Horror Films: Once Reviled, Now a Respected Genre to Be Reckoned With

Brace yourself for horror autumn, a thrilling season with a diverse offering for all tastes. If you prefer something elevated, you should check out “Red Rooms,” where a Canadian model becomes fixated on a serial killer on trial for dark web torture. For fans of French feminist auteur extremism, Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore, delves into body horror reminiscent of early David Cronenberg. If you enjoyed Hugh Grant as a villain in “Paddington 2,” you’ll be pleased to see him bring his menacing charm to “Heretic,” directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, known for “A Quiet Place.”

Horror has always been the little genre that could, consistently delivering even when larger tentpole releases faltered. While major 2024 releases waited for summer hits like “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” horror films like “Immaculate” and “Abigail” earned solid returns. Oz Perkins’ “Longlegs” also made waves, grossing almost 10 times its budget. Horror doesn’t need huge budgets or big stars; its dedicated fans will gladly watch any creepy doll, nun, or exorcism, always hoping to find a gem of terror.

As Halloween approaches, the release of scary films intensifies. For English folk horror enthusiasts, Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark star as grieving parents exploring rural Yorkshire’s pagan history in Daniel Kokotajito’s “Starve Acre.” If you prefer Euro horror adapted into English, James Watkins’ “Speak No Evil,” a remake of Christian Tafdrup’s 2022 Danish thriller, features James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi as a friendly British couple who invite an American family to their country house. But will it retain its dark ending?

Horror influences extend beyond grindhouse and VOD, permeating mainstream and arthouse hits alike. “Deadpool & Wolverine” features explicit telekinetic flaying, while “Love Lies Bleeding” portrays a surreal scene where one character vomits another in a steroid-induced hallucination. Awards aren’t out of the question for horror-influenced films: Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” is essentially a ghost story, and Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Poor Things” borrows heavily from Frankenstein themes.

In the low-budget arena, filmmakers frequently experiment with horror. At the annual FrightFest in Leicester Square, Chris Nash’s “In a Violent Nature” explores slasher subgenres from the killer’s perspective. This year, JT Mollner’s “Strange Darling” stands out, potentially becoming this year’s “Barbarian.” Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s “Dead Mail” promises a twisted tail set in the 1980s, mixing mad love, synths, and the postal service.

Horror isn’t immune to the trend of sequels, reboots, and IP recycling. Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” revisits his 1988 horror comedy classic, while franchises like “Hellboy: The Crooked Man,” “Smile 2,” and “Terrifier 3” continue to captivate audiences. For Stephen King fans, another “Salem’s Lot” remake is on the horizon, sparking curiosity about whether it will capture the eerie atmosphere of the 1979 mini-series.

Anticipation is high for Lady Gaga’s role in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” raising questions about whether she can alter the dark path of Arthur Fleck. The R-rated trailer for Marvel’s “Kraven the Hunter” teases bloody action, featuring Russell Crowe as a notable exploitation film figure. Meanwhile, Ridley Scott’s sequel to “Gladiator” promises CGI splatter in the arena, adding to the gore in upcoming releases like Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” and Leigh Whannell’s “Wolf Man.”

Once reviled and seen as only a small step above pornography, horror now commands respect as a profitable, creatively diverse genre. It offers a vast array of content, from light gothic tales to extreme gore, and paradoxically, serves as a haven from real-world horrors. By confining terror to the screen within narrative boundaries, horror allows audiences to confront and momentarily overcome their fears and anxieties.

Source: Particle News, BFA/Alamy