The
concept of home invokes a sense of security and safety from the dangers of the
outside world. Invasion movies violate this deeply entrenched
human need. The idea that someone could breach this most fundamental barrier
strikes a chord of horror, making us wonder how we would react in such a
situation. The following movies answer that question in very different ways,
but they all tap into the same fear in memorable ways.
Black Christmas (2004)
This
holiday classic has someone breaking into the house right from the outset. In a
horrifying opening scene, viewers become complicit with the intruder himself
and see through his eyes. Revisiting this angle periodically keeps viewers on
the edge of their seats, envisioning the horror around the corner. More disturbingly
for the characters in the movie, the intruder calls from inside the house and
doesn’t have very pleasant things to say. As the bodies pile up, the sorority
house itself seems to take on a sinister air. This Canadian thriller really
laid the foundation for many of the horror tropes we know today. Interesting
tidbit: the film was directed by Bob Clark, who is responsible for another
Christmas classic. Guess which one...
The Panic Room (2002)
The
Panic Room provides exactly what its title suggests: a film full of panicked
characters running from their worst fears which have suddenly materialized.
Jodie Foster plays a somewhat wounded divorcee who is trying to start a new
life. The new house she moves into with her daughter comes equipped with an
impenetrable panic room in case of intrusions. Before too long, some men come
by in search of loot, and the panic room becomes a necessity. Unfortunately for
the main characters, the panic room itself contains what the intruders have
come looking for.
Funny Games (1997)
Director
Michael Haneke decided he had to torment as
many audiences with this film as possible. So he made this one in Germany in
‘97, and then he remade the film entirely in English ten years
later. The “games” depicted in this movie have nothing to do with fun, except
for the perpetrators and any seriously sadistic viewers. In this tale of
torture and pain, a family vacation getaway turns into several rounds of
violence when a few psychopaths come into the picture. Naomi Watts plays the
mother of a well-to-do family that runs into a pair of polite and well-mannered
killers. Each family member gets a certain amount of time to live and then has
to undergo a series of physical and psychological horrors. Holiday activities
at the cabin have rarely taken such a dark turn.
Halloween (1978)
Director
John Carpenter’s classic horror film changed the genre for good and
set off a chain reaction that still reverberates today. The movie opens with a
non-intruder, Michael, who commits the first violent deed. Years later, Michael
proceeds to maim and kill as many of the people in his old neighborhood as
possible. At the heart of the story, though, are a few babysitters who
unexpectedly walk into jobs that will change their lives. A quiet night at home
would never seem as innocent and peaceful after this film’s release. It’s one
of the most successful independent films of all time, and is still shown
regularly throughout the United States: the original was redistributed
theatrically all over the world. It’s so big, that it’s a popular viewing
option even outside of the continental U.S., with many fans catching it through
Satellite TV Providers in
Hawaii or at Halloween carnivals in
Alaska.
Wait Until Dark (1967)
Audrey Hepburn stars a young woman named Susy
who has recently become blind ends up facing three intruders. After a series of
mishaps and poor decisions at the beginning of the movie, Susy’s husband Sam
ends up bringing a doll full of heroin to the house. This brings the miscreants
sniffing around for it. Since Susy is blind, the criminals try to find the doll
full of drugs without letting her in on it by weaving a series of stories to
explain their presence. Their tales begin to wear thin as the clock keeps
ticking. The film was praised heartily by Roger
Ebert.
When a Stranger Calls
(1979)
This
classic home invasion movie tunes into the fear of interacting with a stranger
who can track your every move. At the outset, the home represents an alien
environment, as Jill Johnson is babysitting in another home. Already out of
place, she receives another jolt of fear when someone calls the home asking about
the children. A seemingly innocuous prank at first glance, the calls continue
and Jill becomes increasingly concerned. When she finally gets the attention of
the authorities, they have some even more terrifying news for her. The caller
has already entered the house and is placing calls from inside it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Kelly is a blogger based in Chicago, IL. A horror fan since day one, she also has a degree in Communications and Media from DePaul, University. In her free time you can find her training for a triathlon or watching awesomely-bad monster movies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Kelly is a blogger based in Chicago, IL. A horror fan since day one, she also has a degree in Communications and Media from DePaul, University. In her free time you can find her training for a triathlon or watching awesomely-bad monster movies.
