I(S)Q

As standing for Intelligence (Sympathy) Quotient. When characters behave stupidly, we become less and less invested in their future. In a horror film, however, there is a balance to be struck, as we don’t want them to be so sympathetic that we don’t enjoy watching them get killed. I mean the artistic experience. The artistic ultimate outsider Rob Zombie experience.

Various characters saying: ‘Having just slightly knocked our villain on his head, let’s not take his gun, check to see if he’s dead, stay together, or remain silent about what our otherwise inexplicable intentions are’ works in a horror film. It’s a form of reality television. If we paid to watch characters die horribly, we don’t want guilt to interfere with the pleasure. Their stupidity lets us off the hook. I mean, walking home in the dark. The nerve. I’m pretty sure the penalty for that should be death.