How To Do Modern Horror Movies

It Trailer horror movie

Of all the possible genres, it’s perhaps horror which can be the most polarising. Generally, you won’t hear somebody state that they “can’t do comedies,” but that exact phrase is constantly uttered about films which get under your skin. What a shame, then, that they’re so very often squandered by cliches and tropes.

You only need to look at the past few months to see several examples of this: the likes of A Cure for Wellness and Split – while not complete disasters – left a decidedly sour taste in the mouth. The former was surpassed by the likes of Shutter Island, and the latter simply lacked a certain hook which retained you beyond the premise. But these weren’t the only issues; both movies relied on the age-old crutch of jump scares to startle audiences and check they hadn’t fallen asleep.

Something which A Cure for Wellness achieved, however, was the sense of the setting as an antagonist. The asylum in which the film takes place feels like an inescapable prison – not too dissimilar from the likes of The Shining’s Overlook Hotel. This isn’t necessary for a horror movie, but it’s something which adds so much and isn’t incredibly difficult to do. Take 2014’s indie darling The Babadook. The film’s titular monster is obviously the clearest antagonist, but the house that the mother and her son live in is steeped in murky blues, blacks, and a general sense of unease. It’s clever cinema, and the perfect way to visualise the tension.

Source: Roger Ebert

Or the even more recent Get Out. While not strictly a straight-up horror movie, this clever racial satire boasts its fair share of scary moments; maybe the strongest of which revolves around little more than a housemaid maintaining a cartoonish grin while tears cascade down her face. Sure, it’s the context of this scene that makes it so much more effective, but the juxtaposition of the hysterical with the insidious makes for an eerie combo to say the least.

Let’s not forget the importance of soundtrack in horror, of course. This is something that transcends medium (with Resident Evil 7 being a great example from videogames), and is crucial in maintaining an atmosphere of dread. I mentioned The Shining earlier, and who can forget the droning tones of its opening? Another modern release, It Follows is a great example of this. Its soundtrack heavily borrows from the synth-fused, John Carpenter scores of the 80s, but it uses this to inspire a foreboding terror that never really lets up.

The reason I’ve been thinking about horror lately is due in part to the recent release of a teaser for September’s upcoming It remake. Looking vaguely like Sinister, it’s a film that definitely has the potential to adapt its already chilling source material into a remarkable entry into the horror canon. There’s the odd jump scare in the trailer, but there’s also undeniable tension which manipulates the senses. Will it be good? Who knows. Will I see it? You’d better believe it.

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