Featured Image Credit: New Line Cinema
Topics: News, US News, Film and TV, Horror
Kit Roberts
The director of The Nun 2 has revealed what he thinks is the best shot in the history of horror movies.
In an interview promoting the upcoming sequel to the horror movie, director Michael Chaves spoke with YouTuber and entertainment reporter Jake Hamilton. The pair discussed the upcoming movie, the latest in the broader universe for The Conjuring.
Among the questions was Chaves' thoughts on other icons of the horror genre. Specifically on the topic of cinematography.
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Whether it's the gorgeous high gothic backdrop of Crimson Peak or the shadow of Nosferatu ascending the stairs, horror has produced some stunning cinema over the years.
But for Chaves, there was one scene in particular which took the top spot in the horror genre. It wasn't a film featuring a vengeful spirit, or the child of Satan, but a very human serial killer.
It was, of course, Se7en starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. Even those who haven't seen the movie will be familiar with its climax, which sees Pitt's young and hot-tempered detective shooting killer John Doe, played by Kevin Spacey, after being led to believe that his pregnant wife's head was in a box delivered to them.
It's the final sin, wrath, which complete Doe's seven deadly sin themed killing spree.
Chaves said: "The big standout is Se7en. Se7en was something that I saw as a kid that really had a huge impact on me. A good chunk of that movie you're looking at dead bodies, and even the most grotesque moments were so beautifully shot and beautifully lit, but also with grotesque make up effects.
"I think that there's something really appealing about that, because you come to the movie to watch it, you don't want to be just looking at your lap, there needs to be that push forward of these terrifying grotesque things but making them look beautiful. You've got to be drawing people in, there's something very powerful about that."
And the shot which stands out most? It's not the 'what's in the box scene', but one of the victims.
Chaves revealed: "Gluttony, all of the shots with gluttony were so, so effective, and in the morgue. It's so grotesque but also so beautiful. It's just this incredible balance. It's so easy with something like that for people to just check out, this is too intense, this is too gory, they do not have respect for me as an audience member, they're just trying to like punish me.
"It's always that balance and drawing people in like that."