Hi. I started this account back when the channel first got under way. I haven't really been back since, but my email told me I had messages, so I logged in to check them. 15, and all were spam. Eh.

Anywho, I was recently thinking about a topic, and figured I'd bring it up here, since I'm already logged in: Libertarian Horror.

Now, we all know plenty of films that explore libertarian themes. But it struck me that very few of them could be classed as horror films. Many could be described as dystopias (e.g. TXH 1138, 1984, V for Vendetta), but not horror so much.

So, I got to thinking, are there any horror flicks that pursue libertarian themes?

Here's what I came up with:

1. Alien Apocalypse (2005)

This one is a cheaply-made science fiction film from the Sci-Fi channel, and is a bit more action than horror. But I figured I'd fudge things and include it, since alien invasion is a horror theme. Self-ownership v. slavery is the prevailing theme of the movie, and Campbell speaks about the free market to some degree toward the beginning of the film, if I recall correctly.

2. Cube (1997)

In Cube (and it's sequals), a run-away bureaucracy is responsible for essentially murdering innocent people in an expensive, tax-funded death trap.

3. Dark City (1998)

Dark City is all about the struggle between the individual and the collective.

That's all I got. Anyone else have any ideas?



Regards,

Alex

Possibly Alien Resurrection...

I don't know if this movie falls into the horror genre, but Pan's Labyrinth could fit this theme.

Are you referring to Libertarianism in the broad, general sense (Individual over the State)? I'd say that many zombie movies can fit the general usage of the term very well. Look at Romero's movies; The collective mass of zombies threatens to overrun and consume the individual. It's more allegorical than the typical person versus institution plot.

Cronenberg also touches on the subject quite a bit, especially in his first movie Shivers (They Came From Within). A nasty, parasite like creature infects people and turns them into mindless sex fiends, and the heroes try to get away from the masses.

Hell, look at Invasion of the Body Snatchers, where the turned pod people lose their individuality. Or how about, with Romero again, The Crazies? Residents become infected with a virus that makes them insane, and the government sends in troops to handle the situation, and the survivors end up facing both the infected and the troops.

I think this theme can be applied to many horror movies if you think about it. Fear of losing your individuality and personality by being controlled by a collective force is something Americans have been taught to fear.

Ah, good call!

This is a list of Libertarian horror films I got from a now forgotten website. I don't believe there was any reason given as to why they were "Libertarian," but, if there was I didn't write them down, and I've forgotten, but I'll go ahead and post the list anyway.

Libertarian

"Dawn of the Dead"

"Lair of the White Worm"

"They Live"

"28 Days Later"

There was also a list of rightwing and leftwing horror films.

Leftwing

"American Psycho"

"Deathdream"

"Eyes without a Face"

"Land of the Dead"

"Masters of Horror: Homecoming"

"The People Under the Stairs"

Rightwing

"The Exorcism of Emily Rose"

"The Exorcist"

"Invasion of the Bodysnatchers"

"The Last House on the Left"

and most slasher films.

Thanks for the list, Kevin!

I love the "left wing" and "right wing" !

Welcome to the Chiller Boards!

Do we really want to go into left versus right wing horror?

Sure why not? Then you have the film by David Arquette titled The Tripper that skewers all even though either side feels more offended by it than the other! I just don't get that!

I just mean that the movies listed under both left and right wing can be easily debated. I mean, how is The Exorcist, Last House on the Left, and particularly Invasion of the Body Snatchers right wing???

I'm guessing at least for The Exorcist, the political undertones regarding Ellen Burstyn's character would probably be considered liberal. Remember that she is making a film with that foul mouthed Burke Dennings (haha) the director that is completely liberal in political views. Maybe the religion has something to do with it as well. Do people view The Exorcist as skewering the catholics for their beliefs? I don't personally see it that way but maybe some do. I just think it's a really well done film which totally scared the crap out of me and I'm agnostic and don't believe a word of what's involved in this flick and yet, everytime I watch it I certainly believe during the viewing. haha

I think Last House on the Left would be considered right wing just for the fact that the parents take the law into their own hands and kill those punks. They go a little Chuck Bronson on their asses!

So true Jarhead! To bad they didn't stick with that in the remake. The remake has pretty much lost all social context that was contained in the original. Also, it is part of the post vietnam underlying social commentary films.

Okay, so this is from wikipedia, so sue me!

"Right-wing politics involves support of the preservation of authority. In right-wing politics, legal and moral authority is sought to be protected by authority figures against those who challenge such authority. Many right-wing ideologies and movements support social order."

I think the parents taking the law into their own hands leads more to anarchy, a breakdown of our system set in place that deals with criminals, and in doing so become criminals themselves. Whether they were right or not is up to the audience to decide.

The most right-wing that I see in Last House on the Left is from what happens to the two girls. They are obviously far-left, "hippies" if you will, who go looking for a good time and to smoke some weed. Their care-free attitude contributes to their kidnapping, torture, and murders. But that's looking way too much into it. The point was more about young girls randomly picked for cruel torture for no good reason.

I would say the liberal notion comes from the bumbling cops. A right-wing conservative will put faith in authority, whereas Craven depicted the two cops as complete idiots. Showing no respect for the law is more of a liberal idea.

But still, politics isn't what this movie is about. Trying to find politics in it is all well and good, but I think it's such a minor topic in this movie.

Astral, I agree with what you're saying up to a certain point. You say that the most right-wing thing you saw in the movie was what happened to the girls. That is true; it's like those old 50's propaganda ads talking about how terrible pot is and it'll lead to your demise. However, the parents taking the law into their own hands is more of a far right-wing ideal. Left wingers would just wait for the cops and hope the criminal justice system would eventually work its magic on those punks. A far right-winger would grab their shotgun and commence to thinning out the herd.
I do agree with your point on the cops being portrayed as bumbling idiots. Wes Craven and most of Hollywood is very liberal, so they question authority and the government in their films. Thank God for that, because without artists and people to push the envelope, we would be living in an unimaginative country. I don't see Dick Cheney making movies any time soon...