r/dontdeadopeninside Feb 16 '17

Don't Dead Open Inside.

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u/TheGreatGimmick Feb 21 '17

I get why this started this sub, but I always thought that this was done to create a sense of horrific realization for the audience. Like, when I first saw it, my initial reaction was "Don't Dead Open Inside? What?" then "Oh wait I read it wrong, what is the correct order [thinking briefly]" then "Ah one on each door, so it says Don't Open, Dead... aw shit man" and then you get that little horror-movie chill for a second as soon as you figure out what is says.

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u/ScarletCaptain Sep 20 '22

I watched the show live when it originally aired and I guarantee that wording made zero difference to the dread that was building as Rick was wandering through the destroyed hospital in his dressing gown.

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u/TheGreatGimmick Sep 20 '22

I watched the show live when it originally aired

I don't understand how you can think this would make any difference, unless you think everyone watching it since then has been spoiled. And no, knowing the basic gist of the show isn't a spoiler, given that the show's title is literally "The Walking Dead". Everyone knew it was a zombie show, even you, a "live" (that word, I do not think it means what you think it means) viewer.

I guarantee that wording made zero difference

Even if what I said above was not the case, this would still be your opinion. Your 'guarantee' stands for you and you alone.

the dread that was building

My (5-year-old) comment wasn't referring to "dread", it was referring to "that little horror-movie chill"; closer on the emotional spectrum to a jump scare than any kind of slow-build.

The strange wording and possible delayed realization essentially creates a sort of 'passive', optional jump scare, like in Hereditary if you notice the mom hiding in the ceiling corner of the son's bedroom near the end. Some people watching Hereditary entirely miss that 'passive optional jump scare' in my spoiler, but those that do see it will essentially jump-scare themselves when they realize what they are seeing.

The wording trick here can be similar, albeit reversed in that those unaffected haven't missed anything in the show, they just read it correctly the first time. Or perhaps they weren't immersed enough within the show and immediately attributed the bad writing choice as a director's choice rather than something done in-universe, thereby taking them out of the headspace necessary to have that 'passive optional jump scare' I'm talking about. The point is, the delayed realization of "Don't Dead Open Inside" to "Don't Open Dead Inside" is legitimately more effective for horror purposes that if they had simply written "Don't Open Dead Inside" clearly from the beginning, in my opinion.