The other day, I watched Gwoemul, or The Host (though that name doesn’t conjure up the right image at all), a 2006 South Korean film. Normally I don’t like horror movies; however, this wasn’t really what I’d call horror at all. Rather, it’s a modern version of a good, old-fashioned monster movie.
In the grand tradition of classic science fiction, the monster is not the sole focus; there’s biting social and political commentary that lingers after the movie is over. It got me thinking about those other movies and TV shows that have sought to make a statement while scaring the pants off us. Here’s just a few:
Them! -Atomic testing in New Mexico leads to giant mutated ants. There’s a pretty famous line in the movie about entering the atomic age, but I like this one better, as it pretty much sums up any of these movies: “We haven’t seen the end of them. We’ve only had a close view of the beginning of what may be the end of us.”
Gojira -This original Godzilla movie took inspiration from actual nuclear American testing that caused casualties, not to mention Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They get the terror of the bomb and a giant prehistoric monster to boot.
War of the Worlds (2005) – Steven Spielberg may have saddled Tom Cruise with children, but his version makes up for it by showing us an ugly side of human nature.
Starship Troopers – Is the message of this movie entirely different from the novel it was loosely based upon? Maybe! But it sends its own messages about the military, propaganda and war.
Jurassic Park – Someone thought it would be a good idea to bring back dinosaurs – even the gigantic, poisonous or wickedly intelligent carnivores. Punishment commencing in three, two…
Twilight Zone – There’s a dimension, not only of sight and sound, but of mind. And in that dimension, we are get the creepy, disturbing and thought-provoking – all in one half-hour. A manipulation of time and space, to be sure.
Obviously I’ve left out tons. What are some of your favorites? Or do you prefer commentary take a back seat to entertainment?
I’d say District 9.
I didn’t enjoy the movie myself, but it definitely comments on the darker side of human nature, and gives a frighteningly accurate view on what might happen in similar situations.
Ick.
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“The Day The Earth Stood Still”
Night of the Living Dead!
28 Days Later.
I am not a fan of horror in general, but survival + zombies always appeals to me. 28 Days Later has the honor of making me incoherent with terror — specifically, the “hamburger scene”. I have NEVER been that scared in a movie before or sense. Yes, I startle easily, but that scene actually made me go fetal with it slowly building sense of impending doom.
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I loved the host. It was a great movie, and a great story about a family staying together during a crisis. I always prefer my movies with a little bit of a moral, provided that it is actually well done.
I much prefer entertainment to commentary. A movie that is entertaining but not enlightening is still fun to watch. The reverse is much less so. It is so hard to get both. When movies are actively trying to get a moral message across they always seem so heavy handed.
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I can’t wait to see District 9.
Personally, I am a big fan of movies with good social commentary. Although I must admit that I still won’t watch a horror movie with good social commentary (too scary for me). One of my favorite movies with good political commentary is Bob Roberts.
Mmm… Cube, maybe? 6 people in a trap-filled prison of sorts… From polite beginnings to pure survival instincts.
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District 9 is a quintessential example of sci-fi entertainment that also rolls out the social commentary in a fantastically captivating film. It is at once classic and contemporary sci-fi. I cannot recommend it enough.