Film Rant: Horror, Where's It Going?

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Film Rant: Horror, Wheres It Going?

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Lately, I have noticed the amount of crap that is being released in the horror community. We see nothing but over-the-top remakes, unwanted sequels and spin-offs of ideas once used. This wouldn't pose to be a problem if these films were actually good. The case is the exact opposite. I constantly watch horror films that I'm completely displeased with. It isn't because of the quality or choice of actors. Believe me, some of the low budget horror films happen to be on my list of favorite films. The problem we face now is this: People have stopped trying and it is as simple as that.

The horror film has become nothing more than just a film. A thing to watch with your friends for cheap thrills. It's as if all inspiration has depleted thus causing creation of  multiple lackluster projects. Of course there are exceptions, but I have seen terrible movies more often than not.

One major problem I have noticed is the lack of story telling. Directors and writers constantly use recycled ideas and that's it. They don't add or remove they just use. What does this prove?

People are getting lazy.

It is hard to find a film that uses original thought or execution. Don't get me wrong I believe all art forms should inspire your future projects, whatever those may be -- but they should not just mirror its source. When doing so this causes  you to lose your sense of intrigue. You then lose respect and begin to find humor instead of horror. Humor is acceptable in horror. It adds comic relief which gives you a sense of safety and control. The problem is when a film tries to be scary and fails.

Growing up horror was actually horror. It carried new ideas and in fact scared me shitless. (The Evil Dead, Poltergeist, Phantasm, etc.) Maybe being young helped aid in this, but I was frightened nonetheless. As I grew older I began to notice what was making these horror films I enjoyed “good.” This may come as a surprise, but horror is actually smart. It is a constant reminder and reflection of what is going on in society. It takes these things and adds its own spin. It creates a warped image of what is happening around you. To me this is the most terrifying aspect of horror. Yes, monsters and demons are as equally scary, but when a film takes reality and combines it with horror you begin to think that this scenario can happen. Which then causes you to lose sight of what is reality and what is not.

Take classic films such as Psycho by Hitchcock or Silence of the Lambs by Demme.

What made these films idols in the horror community? There weren't any supernatural beings. I didn't see any monsters under the bed or mystical creatures. What they portrayed was society and how these ordinary and respectable men can be the monsters. They can hide secrets from everyday people while at the same time committing such heinous crimes. To me this is the true definition of horror, man and everything they create is horrifying. These films allow us to step into the minds of these so-called monsters. We begin to understand their motive and reasoning behind what they do. The further you look the scary it gets. And this is what horror originally was. So, what happened?

There is no correct answer.

What I do see is people trying to scare without trying.
In the past few years I have watched many horror films that got a scare out of me, but left no impression. There have not been any memorable characters. Most of these films lack the substance they used to offer.

One film that has done this is Paranormal Activity. I'm not speaking of the first film. I am speaking in terms of it's franchise. When Paranormal Activity released in 2007 we saw something new. A film that took an old trick and added it's own take. It combined reality and supernatural into one thing. It was terrifying. It got to the point where people had believed that this “found-footage” film was actually real. And this alone is what horror should be. It should leave an impression on the audience. It should cause them to think of it beyond their theater seat. This film was one of kind until it released its many sequels. They were not terrible movies. What they did do was take away they beauty and magic of the first film. It completely sucked the life of an idea and concept that worked entirely on its own. Now when I think about I can't stand any of them. Not because of the films themselves, but because there are too many. These films have become over-saturated and that is a recurring cycle that is becoming the problem.

I've noticed this too many times. When a film succeeds other films just like it will follow. Right now I am seeing an over saturation of found-footage and paranormal films. After the release of Paranormal Activity writers and directors jumped on the band-wagon and begin writing films just like it. Of course not exactly, but very similar.

Films like The Last Exorcism, Paranormal Entity, Exorcismus and much more have fallen into this category. They weren't horrible movies, but they brought nothing new. They added new characters and used the same general story.

So, where is horror going?

To be honest I'm not sure. There is constant battle between good and bad in the horror and film community. A lot of times horror is used just as entertainment. Like I said earlier, cheap thrills for you and your friends. As sad as this is. It is true. Horror films like Paranormal Activity and The Last Exorcism will continue to succeed as long as people are willing to watch them. These films do it right in the sense that they aim to scare people. I will admit that they can get a jump or two out of me, but at what cost. By the end of these films I leave unhappy. Maybe it's just a biased view, but I believe horror is better than this. Horror can be both terrifying and good. In fact there have been films that have done a great job. (A list of honorable mentions will be left below) Whatever film is released I will say this: horror is immortal. Any where and at any time people enjoy the rush they get from being scared. So, whether we see bad or good films we will always see horror on screen.

Honorable Mentions:

You're Next (2013): A film that took modern horror and brought back the old 80's feel.

Cabin in The Woods (2012): Cabin in The Woods takes all concepts of horror and pokes fun at it. Sometimes we all need to sit back and laugh at stuff.

Funny Games (2007) and (1997): Both films are truly terrifying. The plot is surreal and sends a shiver down the spine. Both the remake and original are fantastic

The Purge (2013): Not because of how good this was, but because of a brand new concept that it brought to the world of horror.

Maniac (2012) (2008): A look at the horrendous serial killer through his eyes.

V/H/S 1 & 2 (2012) (2013): Anthologies of found footage films. Probably two of the most badass and terrifying films I have seen in the found-footage genre.

Black Swan (2010): Insanity is horror.

A Serbian Film (2010): Proves man itself is horror.

Rubber (2010): An awesome meta-writing piece.

Note: All this is my opinion. Let me know what you think of horror. Are your thoughts similar to mine or the exact opposite. I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Written by Anthony Centeno