HORROR MOVIES: WHERE DID ALL THE FUN GO?
While some may argue we are enjoying something of a resurgence in ‘true’ horror movies, with your million SAW sequels and million remakes of classics, I am left wondering what happened to the horror films that would have you yelling ‘COOL!’ amidst your screams. The 1980s are a prime example of an era in which horror movies had all the horror stuff down pretty well and mixed in a liberal dose of humour and fun without becoming parodies. While horror has become either more serious or more bland in recent years, with endless repetitions of the same old themes, old schlock fiends like myself are left wanting something that isn’t being delivered, namely films that you want to see again.
You see, a major problem with current horror cinema is that companies are making PRODUCT instead of FILMS. You can go ninto any DVD outlet and find rack upon rack of Wrong Turn/Scream/Hostel/Halloween knockoffs that are cheap and easy to make, and there’s barely a memorable title amongst them.
I’m not just wallowing in nostalgia though- horror is getting seriously bland. Look at the 80s. Evil Dead 2. Fright Night. The Lost Boys. Pumpkinhead. Elm Street. Hellraiser. Vamp. Return of the Living Dead. Hell, even Rawhead Rex was better than much of the current output masquerading as horror. All of these films had their scares and their gore, but there was a definite ‘romp’ quality to each of them. They hit their beats so well you could almost pick out the rhythm. I’d love tyo see a return to that sort of structuring. Many recent films and their subsequent franchises donlt seem to want to do anything new with the format they are beating like a particularly dead horse.
Want a fun evening’s viewing? Check out any of the following horror flicks for some entertainment with your gore:
The Evil Dead, Friday the 13th, An American Werewolf in London, Bad Dreams, Hellraiser, Evil Dead 2, Return of the Living Dead 2, Creepshow, Day of the Dead, Trick or Treat, Poltergeist, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, A Nigtmare on Elm street, Re-animator, Scanners, The Burning, Class of Nuke ‘Em High (okay, this is a spoof but it still kicks ass), From Beyond, House, 976:Evil, Witchboard, Warlock, The Thing, Bad Taste, Cat People, Child’s Play, Cat’s Eye, Chopping Mall (BEST. TITLE. EVER), Dead Zone, The Gate, The Hunger, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Monster Squad, Society, Sorority babes in the Slime-ball Bowl-O-Rama….. Jeez, there’s thousands of ‘em. Go seek out some fun.
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