PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Tragic stories have been a part of entertainment from the very beginning. Just look at Shakespeare, whose tales were permeated with tragedy. When the advent of cinema added to the thrills and chills of it all, the action was taken beyond the stage, immortalizing performances. Not all of the tragic films here are exactly horror, nor will they be equally as entertaining. However, they are all classics and iconic. Let’s dig in, shall we?
Tragedy #1 – The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, Rupert Julian’s The Phantom of the Opera elevated the tragic figure of Erik The Phantom. Lon Chaney gave the role his all, utilizing his own makeup techniques to bring the fiendish character to life. Fiendishness aside, one can surely recognize the Phantom as a tragic, disfigured menace with some major control issues. Obsessed with singer Christine Daaé (Mary Philbin), he wishes to have her replace main actress Carlotta (Virginia Pearson), going so far as to sabotage their production of Gounod’s Faust.
No one is spared from his mischief ?— not even the theater’s audience. Of course, Christine’s love interest, Raoul (Norman Kerry), is a prime target as well. When we finally see The Phantom’s deformed face, we realize why he has become such a vengeful misfit over the years, although his actions and obsessiveness can never be truly justified. A major shocker in its day, this story has been retold in many ways over the years. Still, for most people, the superior incarnations are either through the original novel or Julian’s film. (It should be said, however, that Robert Englund’s 1989 performance as The Phantom is fairly entertaining – and considerably gorier – if that’s your thing. Read our tribute to that film here).
Tragedy #2 – Psycho (1960)
You have to love how Hitchcock’s trailer is intentionally full of spoilers!
Moving on… One of the greatest psychological horror films of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, is brimming with tragedy. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) is known to have a complex and tragic history with his mother. On top of that, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is a lost and tragic character, having stolen an easily-traceable $40,000 almost on a whim. In other words, even if she had never taken that fateful shower in Bates Motel, she could have been in some serious trouble. You could almost say that Norman/Norma saved her from herself. What’s interesting about Psycho is that it’s a hugely acclaimed proto-slasher, which horror fans can use to defend those who attack the genre as nothing but trash… Although, let’s face it, trash can be fun as well!
Tragedy #3 – Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Though not a horror film, Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde is said to have introduced a new level of bloodshed to film. As it’s depicted here, the infamous shootout that ended Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde (Warren Beatty) makes the character’s lives look like a tragic waste. Much like Marion Crane in Psycho, these two were destined to throw it all away without help from outside sources. It’s all the more tragic because Bonnie and Clyde were, in fact, real people. Bonnie was a lonely sort, but the real Clyde Barrow had become a hardened criminal. He grew up in extreme poverty and resented his lowly place in life. In addition to being sexually assaulted in prison, he was released 6 days after chopping off two of his toes to avoid hard labor! Interestingly, most of these harrowing story elements are omitted from the film, which was already too much for the censorious sorts out there who can’t cope with harsh reality depicted in fiction.
Tragedy #4 – Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead has made a huge impact on the world, essentially creating the modern zombie. Part of what makes this film classic is, of course, the level of tragedy involved. You’ve got the dead rising to life and characters constantly arguing. There’s also the fact that Barbra (Judith O’Dea) went into a semi-catatonic state after losing her brother, Johnny (Russell Streiner), before having another unfortunate encounter with him in his undead form. Ben (Duane Jones) ends up bitterly arguing with Harry Cooper (Karl Hardman). Then you have a young couple, Judy (Judith Ridley) and Tom (Keith Wayne), who become a well-cooked dinner for various ghouls, and Helen Cooper (Marilyn Eastman), who gets viciously attacked by her undead daughter (Kyra Schon).
Finally, you have the tragic fate of Ben, which is said to have inadvertent racial connotations, especially at the when time the film was released in the 1960s. Oddly, it’s easy to see Night of the Living Dead as a fun sort of film. However, one must subconsciously peel away the layers of tragedy in order to do so, making it both highly tragic and entertaining.
Tragedy #5 – The Exorcist (1973)
William Friedkin’s The Exorcist can and should be seen in many different ways. While it’s often considered among the scariest films ever, you’ll also find people who treat it like a ridiculous comedy. Of course, the possession of Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) and the ensuing terror felt by her mother (Ellen Burstyn) have tragic aspects as well. In fact, so does the loss of faith of Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), which ought to be respected as a tumultuous change, whether one has religious beliefs or not. Also, when Captain Howdy/Pazuzu (Mercedes McCambridge/Eileen Dietz) taunts Karras over the death of his mother, it reminds us that the film isn’t only about a possessed little girl (which is crazy enough). There are other tragedies here as well. The end result is a cocktail of despair, further enhanced by the stern tone of Max von Sydow as Father Lankester Merrin.
Tragedy #6 – Taxi Driver (1976)
You talkin’ to me? Often ranked among the greatest films ever, Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver is a disturbing look into the troubled mind of Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro). He alternates between driving his taxi cab, going to porno theaters and stalking Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a woman working for the political campaign of Charles Palantine (Leonard Harris). Initially, it seems he might assassinate Palantine after being rejected by Betsy. However, during his mental breakdown, Bickle makes a decision which may, in some ways, be considered more virtuous: He decides to free a young prostitute (Jodie Foster) from a pimp named Sport (Harvey Keitel). Plenty of blood is spilled as a result, and Bickle may be seen as partially redeemed… or is he? As awkward as it is, this movie is ultimately entertaining and quite quotable. In fact, it’s safe to say that Taxi Driver inspired countless other films, including Todd Phillips’ Joker – also tragic and entertaining!
Tragedy #7 – Carrie (1976)
Although Brian De Palma’s Carrie is regularly labeled as horror, it is actually more of a tragic story than anything else. Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is chronically abused by her hyper-religious mother (Piper Laurie) and bullied in school. She also has some special mental powers, commonly called telekinesis… she’s like a horror version of Jean Grey from the X-Men. What happens when she is pushed to her breaking point by her schoolmates, especially after a vicious prank on prom night? Well, it isn’t pretty, that’s for sure! While this is a tragic tale, it also gave us memorable (and potentially darkly humorous) quotes like, “Dirty pillows,” and “They’re all going to laugh at you!” As time marches on, one wonders if sheer puritanical mania will ever go the way of the Dodo.
Tragedy #8 – The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
The Hills Have Eyes offers up some pretty dark stuff, whether it’s your favorite Wes Craven movie or not. At the same time, the events almost don’t even seem tragic until after you’ve watched the movie, as it’s also brimming with a sense of zaniness. Still, would being swarmed by a mutant cannibal clan be a picnic? Probably not, except maybe for the cannibals. The film stars Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman, and Dee Wallace. Also, who doesn’t love John Steadman as Fred, the gas station owner? While the weird, violent family is pretty irredeemable, one must wonder exactly what made them as they are, and what it would take to snap them out of such a bizarre lifestyle.
Tragedy #9 – Alien (1979)
Imagine you’re in a spaceship and, through unusual circumstances, an alien creature gets onboard your vessel after it bursts through someone’s chest. Now imagine it starts attacking and murdering your crew. What do you do? Well, a lot of us would fall to pieces, becoming victims ourselves. Not Alien’s Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)! Okay, so she doesn’t kick the alien’s ass like she does in Aliens. However, that’s not the point here anyway. The point is tragedy! Ripley is put in a tough situation, facing off against a mysterious alien foe. Also, it kills off her whole crew (Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto). Did we mention that?
Tragedy #10 – The Elephant Man (1980)
Okay, so we’re going out on a limb here. The Elephant Man probably isn’t the most entertaining film on this list, but what the hell? One of the most interesting aspects of David Lynch’s film is that, ultimately, we will all – at least partly – view John Merrick (John Hurt) as a freak. In fact, there’s almost no way around it as it is a key part of the story. We, too, can easily forget that Merrick was a human being aside from his deformities. While he struggles throughout the film, we our guilt is partially assuaged as John gets ongoing help from Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins). In fact, Treves is the man we would all like to be in this situation, as opposed to the sneering, jeering, cruel crowd of mockers and moral degenerates who continually make Merrick’s physical traits an even bigger burden. So, is this film entertaining? Sure, but you should probably feel guilty for laughing at most of the scenes.
What do you think of these slices of cinematic tragedy? Did we miss out on any important tragic films? Let us know in the comments!
