Too Spoiled for Good Horror Movies?

 Major Hollywood studios don’t bother releasing horror movies theatrically in October anymore unless it’s a dried up, gore porn franchise like Saw which appeal to average moviegoers as opposed to the subtly elitist horror enthusiasts. Movie studios try squeezing their horror films into the super hero summer frenzy between March and August or drop them in to the slum months of January and February, when all of the projected flops and predicted failures are given a chance to stink up theaters equally.  2014 does seem to be driving things forward, however; Annabelle (The Conjuring spinoff) and Horns are both due in October – oh – so’s the 10^th anniversary rerelease of the original Saw.

Talking about horror with other fans and fanatics has become a sample of battling Alzheimer’s, or like doing rounds on the late-night talk show circuit; it’s the same three questions and same complaints every time: What is Hollywood thinking? What’s with the CGI blood? Every country except America knows how to do horror properly. Are they really out of ideas? You’ve got to weed out the crap to get to the good stuff – I’ve said it, lived it; I’m tired of doing it all over again, having to pretend like it’s the first time. 

There was a time when I would have agreed with the kindred, but even now they have become uprooted and spoiled by technology and a declining concentration span. I find horror movies I like regularly; most of them are even good.  Last week alone through casual research and risking life-time that I should use being constructive, I watched three entertaining horror films and one other that actually freshened the crowbar in terms of storytelling. 

These first three films, most of today’s “serious” horror fans are likely to shut off within the first seven minutes because of the double digit budget look of the film. Most people could claim these films were funded solely by the money found in between couch cushions. 

Raymond Did It (2011) – A classic tale of bloody revenge. Raymond is the mentally handicapped gargantuan older brother of Bryce. As children, Bryce’s friends were always critical of Raymond and after an argument with those friends, Bryce is accidentally killed and the pack points to Raymond to take the blame. Over a decade later, Raymond escapes from the institution he was sentenced to and wants payback.

 For being a C-List, maybe even a D-List film, the practical effects accompanying the ultra-violence are superb (one of the best uses of a lawn mower I’ve seen in years). The acting is terrible, some of the camera work during the climax is questionable, but everyone involved put their hearts into the project and it showed. 

Rage (2010) – An enraged biker, hidden by his helmet and gear, hazardously chases and antagonizes a writer while he’s on the road through the streets of Portland. Dennis is clueless about the reason why this faceless madman is chasing him down.

What starts as playful homage to Steven Spielberg’s Duel becomes a violent racing strip of mad debauchery. One of the biggest cliché’s in all of film making made me roll my eyes; I almost wanted to flip my attention to something else, but I’m glad I stayed. I was extremely pleased with the surly payoff. 

Slasher House (2013) – Red awakens inside a prison with a handful of other inmates, none with any idea how they came to be there, some without an idea of whom they are themselves. Red escapes her cell and begins searching for answers. She soon finds out that other people more malicious and insane than her are on the loose throughout the prison. 

This was is a psychological thriller that is paced excellently, mixing the horror-action and suspense seamlessly. Good news – one of the characters will be getting a spinoff film in 2015.

This last film was released last year with a far higher budget and much glossier production quality. It also featured some freshly induced horror mainstays like Tyler Mane, Derek Mears, and Muse Watson:

Compound Fracture (2013) – Michael takes his loving wife and rebellious nephew back to his childhood home at the behest of his stepmother who is worried about the deteriorating mental health of his father Gary. Gary suspects evil spirits have been trying to enter his home. Naturally, he is crazy until Michael starts sensing that their lives are in danger, and for once it isn’t Gary’s lingering insanity. 

The storytelling was what drew me into this movie, implementing elements of Norwegian mythology, performing Viking spiritual rituals, and the chance they took of having action sequences involving battling an evil spirit. Muse Watson played old and deranged splendidly and it was interesting watching Tyler Mane as a human being and not a mutated creature or masked psychotic. I found this one highly enjoyable. 

I would recommend any of these four films to horror fans, unfortunately, they’d be discarded and I’d be bastardized. That's fine with me. Human beings are gifted with having opinions, they just act like cocaine addicted children doing rehab at a public funded facility when someone disagrees with them. Yet, these were the types of movies horror’s grotesque niche was carved. Roger Corman, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Lucio Fulci; just some of pioneers that became legends in the horror industry whose films are considered classics by those in much higher horror status than I; they had no money, made cheesy movies that people spent five minutes viewing and turned them away. That is why these movies I just covered would be appreciated, but perhaps more by up-and-coming filmmakers who have experienced the fun and headaches of making a movie (and even then some people wouldn't like these movies). I do my best to watch most films with an open mind because the hype is the only thing advertisers use to promote and your average moviegoer swallows all the hype while getting frustrated when the product is not what they wanted. Well, by all means, go make your own damn movie.