July 14, 1999

Horror Movies, Special Effects, and Math

As computer graphics continue to improve in quality at an exponential rate, more and more movies are turning to them for special effects. Most noticeably, horror and science fiction movies use them to bring to life what we use to have to imagine for ourselves. Lighting and dials do not bring Frankenstein to life underneath the sheet; DNA, cells dividing, lightning striking the sewn together corpse are what we see today. Ghosts are not mere shadows, but horrific phantasms replete with grimaces and eyelashes.

This direct visual stimulus still does its purpose. We cower and jump from our seats like we should... well... most of us do. Unfortunately, these computers that bring to life what was once only imagined are based on well-known mathematical constructs. Any mathematician who has read even a smidgeon of data on what special effects people do will instantly recognize the fractals and differential equations put to use. Thus, instead of a ghost, the math geek sees a second-order linear differential equation... which is scary for different reasons.

In other words, give me Lon Chaney, dark shadows, and Vincent Price any day over a computer.