Sadly neurocinematics is not some kind of Johnny Mnemonic-style sci-fi blockbuster (for those born too late Johnny Mnemonic was a 90s Keanu Reeves sci-fi film) – it’s merely a term for this kind of research. The researchers used an fMRI to monitor participant’s brains as they watched a film: in the first stage of the experiment, this was The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and this was compared against a piece of film that wasn’t a movie, that the researchers called a segment of reality. An fMRI is much like an MRI, this is the cylinder scanning device that people lie in while magnets spin around in the cylinder and then create images of the body so doctors can “look” at a person’s organs, skeleton etc. The difference with an fMRI is that it specifically looks at blood flow in the brain, more blood flow means more brain activity.

The researchers used the measure of inter-subject correlation (ISC) when looking at brain activity, a high ISC meant that spatiotemporal brain activity was very similar across the various participants. Spatiotemporal simply means when and where it happened in the brain. A low ISC would mean the spatiotemporal brain activity was very different across participants, this does not mean there was less activity, but rather that it occurred in different parts of the brain at different times. High ISC means that participants were having very similar reactions in terms of brain activity. The results showed much higher ISC when watching a film than the segment of reality. Considering that both the film and the segment of reality are – on the surface – very much the same, moving images, colour, and sound this difference could be ascribed to making a story, or to the use of editing or choices made by the director.

An interesting aspect of this study is how different types of scenes and different styles of film affect the brain. Once established there was an impact on brain activity from watching a film they moved into comparing different types of film (and two of these are from tv shows but shall be included in the term film). They chose an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the particular episode being the wonderfully titled Bang! You’re Dead, an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and again The Good, The Bad and the Ugly as well as the filmed segment of reality.

These are interesting choices – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly a western, an action film, made by Sergio Leone, an Italian filmmaker who could not speak English. Bang! You’re Dead seems to be more of a taut thriller, a child playing with a loaded gun they think is a toy whilst his parents try to find him. Curb Your Enthusiasm is modern HBO comedy series made by Larry David – with low stakes and little drama.

For ISC Bang! You’re Dead came out top, then The Good, the Bad and The Ugly, then Curb Your Enthusiasm and finally reality. Again the ISC is not saying the Hitchcock film has more brain activity or is in some way better cinema, but rather it elicited the same brain activity amongst participants – they had the same reaction. As noted in the article Hitchcock was famous for having the ability -and explicitly having the desire- to control audience reactions. Curb Your Enthusiasm controls a lot of improvisation which inherently means less control for the filmmakers and possibly less control of the viewers.

A more recent study by Yashu Wang and Yiwen Yang in 2020 specifically looked at Hitchcock’s masterpiece Psycho, and found that the important/dramatic plot points like Marion being stabbed in the shower, corresponded with the most brain activity, and not just for inherently dramatic moments like murder but drama created by editing and cinematography.

Another interesting finding was that films were very good at “controlling” eye movement, and found that when comparing The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and reality, participants watching the film were much more focused on specific locations, whereas for reality participants’ eye movement was a lot more varied. This would suggest that various cinematic techniques relating to cinematography and storytelling do in sense “control” what the viewer looks at.

This study poses interesting questions about how films affect brain activity and how this is different from simply showing films of real-life events happening with no other input. A person could wonder what exactly is to be gained from this research, especially in terms of cinema – that films have an impact on brain activity is not shocking, and this study was focused on creating ways to measure and compare this activity. But undoubtedly if Alfred Hitchcock had access to an fMRI he would have people run through this experiment so he could learn how to make Psycho even more terrifying.

Also Read: Cinema Therapy: How Movies Can Heal

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Drama: 12 Angry Men

A jury is tasked with judging if a teenager is guilty of murder. Initially many think he’s guilty but when Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) disagrees it turns into a riveting debate on the values of justice. 12 Angry Men continues to impress as more time passes. The topics of justice, human nature, and doubt remain universal. And as it largely takes place in one room on a hot summer day it makes you feel as frustrated as the characters. It’s currently ranked 5th on IMDb’s top 250 and has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Thriller: Rear Window

While confined to his apartment, wheelchair-bound photographer L. B. Jefferies (James Stewart) witnesses his neighbour possibly committing murder. But how is he going to prove it? Rear Window is today regarded as one of Alfred Hitchcock’s finest films. And it’s certainly impressive. As most of the action is shot inside Jeffries’ apartment, we as viewers are put in the same position as Jefferies. Unable to move too far and confined by circumstances beyond our control. It’s currently ranked 50th on IMDb’s top 250 and has a 99% approval rating on RT.

Action: The Raid

A group of police officers head to a high-rise to arrest a prominent crime lord. The officers are quickly ambushed, have their retreat cut-off, and many are killed by the high-rise’s residents. Can the remaining officers get to their target before the residents kill them? The Raid has been referred to as one of the best action movies of the past decade and the limited location of the high-rise works to its advantage. Keeping the story focused instead of meandering and making for some incredibly creative set-pieces. It holds a 7.6 IMDb score and an 86% RT approval rating.

Biopic: 127 Hours

When Aron Ralston (James Franco) goes climbing in Utah’s Bluejohn Canyon he ends up falling and pinning his arm between a boulder and the wall. Can Aron survive in these dire circumstances? 127 Hours is difficult to watch. It’s based on a real-life incident and like previous entries, it does an amazing job putting you into the protagonist’s position by restricting the setting and Aron’s movement for most of the movie. So, when the climax comes, you’re left wondering if you could do what Aron did? 127 Hours was positively received by audiences and critics. Even being nominated for 2011s Best Picture Oscar.

Horror: The Thing (1982)

An Antarctic research station is invaded by an alien creature that assimilates and imitates other life forms. With communication lines cut and the cold wastes outside providing no hope of rescue how are the station’s researchers going to fight this creature? Especially when anyone they know could be the thing? Initially, critics reviled John Carpenter’s The Thing but it’s now considered a horror masterpiece. Thanks to its slow-building suspense and paranoia. Further amplified by the restricted nature of the research outpost setting. It’s ranked 164th in IMDB’s top 250 and has an 84% approval rating on RT.

Surreal: The Exterminating Angel

When upper-class dinner guests are unable to leave their hosts living room for unexplained reasons, slowly all semblance of morality and etiquette between the guests crumbles, revealing only animals beneath. Exterminating Angel is a surreal black comedy that uses its humorous conceit of the guests being unable to leave a party to ridicule the bourgeoise. And while it’s certainly weirder than previous list entries you’re guaranteed to remember it. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival. And currently has an 8.1 rating on IMDb and a 92% on RT.

Romance: Time & Again

Former lovers Isabelle (Brigit Forsyth) and Eleanor (Siân Phillips) meet up 60 years after their relationship ended in a nursing home. With the action largely confined to two rooms, this short allows us to feel the isolation of both the main characters who have both lost their partners. And the limited scope emphasizes the great performances which immediately invest us in the couple and leaves us eager to learn about their history and ultimately their future. Time & Again has an 8.5 rating on IMDb and has received awards at several film festivals.

So ends our list of great claustrophobic films. Proving that a limited setting can still engage, thrill, excite, inform, terrify, challenge, and move us. But did we miss any out? Then let us know your favorite limited location film in the comments.

Also Read: Five Thought-Provoking Documentaries To Watch On BirdBox

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Horror cinema has many iconic villains and today we’ll be counting down 10 of the greatest merchants of menace. I will choose a single villain from each decade, look at a bit of the villain’s background and how they managed to traumatize audiences who watched their films. So, let’s get spooky.

1920s: Count Orlok – Nosferatu (1922)

Originally made as a Dracula stand-in, Count Orlok has become a great villain in his own right. With actor Max Schreck’s towering frame, creeping shadow, sharp teeth, and keen unblinking eyes Orlok has become an instantly recognizable cinematic predator that has lasted almost a century. Not even Stoker’s estate could prevent him from becoming a cinematic nightmare.

1930s: Frankenstein’s Monster – Frankenstein (1931)

The archetypal mad scientist creation. The monster isn’t necessarily evil but because of continual abuse and a lack of moral guidance, he begins violently lashing out at the world. Frankenstein’s Monster has a legendary look courtesy of makeup artist Jack Pierce. And thanks to Boris Karloff’s animalistic performance, which makes the character threatening and sympathetic, Frankenstein’s Monster has been cemented as one of horror’s most tragic monsters.

1940s: The Wolf Man – The Wolf Man (1941)

Like Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolf Man garners great sympathy because of host Larry Talbot’s (Lon Chaney Jr’s) inability to control the monster within him. But unlike Frankenstein the Wolf Man is vicious. Murdering innocent people and leaving Larry to deal with the consequences. With Jack Pierce’s brilliant makeup making the monster the midpoint between man and beast, the Wolf Man is an iconic example of the darkness in all men.

1950s: Godzilla – Godzilla Series

Cinema’s biggest monster. Starring in 35 films since 1954 Godzilla is a Japanese icon. He’s a prehistoric monster awakened by hydrogen bomb testing and was created as a symbol for the destructive powers of the atomic age, though lately, he has become a metaphor for nature striking back at humanity. He’s the embodiment of destruction and for 66 years he’s shown that for all our advances annihilation is never far away.

1960s: Norman Bates – Psycho (1960)

The grandfather of all slasher villains. While seemingly normal, Norman hides another personality that forces him to kill anyone who threatens the illusion that his mother is still alive. Thanks to Anthony Perkins’ understated performance and Alfred Hitchcock’s direction Norman Bates (based on murderer Ed Gein) terrified audiences by showing that even the quiet good-looking boy next door could turn out to be a murderer.

1970s: The Caller – Black Christmas (1974)

Black Christmas‘ sorority house killer remains perhaps horror’s most terrifying villain. Because nothing about him is explained. His victims are random. The only insights we get into him are his disjointed, threatening ramblings. And his appearance, voice; name remain a mystery. Inspired by the urban legend of “the babysitter and the man upstairs” the Caller embodies the fear that you’re never safe. Even in your own home.

1980s: Freddy Krueger – The Nightmare on Elm Street Series

The burnt, razor glove wielding, Christmas sweater and fedora sporting dream killer has been scaring viewers since his 1984 debut. Inspired by stories about young people suddenly dying in their sleep and brought to life in skin-crawling fashion by Robert Englund, Krueger takes sadistic pleasure in twisting his victim’s dreams into nightmares. And the sheer glee he takes in his cruelty is what makes him cinema’s most iconic bogeyman.

1990s: Candyman – Candyman Series

Originally, Daniel Robitaille, Candyman became a vengeful spirit after he was killed over a 19th-century interracial love affair. His hand was mutilated, his body smothered in honey and he was stung to death by bees. Now he kills anyone who dares say his name five times in a mirror. With his imposing figure, hooked hand and Tony Todd’s intimidating voice, Candyman is a true terror titan.

2000s: Jigsaw – Saw Series

Jigsaw is the horror villain of the 2000s. Embodying post 9/11 anxieties about the morality of torture Jigsaw, aka John Cramer managed to carve out a gruesome legacy for himself. His use of ironic traps to reform/eradicate those who he believes don’t appreciate life, Tobin Bell’s commanding voice and his animatronic mascot made him the face of torture horror. And his legacy has continued through multiple accomplices and successors.

2010s: It/Pennywise – It (2017)

Stephen King’s iconic horror creation made a huge impact with Its 2017 reimagining. The creature that haunts Derry, Maine can change into many forms that will give anyone nightmares. His most recognizable form is Pennywise The Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard) whose smile hides a desire to devour children. It exploits our fear of the unknown and attacks the sanctity of childhood innocence all at once. Making It the perfect modern horror villain.

So ends my list of horrors 10 best villains. Which horror villains did I miss? Let me know in the comments.

Also Read: 7 Reasons Characters Die In Horror Films

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