*ੈ✩‧˚Horror is going through a drought⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Once again, this genre never fails to disappoint.  

As a fellow fear enthusiast who gets off on storming into pretend haunted house attractions and daydreaming about the pleasures of Halloween, the adrenaline from enjoying a genuinely great Horror movie follows suit. So for months, here I go taking any chance I have pocketed at the moment on films, not directly named classics the way "Friday The 13th" or "Scream" have been. 

Although those two are not my favorite, they are worthy of the titles they have built for themselves as they paved the way in what was once a set genre where going ANYWHERE was "Too Far". We're talking about a genre filled with societal taboos that our forefathers of gore beat into obscurity with the purpose of forcing the occupants of the planet to see all they wish to ignore.

Movies ranging from "The Evil Dead", "Cannibal Holocaust", "Insidious", "An American Werewolf in London", "The Grudge", "World War Z", and even animated films following beyond the grasps of Junji Ito or into the psychological thriller aspects like "Belladonna Of Sadness", and a childhood favorite "9" directed by Shane Acker, set a standard of what scary truly looks like.

The type of 'scary' where you can't sleep with the lights off or decide to stay into the early morning to beat the unseeable, where you can't walk into the shower or wash your face without the thought of that one notable slasher catching you by surprise, where you tuck in the covers of your bed so that your feet dangling won't catch some lonesome monster's attention, or the pep your feet instantly gain at night and near dark alleyways as watching loads of these movies has taught you a thing or two as means to prevent you walking into the next up in coming snuff film heading straight to blu-ray.

But, I haven't known that kind of scared in years. In fact, it was that type of fear that solidified "The Thing" (1982) as my most favorite movie of all time beating others such as "Texas Chainsaw"(1 AND 2), "My Bloody Valentine", "The Crazies", and "Childs Play" as part of the same genre. The raw use of special effects instead of messily dime a dozen jump scares to petrify you and your heart to a raging boil, the ethics of each situation forcing you to balance the most liable choice provided at that moment, the characters and their own personality not being the end all determining position of whether or not they live or die,  and much more to leave you guessing as there are a plethora of endings or theories of which are never truly "happy" and logically express why we're internally panicked just based on the events we see occur. SCARED. 

I wanted to be utterly terrified. So for MONTHS, I scathed both the internet and theaters for the next possible gem that could take the place I'd been hoping it would. I want something new and revolutionary; reinventing the genre as a whole as we see it now the way those before us wished. A gem that I could look back at 20 years from now and say I knew it would inspire future scholars the way "Dream Girls" constantly has its rounds terrorizing and perplexing the minds of those to watch over and over again, never quite fishing the appeal. Or maybe like one of my personal favorites "American Psycho", where two decades later, we're still debating the contents of that movie and Christian Bale's phenomenal acting. Something I could be proud of from this generation that finally made it to the big screen and suffice what's left in my poor little squashed heart juiced to a mangled pulp.  

And oh boy, my poor little mangled heart is CLENTCHING itself away into bloodied tears as we SPEAK. NOT in a good way either. This is bad. Very Bad. For me at least because this is something I find comfort in being milked for Hollywood paid cash.

All those passion projects and creators doing their jobs beyond the required potential are unheard of as most film companies just want what they believe will give them their dimes worth instead of what the audience actually needs to see and desires. This was relevantly brought into focus after Sam Levingston's and the Weekend's fiasco of an unwanted takeover that left a potentially phenomenal show in ruins due to HBO's desire to obtain bank. They went with what was safe instead of taking the risk to make a statement. It has been the greed and stupid "money moves" that have directed our media into G A R B A G E. Horror even more so as I watch millions upon millions spent building movies fail to equate to the box office outcome. It begins to feel as if I'm watching the beauty of a genre die along with everyone else in it as most of those who were able to get their message across and willing to go to insane lengths to do so are passing away or losing the imagery they once had.

Why am I going on this tirade you ask?

Today, I saw the latest installment of "Insidious" and I've never felt more depressed and apathetic than before watching that embarrassment. Now, don't get me wrong. The actors, amazing. The scenery at moments, very pretty, visually gratifying. And had they gone that route and paid more homage to the original, it would be another satisfying film to watch. But none of that was done. I, sadly, had to sit through hours of a mediocre, sub-par script and a disappointing lack of ghouls the first film held alongside the lore. Slap a "happy-go-lucky" ending on top and I've never contemplated arson more than the moment the movie ended.  I didn't leave the theater high on the ecstasy and adrenaline a great movie provides acquainted by the smell of buttered popcorn and slushies. Was T H A T supposed to be a follow-up on an unapologetic and fairly recent classic? No way I just watched a film I critiqued all the way through. I. Was. BORED. I should've been scared shitless with all the expectations I have for films produced by some of the greats within recent media stemming not too far beyond the early 2000's and even the 2010's.

I could go on and on in another post about why the ultimate result was bad even with a good lineup of actors who I can say have tried their best with what they were given, but, this comes full circle back to why I'm talking about Horror to begin with.

The artist who try to actually put out disturbing content worth a damn that could get a conversation buzzing about aren't acknowledged and I can't tell if it's the viewers and supporters who are to blame, major corporations, or both most days. We (collectively) support artists (and I'm not saying me, but ya'll know who ya'll are) who provide us with trash that directs a narrative harmful to those who potentially may view as it routes its way into defining the image of the youth. Example being the unfortunate nonsense I hear about Collen Hover's stories and their damaging portrayal of women. Very unfortunate to book readers like myself as remotely skimming through any one of her books reflects the shit stolen off of r/menwritingwomen. Yet, to say that this doesn't translate even to the best of genres would be a lie. Horror, not being exempt.

On a good note, there's a new Exorcist movie coming out that I am excited for. Much I saw in the trailer really did resemble that 80's special effects and makeup in film that made the movie so iconic. I do hope that that style of filmmaking is brought back and respected as I do still have hope that there will be a breakthrough soon. I can see Horror for what it will become and maybe that's why it's so upsetting seeing the stage it is at now. But I'm more than sure this is the odd teenage phase of the genre.

Regardless of my thoughts, I'm all ears to hear someone else's, agreeing, disagreeing, or neutral. I found this fun so I may do this again when I have the time to rant my ass off.  Feel free to ask any questions if you want or debate because I'm a weirdo who thinks debate is fun.