Guest Speakers: Michael Aurelius, James Nettles, DL Wainright, Rory Montgomery
Track Director: L. Marie Wood
Assistant Director: Michelle Leblanc
Who are your favorite antagonists? The Invisible Man, because of the unknown element – not to mention gaslighting and the physics element (such as not being able to see him when he’s not wearing clothes.) Godzilla/Gojira was an excellent piece of early modern horror, as was The Wolfman with Lon Chaney Jr. Freddy Krueger, because it was psychological and messed with people’s minds as well as their versions of reality. The Babadook due to the manifestation of mental illness. Frankenstein (the doctor, not the monster) which elicits the fear of science and development. Experimenting with hubris and pushing boundaries, while not inherently evil, it displays the drive to go further. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde highlights the internal conflicts. The Hulk, while not an antagonist, reflects a similar dilemma. As a result of experimentation, he must come to grips with integrating the darker part of himself.
What about antagonists through the “human” lens? Sometimes, humans can be the worst monsters. There’s Child’s Play, the first movie featuring Chuckie. The antagonist has no real reason for killing–other than the sheer fun of it–which can be more daunting than a sinister motive. Dexter is a man with a mission who doesn’t care about how or where he performs that mission, as long as he doesn’t get caught. He struggles to contain this passion for mayhem, and deals with anger when faced with his competition. It infuriates him to report to his bosses about how other murderers commit their crimes because he could do it so much better, faster, and efficiently. Jason from Friday the 13th delves a bit more into the paranormal realm. It’s not as realistic, he doesn’t target kids, and he has rules… which is nice? He doesn’t exhibit the torture porn tendencies we see in movies like Saw, but he showcases the more psychological attributes, such as a slow, creeping insanity.
What do you look for in a horror antagonist? Intelligence and cunning are crucial. If they can get in your head and predict your movements, are always one step ahead of you, it brings the dreadful feeling that there’s no escape. Taking a more supernatural route, Incantation is a story featuring people when they mess with what they shouldn’t, and they get what’s coming to them. This is both horrifying and satisfying at the same time. Another path is following the descent into madness, witnessing everything from the antagonist’s point-of-view. This includes their reasoning, the internal conflicts, all the way down to the euphoria of blood spattering on their face as they reach their hand into the viscera of their victims. A good antagonist must be the hero of their own story, though many are aware that what they’re doing is wrong. Some of them don’t care, and don’t even want to be the hero, like the Joker from the DC Universe.
How do you write for horror novels, since it utilizes a different medium (as opposed to the visuals of film or video games)? You want to focus on the more emotional or internal aspects of the characters. In The Portrait of Dorian Gray, the main character experiences anguish over his progressing condition. In The Hollow Sun (by D. L. Wainwright) the antagonist takes pleasure in killing and eating their victims. In the Chronicles of the Covenant: Succubus series (by Michael Aurelius), there is a demon who’s seen the Big Bang eleven times. In the next cycle of the universe, he has become incredibly bored and tasked with duties as a general in the demon army. He just wants something different instead of doing the same thing over and over for 140 billion years… so he releases all of the wild magic into the world at once, rather than slowly initiating chaos.
Are there Queer themes with horror antagonists? Bram Stoker’s Dracula reveals a hidden nature of eroticism. Sometimes the antagonist has that journey and motivation. Unfortunately, there’s the Hays Code in film-making, which gives a list of things that are not allowed on screen. For example, Queer characters are allowed into stories, but either had to die at the end or be the villain in order to fall into the realms of social acceptance. They could also be allegorical. Even in Disney, the villains are generally allowed more freedom in sexuality or body language. However, the heroes were not allowed to go outside the accepted social norms (heterosexual, mild, vanilla, etc.)
Are there examples where you don’t know what the antagonist is, until it’s too late? The Thing is a story about a predatory alien that eats you and then replicates you. Other people don’t know if the resulting impersonator is really you or if it’s “the Thing.” Werewolf by Night is another example, as is The Mummy which has the element of mystery with waving a hand over the water. Dracula shows Jonathan Harker approaching the castle and being greeted at the door – however, there’s no reflection of his host in the mirror. The phrase “I don’t drink… wine.” builds suspense. He doesn’t know what the monster is until he sees it.
Are there trends where the monsters or antagonists of stories are an allegory for fears in the real world? Zombies are common for the fear of general mindlessness. Dr. Strangelove reflects an unspoken fear of nuclear war. When it came to the making of the film of The Blair Witch Project, there was no real script. The directors wanted to explore what people were afraid of, how to make them paranoid, and delve into the idea of whether or not people should be afraid of what is closest to them.
What are your favorite antagonists of horror? What aspects of these villains make them so appealing or daunting to you? Are there any types or features of antagonists you’d like to see more in stories? Let me know in the Comments Section below!
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