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lurtz6

Is Mainstream Horror Dead?

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8 Comments
by
lurtz6
, 11-01-2011 at 09:15 PM (950 Views)


Stakeland.

Grave Encounters.

Red State.

All amazing movies that were appreciated by the Horror community at large, except for one thing: None were in theaters, for the average American to walk into and enjoy. What was in theatres?

Don't be Afraid of the Dark.

Apollo 18.

Shark Night 3D.

Now, as with every year, there were some good in-theatre horror movies, such as Insidious, and Paranormal Activity 3. But, overall, the quality and amount of horror films that are available to mainstream USA is decreasing, while Independent films are florishing on DVD. The genre has been reduced to using gimmicks such as 3D and overusing "found-footage." It is much like how the horror scene was in 1995, with movies like Jason Goes to Hell, and TCM: Next Generation using conspiracy theories to fuel their plots. Likewise, this generation is all-self-referential horror, tongue-in-cheek and winking at the audience.

In 1995, a idea of brilliance by Wes Craven gave us Scream, and restarted horror, essientially ensuring its survival up to the present. In doing so however, he also removed some of the terror present. Compare Halloween 6 with Halloween H20, and you can immediately see that H6, while awful, was going for actual scariness and horror, unlike its sequel.

Horror on the big screen is dying, and it needs another shot in the arm. That shot won't be from Wes Craven though, just look at Scram 4. What we need is a thought-provoking, serious, scary, well-made blockbuster that will bring horror back to the average consumer.

The age of Black and White sci-fi monsters is over.

The age of 80's Slashers is over.

The age of PG-13, humorous, found-footage, Japenese remake is dying.

We are at the dawn of a new age in this genre, and what will it be to scare people next?

Just my thoughts.

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Comments

  1. androidvirus's Avatar
    I like to think slashers can still live, Look at Laid to Rest, Leslie Vernon, The hill run red or silent movie.
  2. lurtz6's Avatar
    But how many of those were featured in packed theatres? Horror isn't dying, just horror in movie theatres.
  3. Xander_Kane's Avatar
    Well horror has always gone through phases of being mainstream and not. I don't think it is dying. We are just dealing with a change of times. The price is too high. For instance I paid $13 to see Hatchet 2 in the theater. It cost me $15 to buy it on blu ray. So as a horror fan why would i go to the movies to see it if i could watch it at home on my own theater? I watch 80% horror films and most of those never went to the theater. And that is over the last 5 or so years. There is probably only 2 or 3 good horror movies that go to the mainstream audiences. As a long time viewer of the genre I know where to find my horror and it is rarely on the Big Screen.. Unfortunately

    So why would studios take the chance on horror?? Most horror fans just bitch about remakes and 3D. It does not make sense to do so which is probably why we are only currently getting 7 mainstream horror releases to the masses in 2012(that i know of).

    The numbers don't add up. AMC took a chance on Hatchet 2 and what did horror fans do?? Nothing.. it Grossed only $62,000 You can say all you want about its limited screens.. There was 68 theaters showing it for a week. That means each theater only grossed roughly $911 each a week for the movie. At $13 that means only 70 people went to each theater to see the movie over a weeks time.. Sorry I am bit grumpy today
  4. Boombata's Avatar
    The Pg-13/ found footage horror is not dying, it's thriving. In fact, that is the only kind of horror that is making money. I for one want to see more scares in mainstream horror but it is either not very marketable or people don't want really scary stuff in the theatre. Insidious is the only film all year that was indeed scary and mainstream. One damn movie for the entire year! Hopefully the next few years will see a rise in more imaginative and scary horror films that can enjoyed by a theatre audience. Lurtz6, great article to get people talking!
  5. lurtz6's Avatar
    Great point about the rising ticket prices Xander. I think the reason Hachet II didn't do well is because people have seen it all before. It's going to take more than a slasher to revive big-screen horror. Scream managed it, but only because slashers had reached the point where they could make fun of themselves. Once you reach that point, where else can you go with a sub-genre?
  6. The Butcher's Avatar
    Great post Lurtz!

    I'm a firm believer in quality. IMO the reason horror isn't doing well in theaters (besides PA3 and the Darth Maul movie) is because most of the films releases are 100% forgettable. The studios obviously don't feel quality matters with horror. They make a crappy movie and it bombs. Then they scratch their heads. When in reality if they just released quality films like Red State, Stakeland and The Innkeepers (to name a few) people would go see them. I don't feel filmgoers need theater seats that rumble or 3D glasses. They just want quality films.

    If you visit Rotten Tomatoes you'll see that exactly half the films in theaters are voted rotten. Why would people pay grossly high ticket prices to see a shitty movie they can watch on DVD for a dollar three months from now. And in my opinion, Hollywood horror is at the bottom of the barrel.

    Whatever the subgenre, (ghost movies, slashers, zombies) if Hollywood and or distributors spent time marketing good movies you'd see more horror in theaters. Yes, some might bomb, but Hollywood needs to earn back the publics trust. That's my two cents.
  7. androidvirus's Avatar
    I wait till the 1$ theaters lol. But the industry has changed as a whole, Its all about blockbusters week in and week out. Its a rare thing for slasher to get a theatrical release, its gotta be a remake,
  8. cducharme's Avatar
    I for one see a future in the killer mouse sub-genre, no not giant mice, regular sized. And not mice, but mouse one single pissed off mouse hopped up on a super soldier serum. Any takers? :P (plot stolen from a 3rd grader's story.... Ok it was me when I was younger)