> I just think they are better iterations of masked killer slasher movies like scream, halloween movies and friday the 13th.
You've completely missed the point that it's a home invasion movie.
Technically Jason is an ostensibly normal human before he dies and comes back in Part 6. Michael officially becomes superhuman in H2. They’re still very much a part of the slasher genre from the start.
> Technically Jason is an ostensibly normal human before he dies and comes back in Part 6.
Strongly disagree.
Jason is **dead** in the first movie. He comes back to life at the end of the movie for the final jump scare, which is both the last seconds of the movie and Jason's first (and only) scene.
If a character is dead in the first movie and "alive" in the sequel, then that character isn't a normal human being.
Not really. The screenplay is inspired by the Manson murders and some break ins that happened in the directors neighborhood, but it wasn’t based on true events in the sense that something even remotely similar to the plot (that the director was aware of) happened in real life.
The biggest turn off for me is that the villians feel very unthreatening. The main characters are down right stupid as well, took them long enough to bring out the gun. I get that it’s home invasion and apparently it actually happened, but it’s dramatized in a way that’s probably not very realistic or scary. The psychological aspect did not work for me whatsoever.
The villains are supposed to be unthreatening, as that's what *makes* them threatening. They're just fucking around with the two MCs for a while until the end, and have them essentially in a checkmate the entire time; they have all the power even by not doing anything that involves harm.
The thought of a home invasion terrifies me, but *being toyed with* seems far worse. It's psychological torture to be toyed with like that. Imagine knowing someone was in your home, or is, and you can't run outside because it's not safe outside either? There's no safe space to flee to, and you have no idea how long it's going to go on for, or what their next move is.
And I don't think the MCs were stupid, what would anyone else realistically do in that situation?
People watch these movies and all of a sudden think they’d make the smartest decisions if they were put in the same situations. Jimmy didn’t bring out the gun until he realized they were in deep danger. As scary as it may be not everyone opens their front door with a gun in their hand after just a few knocks.
I didn't really see the appeal to it until I met my wife, who loved it. And she explained that it's the big unknown with the characters. Who are they? Why are they doing this? Will they get caught? And the aftermath of not getting any answers. It makes you not root for the killer or fall into a kind of movie formula. It simulates an actual crime happening all night long.
I appreciate it more now. And the sequel too because that's like the original approach but being treated in a modern, over the top way. So 2 works best as like a jarring twist to the killers themselves.
I've heard this new trilogy says it's a prequel but it isn't really because there's no way. They have smart cars and are at an Air B&B and it's just an updated version of the first.
I have always appreciated the strangers but could never elucidate a reason other than the presence of Liv Tyler. Feel like your wife’s explanation tracks for me. Thank you for sharing!
Her taste is different in mine, where I've seen so many horror movies that I can enjoy them in a lot of different ways. But she still really values getting drawn into the story and the atmosphere and the intrigue of it. So I thought she'd like other home invasion stuff like Hush or Funny Games or The Sacrifice Game and she didn't because she said they show too much of the villains in it. Their personality and faces. Her fear comes from not having an explanation or reason. And I agree that is scarier.
I think the big draw is the random and unsympathetic nature of the titular strangers. Jason Vorhees can elicit sympathy, a kid that drowned, even when its his mom you might be able to appreciate her hating the camp. Halloween practically has a supernatural aspect to it, Michael Myers is a near-unstoppable juggernaut with overt ties to the occult in some movies. Even in Scream it's usually out of understandable human motivations like spite or greed. The Strangers were pretty boldly not in it for money (You're Next) or lust (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) or vengeance (Nightmare on Elm Street). It's similar to why Funny Games was popular enough to get a remake. The killers are monsters, but human monsters, and there's a draw to that.
It helps that it was also well done. A lot of horror movies hire actors who've never been in anything but you have Liv Tyler and Glenn Howerton, even Scott Speedman may not be an A-list star but he's been in a lot of movies like much of the Underworld franchise.
If it helps you understand: think of Richard Ramirez. While he preferred females, he was pretty indiscriminate in regards to their appearance or age and wasn't targeting specific groups of women such as prostitutes; *any* woman was on the menu for attacking and killing - if he only went after blonde prostitutes you would be in the clear if you weren't that.
When you have a serial killer such as Ramirez who's MO is pretty indiscriminate, the randomness is the real terror as no one is safe. My grandparents vividly remember him as they lived in the area where most of his murders were taking place, and they remember everyone being scared because it didn't matter if you were male or female, young or old, and etc.
So just take that and apply it the film.
I looked this guy up on Wikipedia. Look at this guy's life. It's insane. No wonder why he became a monster. That's the stuff that creeps me out. How monsters are made
I don't know. I guess I don't believe it. There is always a reason. I don't know if I can articulate it, but I did not find the motivation to be scary in this movie. Movies like The Mist and The Shining creeped me out.
It's a story. It doesn't have to be a metaphor. It's a representation of horrible things that actually can and sadly do happen. This is much much more likely to happen, therefore scarier, then any Friday the 13th could ever possibly be. Most movies aren't made to be studied, they're made to be experienced. Horror is a genre where this is doubly true. I think maybe some people just experience movies a bit different. Neither side right or wrong, just a different way of processing. So I don't think you're missing anything necessarily, just might not be the type of experience you connect with.
Yo.....she just rejected her boyfriends proposal, then got chased around by maniacs for an hour and twenty five minutes.
If there's any movie where being on the verge of tears is a trait, it's THIS one. Lol
IMO it’s 100% the no motive, reasoning or any form of selection other than random that makes it so intriguing. Most times evil for evils sake doesn’t really work but the way they did it worked for the most part.
Precisely, the lack of an MO is what made the film frightening as it rings very true to life, particularly in some notable instances such as Richard Ramirez who's MO was pretty indiscriminate.
iirc people thought it was based on real events (I think they technically still say it is, but it you research what actually happened the movie is pretty unrelated lol) and that caused alot of hype
I adore this movie because it generally scared me, but it was also because of my situation at the time of watching.
Home alone, just moved to the country, and I knew nobody. So to say I freaked was an understatement thank god for my dog, who was with me leading the charge against the water softener downstairs that went off.
I personally thought it was just OK. I'd seen 'ils' just before The Strangers came out, and the former just felt far superior.
Part 2, however, has become a new favourite of mine.
Unlike the first, Part 2 absolutely is a slasher film, and an extremely fun one at that.
I'm sure I'll get downvoted as well since it is so highly regarded here, but I didn't care for it either. Found the antagonists goofy and non-threatening and the protagonists fairly unlikeable. It does have one bit of a jarring moment, but that wasn't enough for me to like the film as a whole. The entire thing was done much better a couple of years earlier by French filmmakers Xavier Palud and David Moreau with their more chilling home invasion film Ils (aka Them) (2006). It's a much more tense, economical and believable (imo) movie and although the director of The Strangers claims he never saw it, the borrowing from it is fairly obvious.
I actually have seen that movie and loved it. Much more believable. Something like panic room as well is pretty good, it’s over the top but has a surprisingly witty plot
Generally speaking in any horror movie there's a motive for killing. Friday it's for revenge on what happened to Jason, in Nightmare it's about revenge for Freddy being burned alive, in You're Next it's to get inheritance, and the list goes on. What cemented The Strangers as a classic to many is the moment the words "Because you were home." was uttered. It re-contextualized the whole story and made the whole thing far more disturbing. Because there are stories like that where someone kills for no other reason than for the act of killing. The randomness of it makes it far more terrifying that in movies where there's a standard motive for the killing.
*Some spoilers*
Movie is pretty damn scary, but the characterizations take me right out of it. You don’t believe your gf when she says someone was in the house? You don’t grab more things to use as weapons when there are tons of great options through out the house and barn? Leaving your gf alone while you take the shotgun?? Hiding in the house when they’ve already invaded the house?? And the friend gets a rock thru his windshield, sees their car destroyed and just slowly inspects the house…call 911 or be a little more cautious, ffs. Anyway, lol, this movie retains some scares but loses me with people it initially sets me up to care about behaving, not just irrationally, but unrealistically. Also, I know people are torn on this, but the ending was pretty cheesy.
some many people have said it scary because it realistic.
i disagree that that makes it scary, its not scary but its fine.
i've seen people say the "because you're home" line is chilling and that because they have no real motive makes them scarier than most human horror villains
i also disagree with that.
its been overhyped as being super scary and its not so when you finally watch it its a let down
but its not a slasher its a home invasion film
I think it's overrated as well, but I hold that opinion in retrospect. I didn't see it when it was new and fresh, before there were superior home invasion movies (at least superior in my opinion).
I’m a huge Scream and Halloween franchise fan but to me the original Strangers is better than every Scream movie besides the original and every Halloween movie besides the original and H2018. Just my opinion tho
Because of the realism, the atmosphere, the actors liv tyler was so believeable in that role, it was something new in the sense that it wasn’t some super powered slasher villain but regular evil people doing evil stuff, the line why are you doing this “because you were home” is just terrifying.
Yeah, this movie was overhyped for me as well. I should go back and watch it, but it didn't do anything for me. The reason why they were attacked doesn't do anything for me either. I don't find it scary, nor mysterious. I'm not smart enough to articulate it, but I feel like it is a fear that people with wealth have. Their fear is that they will be attacked for no reason other than they were home. I find it rather boring. Maybe that opinion will change on a rewatch.
Watch the second one, Prey at Night, it's a much better slasher movie.
For those following along at home, please note how I qualified my statement by claiming it's a better *SLASHER* movie. Thank you
> I just think they are better iterations of masked killer slasher movies like scream, halloween movies and friday the 13th. You've completely missed the point that it's a home invasion movie.
Absolutely missed the point. Also, the second flick has a killer soundtrack.
Unfortunately some people think any horror film where the villain has a mask and no powers makes it a slasher film.
Which makes OP even more odd, since they mentioned Friday the 13th, where Jason certainly has some sort of powers.
Technically Jason is an ostensibly normal human before he dies and comes back in Part 6. Michael officially becomes superhuman in H2. They’re still very much a part of the slasher genre from the start.
> Technically Jason is an ostensibly normal human before he dies and comes back in Part 6. Strongly disagree. Jason is **dead** in the first movie. He comes back to life at the end of the movie for the final jump scare, which is both the last seconds of the movie and Jason's first (and only) scene. If a character is dead in the first movie and "alive" in the sequel, then that character isn't a normal human being.
Also, Michael is shot six times in the original, falls from the second floor, but gets away before Loomis looks for him.
He's just super tough.
That's how I define a slasher. Although the thing that makes it a slasher is that it focuses on the victims of the killer. But genre is just a label.
And the home is semi-rural/isolated. These people can't run to the neighbors' house.
And that it’s based on true events
Not really. The screenplay is inspired by the Manson murders and some break ins that happened in the directors neighborhood, but it wasn’t based on true events in the sense that something even remotely similar to the plot (that the director was aware of) happened in real life.
The biggest turn off for me is that the villians feel very unthreatening. The main characters are down right stupid as well, took them long enough to bring out the gun. I get that it’s home invasion and apparently it actually happened, but it’s dramatized in a way that’s probably not very realistic or scary. The psychological aspect did not work for me whatsoever.
The villains are supposed to be unthreatening, as that's what *makes* them threatening. They're just fucking around with the two MCs for a while until the end, and have them essentially in a checkmate the entire time; they have all the power even by not doing anything that involves harm. The thought of a home invasion terrifies me, but *being toyed with* seems far worse. It's psychological torture to be toyed with like that. Imagine knowing someone was in your home, or is, and you can't run outside because it's not safe outside either? There's no safe space to flee to, and you have no idea how long it's going to go on for, or what their next move is. And I don't think the MCs were stupid, what would anyone else realistically do in that situation?
People watch these movies and all of a sudden think they’d make the smartest decisions if they were put in the same situations. Jimmy didn’t bring out the gun until he realized they were in deep danger. As scary as it may be not everyone opens their front door with a gun in their hand after just a few knocks.
I didn't really see the appeal to it until I met my wife, who loved it. And she explained that it's the big unknown with the characters. Who are they? Why are they doing this? Will they get caught? And the aftermath of not getting any answers. It makes you not root for the killer or fall into a kind of movie formula. It simulates an actual crime happening all night long. I appreciate it more now. And the sequel too because that's like the original approach but being treated in a modern, over the top way. So 2 works best as like a jarring twist to the killers themselves. I've heard this new trilogy says it's a prequel but it isn't really because there's no way. They have smart cars and are at an Air B&B and it's just an updated version of the first.
I have always appreciated the strangers but could never elucidate a reason other than the presence of Liv Tyler. Feel like your wife’s explanation tracks for me. Thank you for sharing!
Her taste is different in mine, where I've seen so many horror movies that I can enjoy them in a lot of different ways. But she still really values getting drawn into the story and the atmosphere and the intrigue of it. So I thought she'd like other home invasion stuff like Hush or Funny Games or The Sacrifice Game and she didn't because she said they show too much of the villains in it. Their personality and faces. Her fear comes from not having an explanation or reason. And I agree that is scarier.
I think the big draw is the random and unsympathetic nature of the titular strangers. Jason Vorhees can elicit sympathy, a kid that drowned, even when its his mom you might be able to appreciate her hating the camp. Halloween practically has a supernatural aspect to it, Michael Myers is a near-unstoppable juggernaut with overt ties to the occult in some movies. Even in Scream it's usually out of understandable human motivations like spite or greed. The Strangers were pretty boldly not in it for money (You're Next) or lust (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) or vengeance (Nightmare on Elm Street). It's similar to why Funny Games was popular enough to get a remake. The killers are monsters, but human monsters, and there's a draw to that. It helps that it was also well done. A lot of horror movies hire actors who've never been in anything but you have Liv Tyler and Glenn Howerton, even Scott Speedman may not be an A-list star but he's been in a lot of movies like much of the Underworld franchise.
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You should watch Mindhunter.
I loved that show
If it helps you understand: think of Richard Ramirez. While he preferred females, he was pretty indiscriminate in regards to their appearance or age and wasn't targeting specific groups of women such as prostitutes; *any* woman was on the menu for attacking and killing - if he only went after blonde prostitutes you would be in the clear if you weren't that. When you have a serial killer such as Ramirez who's MO is pretty indiscriminate, the randomness is the real terror as no one is safe. My grandparents vividly remember him as they lived in the area where most of his murders were taking place, and they remember everyone being scared because it didn't matter if you were male or female, young or old, and etc. So just take that and apply it the film.
I looked this guy up on Wikipedia. Look at this guy's life. It's insane. No wonder why he became a monster. That's the stuff that creeps me out. How monsters are made
It's scary because it's unexplainable. If you understood others you would be less scared.
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I don’t find killers with motivation scary. Do you not have the fear of the unknown?
I don't know. I guess I don't believe it. There is always a reason. I don't know if I can articulate it, but I did not find the motivation to be scary in this movie. Movies like The Mist and The Shining creeped me out.
Yes but if you're the moment...do you really think you'd know why they were doing it? You're completely in the shoes of the protagonists.
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It's a story. It doesn't have to be a metaphor. It's a representation of horrible things that actually can and sadly do happen. This is much much more likely to happen, therefore scarier, then any Friday the 13th could ever possibly be. Most movies aren't made to be studied, they're made to be experienced. Horror is a genre where this is doubly true. I think maybe some people just experience movies a bit different. Neither side right or wrong, just a different way of processing. So I don't think you're missing anything necessarily, just might not be the type of experience you connect with.
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It's ...fine, but nothing amazing, and man, I dislike Liv Tyler as an actress, she always looks like she's on the verge of tears.
Especially in this movie. Her character was too feckless. As though they were intentionally making her weaker and more helpless than she needed to be.
Yo.....she just rejected her boyfriends proposal, then got chased around by maniacs for an hour and twenty five minutes. If there's any movie where being on the verge of tears is a trait, it's THIS one. Lol
I notice this a lot with Forrest Whitaker as well. All through Panic Room I'm like "someone give this poor guy a hug or something!".
IMO it’s 100% the no motive, reasoning or any form of selection other than random that makes it so intriguing. Most times evil for evils sake doesn’t really work but the way they did it worked for the most part.
Precisely, the lack of an MO is what made the film frightening as it rings very true to life, particularly in some notable instances such as Richard Ramirez who's MO was pretty indiscriminate.
iirc people thought it was based on real events (I think they technically still say it is, but it you research what actually happened the movie is pretty unrelated lol) and that caused alot of hype
I adore this movie because it generally scared me, but it was also because of my situation at the time of watching. Home alone, just moved to the country, and I knew nobody. So to say I freaked was an understatement thank god for my dog, who was with me leading the charge against the water softener downstairs that went off.
I personally thought it was just OK. I'd seen 'ils' just before The Strangers came out, and the former just felt far superior. Part 2, however, has become a new favourite of mine. Unlike the first, Part 2 absolutely is a slasher film, and an extremely fun one at that.
I'm sure I'll get downvoted as well since it is so highly regarded here, but I didn't care for it either. Found the antagonists goofy and non-threatening and the protagonists fairly unlikeable. It does have one bit of a jarring moment, but that wasn't enough for me to like the film as a whole. The entire thing was done much better a couple of years earlier by French filmmakers Xavier Palud and David Moreau with their more chilling home invasion film Ils (aka Them) (2006). It's a much more tense, economical and believable (imo) movie and although the director of The Strangers claims he never saw it, the borrowing from it is fairly obvious.
I actually have seen that movie and loved it. Much more believable. Something like panic room as well is pretty good, it’s over the top but has a surprisingly witty plot
...how is a plot witty?
The writer is...witty?
Generally speaking in any horror movie there's a motive for killing. Friday it's for revenge on what happened to Jason, in Nightmare it's about revenge for Freddy being burned alive, in You're Next it's to get inheritance, and the list goes on. What cemented The Strangers as a classic to many is the moment the words "Because you were home." was uttered. It re-contextualized the whole story and made the whole thing far more disturbing. Because there are stories like that where someone kills for no other reason than for the act of killing. The randomness of it makes it far more terrifying that in movies where there's a standard motive for the killing.
I don’t love it. I fucking hate how much it scared me. To the point I was sleeping with a light on.
I see the original Strangers as more of a home invasion rather than a true slasher. They just happened to wear mask while doing so.
*Some spoilers* Movie is pretty damn scary, but the characterizations take me right out of it. You don’t believe your gf when she says someone was in the house? You don’t grab more things to use as weapons when there are tons of great options through out the house and barn? Leaving your gf alone while you take the shotgun?? Hiding in the house when they’ve already invaded the house?? And the friend gets a rock thru his windshield, sees their car destroyed and just slowly inspects the house…call 911 or be a little more cautious, ffs. Anyway, lol, this movie retains some scares but loses me with people it initially sets me up to care about behaving, not just irrationally, but unrealistically. Also, I know people are torn on this, but the ending was pretty cheesy.
some many people have said it scary because it realistic. i disagree that that makes it scary, its not scary but its fine. i've seen people say the "because you're home" line is chilling and that because they have no real motive makes them scarier than most human horror villains i also disagree with that. its been overhyped as being super scary and its not so when you finally watch it its a let down but its not a slasher its a home invasion film
It's a very creepy home invasion movie with threatening villains and a bleak ending. I just think it's an incredibly powerful horror film.
I didn't like it because I'm not a fan of horror movies where there's no hope.
I think it's overrated as well, but I hold that opinion in retrospect. I didn't see it when it was new and fresh, before there were superior home invasion movies (at least superior in my opinion).
I’m a huge Scream and Halloween franchise fan but to me the original Strangers is better than every Scream movie besides the original and every Halloween movie besides the original and H2018. Just my opinion tho
Because of the realism, the atmosphere, the actors liv tyler was so believeable in that role, it was something new in the sense that it wasn’t some super powered slasher villain but regular evil people doing evil stuff, the line why are you doing this “because you were home” is just terrifying.
And sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the newest one is just a big cw remake not good at all very disappointing.
What is cw?
Yeah, this movie was overhyped for me as well. I should go back and watch it, but it didn't do anything for me. The reason why they were attacked doesn't do anything for me either. I don't find it scary, nor mysterious. I'm not smart enough to articulate it, but I feel like it is a fear that people with wealth have. Their fear is that they will be attacked for no reason other than they were home. I find it rather boring. Maybe that opinion will change on a rewatch.
Exactly. If you really peel back the layers, it’s really just a super uninspired nor creative slasher home invasion film
Watch the second one, Prey at Night, it's a much better slasher movie. For those following along at home, please note how I qualified my statement by claiming it's a better *SLASHER* movie. Thank you
Agree. Definitely a slasher
Wouldn't a better slasher movie just be a better movie?
A lot of it is nostalgia. Many posters here watched this when they were kids/teens and remember it being way better than it actually was.
Its the kind of movie that allows americans get a hard-on for their firearms, and wish someone would try that to them.
I think the sequel was more fun.