Horror & Chill

Genre has always been a pivotal tool used to separate what type of film an audience wants to see. People looking for a laugh might see a comedy, while those who want to explore their emotions might see a drama. It’s only the adrenaline junkies who would ever see a horror film.

From slashers to psychological thrillers, the horror genre has expanded its boundaries and pushed its own limits. Like any fashion trend, horror films have endured fluctuations in popularity over the years.

Films like The Wolfman or Night of the Living Dead first featured supernatural elements meant to terrify audiences. The monster-centric horror films reached a point of fatigue and were replaced by more realistically approached films like Silence of the Lambs or Se7en. These latter films emphasized the horrors that humans can instill in people. Both of these films are hailed as some of the strongest, and the most creative forms of social commentary.

Whether they aim to depict real life or a heightened reality, horror flicks have always been filled with metaphors applicable to the most simple elements of life — whether addressing grief in The Babadook or exposing the subtle and systemic racism plaguing America in Get Out. Thus, horror movies continue to be some of the most intriguing works.

The current renaissance of the horror film rages on. While there will always be cheaply made, seemingly haphazardly thrown together projects like the more recent entries in the Paranormal Activity franchise, there have been several subversive and surprisingly phenomenal horror films as well.

The best examples come from this year alone. Both Get Out and M. Night Shyamalan’s Split surprised audiences and overperformed at the box office. More recently, the latest iteration of Stephen King’s It broke box office records for both R-rated and horror films.

Horror’s surge in popularity is largely due to its capacity for creative freedom. As long as the metaphors and the underlying messages of the film are buried beneath the lens of supernatural or human-based chaos and carnage, filmmakers can exercise their points of view in a truly captivating way.

People see horror films for different reasons, and they always will. Some enjoy the adrenaline rush from being scared, while others find the metaphors presented exciting and thought-provoking. As long as films continue to be made, a diverse array of horror films will continue to be developed.

The current renaissance of the horror film rages on. While there will always be cheaply made, seemingly haphazardly thrown together projects like the more recent entries of the Paranormal Activity franchise, there have been several subversive and surprisingly phenomenal horror films.

The best examples come from this year alone. Both Get Out and M. Night Shyamalan’s Split surprised audiences and overperformed at the box office. More recently, the latest iteration of Stephen King’s It broke box office records for both R-rated and horror films of all time.

Horror’s surge in popularity is largely due to its capacity for creative freedom. As long as the metaphors and the underlying messages of the film are buried beneath the lens of supernatural or human-based chaos and carnage, filmmakers can exercise their points of view in a way that is truly amazing.

People see horror films for several different reasons, and they always will. Some enjoy the consequent adrenaline rush from being scared, while others find the metaphors presented exciting and thought-provoking. As long as films continue to be made, a diverse array of horror films will continue to be developed.