is quite strange, but some people like to be scared, and the most terrifying moments of the film gives them the greatest pleasure.
Also, some researchers suggest that in fact the interest in movies about killers is caused by the sense of relief, when the movie ends. Sometimes people are watching a movie, where some murderer tortured his victim and at a subconscious level they may be happy because they are safe. Of course, they may not be aware of this and sincerely worry about the unfortunate victim.
So, the passion for movies about the cruelty of serial killers is an ongoing cultural phenomenon. Moreover, the cinematography is dominant product of the modern culture, which is able to satisfy the desire of some people to be afraid. Some movies about serial killers have become classic (for example, “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)). The image of the serial killer has always excited and fascinated the wide audience. Movies about killers satisfy the natural human need for thrills. After all, to watch a movie is much safer than to meet danger in the real world.
Works cited:
"Basic Instinct (1992)." IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/>.
"Natural Born Killers (1994)." IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110632/>.
"Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Movie Review (2007) | Roger Ebert." All Content. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/perfume-the-story-of-a-murderer-2007>.
"The Silence of the Lambs (1991)." The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.filmsite.org/sile.html>.
"The Silence of the Lambs Movie Review (1991) | Roger Ebert." All Content. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-silence-of-the-lambs-1991>.
