• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

A Motiveless Killer???

M

mad_hatter

Does the killer in a slasher movie really have to have a motive? Or, more precisely, does the audience really need to know that motive?

Would todays audience feel dissatisfied without that conclusion?

What about if the killer gets away with it? No motive. No resolution.

I’m beginning to work on the second draft of a slasher that I wrote a couple years back. It’s actually a very concept driven film, so when I originally wrote it, I wasn’t too concerned with the killers motive. Having had it playing over in my mind for the past few months, I’ve come up with something that I think is pretty cool, but leaves us at the end with a killer, with no motive explained, seemingly getting away with it. Could it work?

We’ve seen it in the past. Michael Myers never had a motive. Norman Bates was just psychotic. But these examples are few and far between (and old!). Does the audience for today’s movies expect everything to be nice and tidy at the end? Personally, I like resolution, but if I think I can get away with it. With what I’ve got in mind, I don’t think the typical audience member would even notice that there was no motive… Until a little later, perhaps, when they actually question it.

Thoughts? Opinions?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Something makes a person kill. You would probably know by your name - Mad Hatter, that motive isn't always obvious for anything a person does.

So a motive can be a hidden thing, behind layers of mystery, it could be simple thing that triggers it all.

Going back Cain and Abel - and origin story about the first murder of a man. I've heard an interpretation that when Cain kills Abel, he doesn't really know what he's doing - he may be mad with envy. Cain tries to literally dig out Abel's soul out of his body. So he keeps clawing at him until he dies - his motivation brings anger, without properly knowing what he wants to do.

I find that story interesting in such a way that its motivation is hidden and the action Cain takes isn't straight forward, there is some sort of naivety to it.

If you are talking about someone that is psychotic, then look into what it means to be psychotic. There are many things that put a person under that label. All for different things.

Read the book The Odd Brain - though not scientifically correct in some aspects, it has many stories that will help you find what you're looking for; No seamless motivation, but very cleverly hidden under layers of human motivation most people can only understand as "senseless killing".

I'd also watch The Iceman HBO documentaries. There are 3 of them and watching them one after the other takes you into the mind of a very efficient killer and what happens to him after many years in jail. The ending is quite interesting as we get to hear a professional's opinion on why he did the things he did. You need to watch the whole thing though, to feel its true impact.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
mad_hatter said:
Personally, I like resolution, but if I think I can get away with it. With what I’ve got in mind, I don’t think the typical audience member would even notice that there was no motive…
Click to expand...
There's your answer. If you think you can get away with it, that's
the way you should write it.

I was fine with the original "Halloween" and I didn't like the "motive"
prescribed to Myers in later films. Thought it was a cop-out. But, clearly,
the filmmakers felt a motive was needed. The list of unmotivated killers
is a short one. But you feel you can get away with it. So do it!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
well the joker in the dark knight kind of has that motive but with criminality and money.

in the end though, even killing someone for no purpose has a motive, if its just for the purpose of doing it then to kill was the goal and it was achieved, everything has a goal, until its dead.

someone killing for no reason is just a murderer they need no motive they thrive off it or they are mentally deranged if the two can be seperated at all.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You can make whatever you want. it is , however , always more interesting to see non-generic characters - Itchi the killer ( killing against his will) ,American psycho (sort of against his will,lost fella) etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
mad_hatter said:
Does the killer in a slasher movie really have to have a motive? Or, more precisely, does the audience really need to know that motive?

Would todays audience feel dissatisfied without that conclusion?

What about if the killer gets away with it? No motive. No resolution.

I’m beginning to work on the second draft of a slasher that I wrote a couple years back. It’s actually a very concept driven film, so when I originally wrote it, I wasn’t too concerned with the killers motive. Having had it playing over in my mind for the past few months, I’ve come up with something that I think is pretty cool, but leaves us at the end with a killer, with no motive explained, seemingly getting away with it. Could it work?

We’ve seen it in the past. Michael Myers never had a motive. Norman Bates was just psychotic. But these examples are few and far between (and old!). Does the audience for today’s movies expect everything to be nice and tidy at the end? Personally, I like resolution, but if I think I can get away with it. With what I’ve got in mind, I don’t think the typical audience member would even notice that there was no motive… Until a little later, perhaps, when they actually question it.

Thoughts? Opinions?
Click to expand...

I think a character would have psychological motivation to kill, even if it's not known to the viewer.

mad_hatter said:
Would todays audience feel dissatisfied without that conclusion?

What about if the killer gets away with it? No motive. No resolution.
Click to expand...

I think The Hills Have Eyes was that way.

I think some people would like it, but I wouldn't.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Motive schmotive.

A proper old school slasher movie has a villain who chops people up, no Freudian analysis necessary. Audiences understand that some people (in movies...) are psychopathic serial killers, and, so long as they serve that role in your film, no one will ask any questions.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
NickClapper said:
Motive schmotive.

A proper old school slasher movie has a villain who chops people up, no Freudian analysis necessary. Audiences understand that some people (in movies...) are psychopathic serial killers, and, so long as they serve that role in your film, no one will ask any questions.
Click to expand...

I agree. But there's sometimes a myth to explain.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks for the input guys!

I feel I should explain myself a little more. I'm not really looking for a motive; it could literally be anything. Trouble is, the way I see it panning out at the moment, the killer revealed at the end is actually the one set up to be the "final girl" (which she is, while also being the killer (but not in some insanity plea type of way, like "High Tension"), her motive is never established and she gets away with it! Even reading this back to myself, it sounds quite mental. Could it work?

The idea for this would be, as Nick puts it, a proper old school slasher movie. It would be paying homage to, while poking fun at, films such as "Black Christmas", "Sleepaway Camp", "Happy Birthday To Me", etc, etc. It'd be light hearted, but incredibly gory. The ending is intentionally convoluted, but I tuink it could work.

Again, would the audience get it? I'm not sure....
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
As a big fan of horror, I would feel very cheated. I though it was funny you mentioned Michael Myers. He was my favorite slasher character as a child (forgive my mom - I was a latch key kid). Even he had a motive if you look at his unfair childhood (and yes I mean the 5 - 10 minute intro in the original, not the much longer story in Rob Zombie's remake). The thing is with horror you can be a little loose on some things so I don't think the motive has to be super deep or drawn out, just something semi-relatable. Most slashers are just some type of underdog with a warped sense of victory. I think it would be a better bet to at least hint at some level of motive. In my opinion it makes the movie more enjoyable. If you do decide to not have a motive, you definitely have to be careful in your approach. Horror is a genre that's been played with so much I think audiences pick up things very easily these days. HTH :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I don't think there should be a particularly complicated motive, but rather something that can exist if it ever is called upon. No need to write it in, no need to implement it in a complex backstory. Just something absolutely simple like "Uncontrollable urge" if someone ever asks.

But then again, you can ALWAYS get away with having no motive. As an audience member rather than a reviewer, I would never notice the absence of a motive.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
There's nothing wrong with not having a motivation. The iceberg in Titanic
didn't have a motivation.

The problem is that 90 minutes of screen time needs to be filled. So when you have a
one dimensional character, your story can lack richness. At least a third of HALLOWEEN
is about mundane stuff like who is going to the prom, who likes who, getting the kids
to bed, and gratuitous sex. Spinning the wheels essentially. Not stuff that moves the story
forward or that has real conflict.

On the other hand, when the antagonist has a backstory or motivation, it allows the
protagonist to learn something and be proactive. It also provides the opportunity for the
story to be more dynamic meaning that actions that are taken by one character make other
characters take actions in turn.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Showing motivation can help create a better villain, but you're right, not all killers (or for that instance, not all characters) need to be given motivations to each action in films.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks again for the input people.

I'm just going to write it all out and see how it feels then. I think it'll work. I realised today that, although the character would be left without a defined motive, a motive will be set up at the very beginning and throughout the story (and is actually the whole concept behind the story!). I've even come up with a way to end, so that it's pointed out to the audience, hopefully allowing them to come to at least some kind-of conclusion of their own.

Cheers!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top