One of the things that non-horror fans struggle with the most is the presence of gore. When dealing with those in the horror community you seldom come across a fellow fan who has an innate fear of blood and guts. This is usually because we are perhaps, “desensitized” or we just plain like it. I don’t love it’s often over abundance but as we all know, I am all for some beautiful blood. So how did we get to where we are? I’m willing to bet that most of us as a young one, did at some point fear the presence of blood and in more extreme circumstances guts, brain matter and general ickiness. I know that upon my first viewing of movies like Hellraiser and even Hostel, I was more than a little turned off and even a bit queasy. These days however, I barely blink an eye at an exposed intestinal tract. So the question becomes clear; how do we as horror fans defend our stomachs against the impending nausea that the more typical movie fan cannot ignore?
The most common defense mechanism is the simple fact that knowing and understanding that the gore is in fact, fake. I remember seeing a segment on Oprah or some talk show, where they showed how a hospital television show accomplished the effect of showing the scalpel cutting the skin. They brought out a very life like stomach covered by a sheet, exposing only a small part (just like in a real hospital!), then they gave an in depth demonstration. The scalpel had a little button on it’s side, which when pushed, caused the fake blood to come out. When used on the dummy skin, it looked just like the scalpel was cutting and that blood was running. It was an experience that caused me to see all blood and guts as just another demonstration. It was like one of those haunted house tours when they turn the lights on and you can see behind the scenes. Gore suddenly became less of a gross out thing for me and more of a “I wonder how they did that” thing.
Of course the only problem with this defense mechanism, is that gore-o-phobs have a problem with context. Sure you can tell someone that that brain matter splashed across the wall is really just a cherry slushy
- but it doesn’t seem like a slushy because we just saw a guy’s head get blown to bits! Cherry Slushy = yummy, brain matter = gross. It’s simple arithmetic. Most gore in context has to be this way or movies wouldn’t be as popular. Intestines have to look like intestines and not like sausage or no one would even watch the movie. So as much as I try to tell people that it’s just a movie, it’s not real blood and guts- that approach just never works. So how can we really help those afraid of gore? Unfortunately I don’t think there’s a solution. Maybe getting them desensitized early by throwing them head first into a movie like Cannibal Holocaust would work, but it could also result in a nasty heart attack. 
I like to think that once you watch Cannibal Holocaust however, you are ready for anything. Why? Because the gore in Cannibal Holocaust is hard to watch for any horror fan due to it’s “too real for comfort” vibe. The style of filming and the sheer intensity of what enfolds on the screen makes the gore almost unbearable. I know we all like to pretend that because we see all this gore and violence on the screen- seeing any form of it in real life would be a cake walk. Well I am willing to bet that more than half us- when put face to face with a gunshot victim or a car crash fatality would be puking in the bushes in no time. Real gore and fake gore are apples and oranges kid. Take for example, when surgery shows find it absolutely necessary to show just how a boob job, or a facial reconstruction surgery is done. It’s horrifying. I know I can’t be the only one who fast forwards through the surgery segments in True Life: I Want the Perfect Body. It’s too real, and seeing facial skin pulled up over a skull is just….gah! Although I would have to say that my initial complete viewing of Cannibal Holocaust did ready me for just about all the gore I have ever seen on the screen.
The final thing I think of, when protecting myself against my gag reflex, is that in some of the goriest movies—most of what you are seeing is 100% necessary. Note that I am not including campy, gore fest movies where yes obviously the gore is necessary because that’s the whole point of the film. I’m talking about movies like Martyrs- one of the goriest films you may subject yourself to, but the gore is necessary and vital to the overall story line and emotions that we feel upon the film’s conclusion.
The same can be said even for Cronenberg’s The Fly, where we get horrible, awful examples of gore and just plain nastiness. But we need it because we have to feel the complete and utter deterioration of Brundlefly’s character, psyche and of course, his body. I would say that this may be my main defense mechanism. I don’t pay attention to just how cool or awesome or gross or vomit inducing those guts look like, or how real and terrifying that head wound is. I pay attention to what the gore is doing there in the first place. I realize this may not be a common defense mechanism, especially for gore hounds, but it’s one that I find works and even creates some pretty serious thinking bubbles.
So what are your defense mechanisms? And is it really possible to desensitize our friends, significant others and parents to the movies that we love? Or will we be left alone with a bowl of popcorn, an exposed intestinal tract and a smile on our face?
The most common defense mechanism is the simple fact that knowing and understanding that the gore is in fact, fake. I remember seeing a segment on Oprah or some talk show, where they showed how a hospital television show accomplished the effect of showing the scalpel cutting the skin. They brought out a very life like stomach covered by a sheet, exposing only a small part (just like in a real hospital!), then they gave an in depth demonstration. The scalpel had a little button on it’s side, which when pushed, caused the fake blood to come out. When used on the dummy skin, it looked just like the scalpel was cutting and that blood was running. It was an experience that caused me to see all blood and guts as just another demonstration. It was like one of those haunted house tours when they turn the lights on and you can see behind the scenes. Gore suddenly became less of a gross out thing for me and more of a “I wonder how they did that” thing.
Of course the only problem with this defense mechanism, is that gore-o-phobs have a problem with context. Sure you can tell someone that that brain matter splashed across the wall is really just a cherry slushy
- but it doesn’t seem like a slushy because we just saw a guy’s head get blown to bits! Cherry Slushy = yummy, brain matter = gross. It’s simple arithmetic. Most gore in context has to be this way or movies wouldn’t be as popular. Intestines have to look like intestines and not like sausage or no one would even watch the movie. So as much as I try to tell people that it’s just a movie, it’s not real blood and guts- that approach just never works. So how can we really help those afraid of gore? Unfortunately I don’t think there’s a solution. Maybe getting them desensitized early by throwing them head first into a movie like Cannibal Holocaust would work, but it could also result in a nasty heart attack. I like to think that once you watch Cannibal Holocaust however, you are ready for anything. Why? Because the gore in Cannibal Holocaust is hard to watch for any horror fan due to it’s “too real for comfort” vibe. The style of filming and the sheer intensity of what enfolds on the screen makes the gore almost unbearable. I know we all like to pretend that because we see all this gore and violence on the screen- seeing any form of it in real life would be a cake walk. Well I am willing to bet that more than half us- when put face to face with a gunshot victim or a car crash fatality would be puking in the bushes in no time. Real gore and fake gore are apples and oranges kid. Take for example, when surgery shows find it absolutely necessary to show just how a boob job, or a facial reconstruction surgery is done. It’s horrifying. I know I can’t be the only one who fast forwards through the surgery segments in True Life: I Want the Perfect Body. It’s too real, and seeing facial skin pulled up over a skull is just….gah! Although I would have to say that my initial complete viewing of Cannibal Holocaust did ready me for just about all the gore I have ever seen on the screen.
The final thing I think of, when protecting myself against my gag reflex, is that in some of the goriest movies—most of what you are seeing is 100% necessary. Note that I am not including campy, gore fest movies where yes obviously the gore is necessary because that’s the whole point of the film. I’m talking about movies like Martyrs- one of the goriest films you may subject yourself to, but the gore is necessary and vital to the overall story line and emotions that we feel upon the film’s conclusion.
The same can be said even for Cronenberg’s The Fly, where we get horrible, awful examples of gore and just plain nastiness. But we need it because we have to feel the complete and utter deterioration of Brundlefly’s character, psyche and of course, his body. I would say that this may be my main defense mechanism. I don’t pay attention to just how cool or awesome or gross or vomit inducing those guts look like, or how real and terrifying that head wound is. I pay attention to what the gore is doing there in the first place. I realize this may not be a common defense mechanism, especially for gore hounds, but it’s one that I find works and even creates some pretty serious thinking bubbles.So what are your defense mechanisms? And is it really possible to desensitize our friends, significant others and parents to the movies that we love? Or will we be left alone with a bowl of popcorn, an exposed intestinal tract and a smile on our face?
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