Ridiculous killings in films

[Rusk is my hero]

Did you ever have the feeling that film directors / writers really belong to our community? The reason I ask is because of the way killings were often shoe-horned into a story either illogically or in so clumsy a way that a bit of titillation and murderous excitement is the only explanation.

The specific example I am thinking about comes from the 1957 Pickup Alley (aka Interpol) starring the wooden but likeable Victor Mature as a DEA officer and the pneumatic Anita Ekberg. The opening scene has Dorothy Alison hurrying from a taxi to an apartment or hotel room. She is either a DEA agent or Mature’s sister and is investigating drug-smuggler Trevor Howerd. She is snazzily dressed for a date with the villain, and has a scarf around her neck. She knows he is dangerous and ruthless but she runs into the room, leaves the door open, sits down with her back to it and calls DEA. Of course Mr. Howerd turns up and hears her. She hangs up as he enters; he tells her how beautifully she is dressed, winds the scarf tight around her throat and strangles her, with all the action unfortunately below the level of the camera.

My point is that the scene is utterly ridiculous. By all means have her throttled but show a bit more skill in the set-up. Or were they just so keen on a strangulation that they couldn’t be bothered? Anybody else have views on this and examples?

[xj900uk]

I saw a movie late night on C4 a few years back, think it was a foreign one as there were subtitles, and in it a masked machete-wielding maniac was on the prowl. He had been stalking this girl for some time and eventually broke into her house whilst she was getting ready for bed, she was wearing this unbelievably flimsy white lace neglige thing and there's a good five minutes chase-hide-suspense-chase-hide sequence where he pursues her through the house (he chops up the phone so she can't call out). Eventually he catches up with her and turns her into chop suey, however we don't get to see this as it is all done behind the sofa!!!!

[Egeek]

I can see it as either they filmed a kill scene and didnt think about the details to make it better. messed up on the camera angles or maybe they were hiding their secret tastes. fetishes that is. They probably have fetishes like we do but try to throw them in there somehow. In a not so great kill or specific views like feet in hose and heels etc. They film movies to probably vent out fantasies as we write story scenes. There was a not so great film but strangely enough I liked it a little titled turbulence. long story short there was a kill scene where this flight attendant played by catherine hicks was strangled to death by the bad guy. strangled in a airplane bathroom. as she was being strangled there was a shot of her legs in hose and heels kicking and stuff a little and then as went limp you see her legs rest and one of her heels comes off during the kill. Maybe the director had a leg and pantyhose fetish? I think more examples I think but basically ya I think that they may be part of this community sort to speak. The hidden tastes in them that gets vented out in their work somehow. A feet shot or what ever. maybe they dont and ridiculous killings are made in movies because they are because of budget or what ever.

[xj900uk]

... or somebody is getting slowly throttled on the living room floor and the camera director cuts away and slowly zooms in on an obscure painting hanging over the mantelpiece! It's ridiculous and I quite agree with you, Egeek!

[Egeek]

Ya I know. Because the movies are mainstream they may insert their fetishes differently then we do in our stories or fetish clips. We write fetish horror. horror can be more or less noticed. another movie that had camera shits that may make you think that the director had a fetish was in that movie anguish. two lovely female employees were shot at a movie theater I think. there was camera shots of thier legs in hose and heels. when you see camera shots of legs in hose and heels that really makes me wonder. does every horror director have a fetish? Do they really vent their fantasies like we do?

[arthur13]

Many years ago I went to Times Square in New York and I saw a Hollywood movie, in which an actress was shot and killed. When she was shot, she said OUCH.

[elsullo]

I think I have seen dozens of horror flicks where a Lovelie is wandering down long darkened halls fleeing or trying to evade some killer, when she thinks there is someone gaining on her from behind. So she turns around and flees BACKWARD down the dark hall trying to see him catching up. I always hoped someone had left a large cactus in the middle of the hall.........................elsullo

[xj900uk]

How many times does the hunted or beleaguered heroine when faced with a dilhema or a choice of different paths, always takes the route to certain death? Seems whenever being menaced by some mad axeman, plain stupidity quickly takes over...

[Egeek]

its like they meet their deaths because thats the way the director wanted it to full fill his or her own fetishes. Anyways here is another example that I think may fall under this topic. a scene from the 1939 version of mice and men. the way the camera angle was I think says something or maybe not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh_Xbr9XF6c

[xj900uk]

It's actually not bad for 1939 and shows that her death was an accident, however my only criticism is that when her body falls most of it is obscured behind a rough wooden slat in the fence

[Egeek]

It's actually not bad for 1939 and shows that her death was an accident, however my only criticism is that when her body falls most of it is obscured behind a rough wooden slat in the fence

I wish the necksnap part was a little better but that outfit of hers was sexy! of course I like the older woman buying the farm of course too. hehe. its an example I think on how the camera was positioned and it may look like that director was venting out a fetish. who knows.

[xj900uk]

A 'wooden fence' fetish??? Honestly the positioning of the camera is all wrong, or at least they should have moved the fence beforehand!

[Egeek]

A 'wooden fence' fetish??? Honestly the positioning of the camera is all wrong, or at least they should have moved the fence beforehand!

anything can be a fetish. but I doubt that was. but I was refering to the camera angle of her foot coming out of the heel and the focus of that part of her outfit even during the necksnap. as though the necksnap was just the means of offing her and not really in the directors mind and her feet in those heels was? I guess between loving wathing movies and collecting them and having fetishes as well. I like to look deeper into the scenes. fun to look at every little element.

[xj900uk]

If you want to look at a director with a fetish look at Alfred Hitchcock. Talk about a thing for blondes in sticky situations!!!

[Nightposter]

the 1970's film " Bay of Blood" aka "Twitch of the Death Nerve" we are teased by glimpses of a blonde hottie dressed in all white, driving to the bay... and then being cornered in a cabin by one of the killers where she is threatened with a machette . She tries to escape by tossing a pan of hot water at the killer, who then dives at the escaping blonde catching her by a foot... dragging himself on top of her and a strangle fight ensuses. she's tearing a tight white turtleneck sweater, a slit skirt just below the knees, hot pants underneath and white boots.
During the struggle the skirt drops behind her legs, and the sweater riders up under her boobs. the killer strangles her, gets up and looks down at the body... they show her legs slightly spread, arms out from sides, but clothing perfectly in place, legs covered, sweater pulled down to waist! whatta disappointment!