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To me, relative powerlessness still counts.
Also, I don't mean necessarily personal physical weakness as powerlessness; I still see the uncertain and unknown as aspects of powerlessness.
I wouldn't consider Aliens' main genre to be horror because for the most part the marines don't feel helpless, but the parts that do feel more like horror are the ones where they relatively weakened; the first engagement where they have their ammo taken from them and can't see shit for instance. Ripley arming up with the flamethrower duct taped to the pulse rifle, or with the power loader, to confront the Queen and save Newt feels more like a victory lap, a crowning moment of badassery, when the character regains her power. Just like you know right from the start when you hear Hudson's cocky "I am the ultimate badass" speech that he will definitely die, you already know when you see Ripley riding that elevator looking actually badass that she will definitely win.
I feel like movies that really elevate horror to a new level are those that play with that powerlessness in less straightforward way, and as you mention the powerlessness can be being unable or uncertain to be able to protect a loved one. The Exorcist is a great example, the movie is a giant metaphor for parents feeling powerless to help a sick kid. Rosemary's Baby is a uniquely feminine horror movie, in that the powerlessness it targets is towards the loss of social power. A woman's power is in being able to compel people around her to care about and for her. In Rosemary's Baby, a woman that is used to having the status and deference given to her as a middle-class wife in a time and place that valued that role, has that power stripped away from her as she transitions into a motherhood role. Suddenly her worries and well-being are being ignored. No one listens to her. She's no longer the target of everyone's care and attentions, the baby is.
Right, I'm mostly agreeing. But I'm just making the point that even the most powerful person around still fears the unknown.
Even if the unknown turns out to not be all that dangerous, later. I guess "powerlessness against the inevitable mechanisms of fate" is still powerlessness.
Fear of death, well, that's largely about uncertainty about what comes after, so those with immense faith aren't really afraid of it. What makes the SCP files frightening is usually the implications of the redacted stuff that your brain has to fill in details on, somewhat less about the actual abilities of the thing in question.
There's the fear that comes from the near certainty of what is going to happen, and then futilely trying to avoid it.
Huh. Here's an innovative idea for a horror film: what could scare an omnipotent god?
Yep.
Weapons played with this as well, I loved Josh Brolin's character. And kind of gets to my point. He was a man of action, he didn't believe he was powerless, and they played with that to comedic effect while he was tossing the druggie around. But when your kid is missing, there's a feeling of helplessness there.
Well, like I said, I tend to like films that hide the horror until later. It was definitely a rip-roaring 80's adventure movie for almost half of it.
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