How horror became the main genre of our time

Post-horror is one of the main directions of modern cinema. However, no one can clearly explain what this word means. It is difficult to say whether post-horror films contradict conventional horror or inherit their features. What is clear is that today's independent cinema is based on this direction in the same way that the directors of "New Hollywood" are based on gangster stories. At the same time, each author interprets the framework and canons of the genre in his own way. But this does not mean that the usual horror films have disappeared from the screens. We understand what happened to world cinema and why horror has become the main genre of our time.

Paradoxical Flexibility

Over the past century, a rough idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat horror is has developed. In a standard horror movie, there is a weak victim, mysterious evil, suspense, readiness for an open ending, no happy ending, use of detective elements. The presence of clear components simplified the work of the scriptwriters and created a reliable structure on which you can impose anything.

Surprisingly, and a bit counterintuitively, the genre with the clearest established canon gives artists the most freedom. A visionary director may not write the best script, but make an excellent film due to a special approach to the picture - this is how they work "Evil Dead». The paintings of Dario Argento can hardly be called unpredictable, but he showed himself as an artist, not a storyteller, practically without being distracted by the plot. Horror turned out to be a convenient wrapper for any story.

Modern horror (or post-horror) authors also do not limit themselves, and therefore they shoot completely different films. Comedies with social criticism (Jordan Peele), psychological dramas (Ari Aster), stylization for expressionism and the use of mythological motifs (Roger Eggers), body horror (Julie Ducourneau) - there is little in common between them, but they can still be combined into one direction. Unlike romantic comedies, where the limits put pressure on the authors, horror films are ready to absorb anything. You can take a horror movie and easily turn it into a drama ("Rosemary's Baby"), a comedy ("real ghouls”), detective (“The Ring”), action movie (“Judgment Night”), western (“Bone Tomahawk”), erotica (“Eugene”) and even a biopic (“The Six Demons of Emily Rose”). There is no genre that a horror movie cannot crossbreed with.

Amplification of emotions

A logical question may arise: if the directors do not want to scare the viewer, then why do they make horror films at all? The fact is that the use of supernatural elements and the forcing of emotions allow you to add depth to films, make them more metaphorical.

The most striking example is "Get Out" Jordan Peele. In a nutshell, this is a story about a black guy who meets the family of his white girlfriend. This leads to problems because of the generational and racial stereotypes that the characters live by. In 2023, the film “What kind of people” was released, the plot of which is built exactly on the same conflict. But the difference between the tapes is huge: the hero of "Get Out" is one step away from death due to social attitudes, and the hero of "What kind of people" only risks not being liked by the girlfriend's parents. The level of threat is changing, and therefore the importance of the problem.

The situation is similar with the painting "The Barbarian" by Zack Cregger. Its feminist message is evident in the villain, a man who is obsessed with pregnant women. The director could have made a drama about this, but he understands that through the prism and tropes of horror it will be easier to convey the message, and the effect will be stronger.

High payback

Horror has long been one of the most successful genres in terms of commerce. Horror films have had decades of austerity, which taught writers and producers to work under minimum budgets. For this reason, the genre attracts aspiring directors. You can come up with a good historical drama, but no one will give the required amount for it. The conditional Zack Cregger will simply write the script for The Barbarian and shoot it for $4.5 million (by the way, the film grossed 10 times more). The famous studio Blumhouse has been making countless horror films for almost two decades. Many of them do not make it to the cinema, but the success of one picture provides a profit. For example, "Paranormal Activity" with a budget of 15 thousand dollars collected 193 million. And "The Blair Witch Project" - 248 million with 60 thousand spent.

Low production costs allow you not to think about how to lure a million viewers to the cinema. However, horror marketing is still unique: sometimes just the image of a villain (or evil) can attract people. Unlike dramas, where popular actors play a huge role. Consequently, producers may not run after celebrities, persuading them to reduce the budget: you can take good, but unknown artists, which once again allows you to save money.

The combination of low budgets and potential profits, and even with the existence of fans of the genre (and there are a lot of them), allows horror authors not to worry about fees. Like about festivals - the directors of the genre had a fight with them for a long time.

It is also important that not only the creators of horror, but also the audience are ready for experiments. The standard drama or comedy fan has an idea of ​​what he wants to see on screen, while the horror fan has complete confidence in the director. Even if the film turns out to be strange, it can offer something new.

Probably, right now the freshness and unusualness is especially appreciated by the audience. Every week, either a comic book movie or the next part of a franchise appears in theaters. The spectator, tortured by jokers and dominic torettos, is more likely to go to some author's cinema, where it will inevitably meet with horror. You have to love them if you want to watch something new, but not superhero.

At the same time, you should not write off the classic horror films, because they also collect a large box office. "The Conjuring", "Astral" and "It" feel comfortable even against the backdrop of Marvel and DC films. It turns out that horror is a genre that can satisfy the desires of both the viewer who goes to the cinema for entertainment and the needs of the movie fan.

Perhaps the last time horror was as relevant a hundred years ago, when the German expressionists experimented with form and cinematic language. The modern industry has brought horror films to the fore simply because their authors are not afraid to do something new, unusual. The flexibility of the genre only contributes to experimentation, and the ability to use metaphors and unusual images adds depth to the pictures.