Indie Horror Film Renaissance

THE BLOG FROM BEYOND

I don't plan to use this blog, which I have dubbed the BLOG FROM BEYOND, to review genre films or series. There are more than enough critics in the world today (and art is hard). I do plan to use this space to make observations on trends and notable works in genre fare (most notable to me will be diverse genre fare). Today I'm focusing on horror. This blog will also be a place for my mad ramblings. So, you've been duly warned.

I'm currently writing this post from a waterfront cafe in Vieux Port (Old Port) in Marseille, France. I love Paris and the South Of France. When I stop roaming the earth, there's more than a good chance I'll end up permanently in France.

The photo of me in this post was taken on July 2nd, 2020 in Estepona, Spain. The country had just opened back up in the waning days of the pandemic. It was a time when air travel was extremely challenging to navigate (I once spent the night in an empty airport in Madrid where everything was closed, with a dozen other travelers huddled in the dark). The photo was taken at a friend's villa right off the beach on the Mediterranean. On a clear day you could see Morocco in Africa (less than nine miles away) from her deck.

What does this have to do with horror, you say? I'm getting to it.

About four months ago, I was in the UK. After long stretches of time in countries where different languages are spoken (I'm determined to learn French), it's sometimes nice to reset in an English speaking country (that is, unless you encounter a heavy Cockney accent). I was in Central Manchester. They have a gym with a pool that I like in the city center. And in the same complex, a place called the Printworks, they have the Vue Cinema Multiplex. While I was there, I was pleasantly surprised to see a string of horror films; some studio, some indie.

Ahh, the bastard finally got to the point.

For the past number of years, I've felt that there was a drought in the horror film genre (with a few exceptions). I began to have a glimmer of hope with GODZILLA MINUS ONE (a sci-fi/horror thriller that transcended the genre through dramatic storytelling and complex characters who exuded true pathos) and TALK TO ME (a little Aussie indie flick that did monster box office). I also enjoyed the simplistic carnage of the TERRIFIER movies (although I actually thought the first movie was better than the second).

Was it possible we were coming out of a horror drought?

Could we be emerging into a new age of good, scary horror fare?

Snapshot from the Year 2024 in Horror

So I saw two studio films and two indie films. The two studio films were THE FIRST OMEN and ABAGAIL. I normally feel Studio Hollywood doesn't cater enough to adult horror fanatics. The majority of the horror films they release are P-13. While I understand the desire for maximizing the audience box office, they neglect dudes like me who like our horror like we like our steaks, bloody.

Studio Horror

I was optimistic as I attended a midweek matinee, mainly because The First Omen was a prequel set in the '70s (I'm a sucker for a period piece). I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was a great set-up for a reboot of the franchise. I had much lower expectations going into Abagail. While the concept of a little girl ballerina vampire sounded intriguing, I wasn't sure it could sustain itself for an entire movie (a short film, yes). However, I was drawn in. And there was no shortage of blood and gore (reminiscent of the recent EVIL DEAD reboots; which get two thumbs up). So I left the theater with a smile on my face and feeling like I got my money's worth.

Indie Horror

The interesting thing was, before I saw these two studio movies, I saw the trailers for two horror films I had never even heard of: IMMACULATE and LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL. Immaculate was similar in tone to The First Omen; a newly minted nun at an evil convenent where the priests and senior nuns have evil designs on her. Immaculate delivered in my mind. There is something inherently badass about a nun, impregnated with evil, killing her way out of a remote convenent after her water breaks. Yep, you heard me right. Winner winner, chicken dinner. As for LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, I normally despise found footage flicks for one very important reason. They're usually all build-up and no pay-off at the end. Just shaky camera movement, screaming, and CUT TO BLACK. I always feel like I've just been mugged after watching a found footage flick. Rip off city. But not "Late Night." After executing on a brilliant premise, they delivered on the horror in the finale. The horror went on and on for what seemed like fifteen minutes (I don't actually know if that was the case or not). The point is it delivered on its promise of horror.

Which is why anyone goes to a horror film in the first place. To be happily scared shitless.

#horror #terrifier #abagail #firstomen #godzillaminusone