Recent horror films gain attention

Recent horror films such as Obsession by Curry Barker and Backrooms by Kane Persons have drawn significant attention for their success at the box office despite minimal budgets. Obsession is approaching $525 million in worldwide revenue, while Backrooms, which stars Renate Reinsve, has exceeded $400 million. These films, which avoid traditional horror elements like zombies or monsters, have sparked discussions about the evolution of the genre.

Horror films reflect ancient fears

According to Eric Libiot, a journalist and author of Écran noir: Les histoires vraies derrière les films d'horreur, horror films have always tapped into ancient fears such as death, transformation, and societal violence. He notes that films like The Fly by David Cronenberg and Dracula address themes of love and transformation, while Zombie by George A. Romero critiques consumer society and The Thing by John Carpenter reflects the paranoia of the AIDS era.

Horror films reflect social issues

Victor Lamoussière, director of cinema at ESC Films, argues that horror films have always reflected the social issues of their time. He highlights Obsession for its themes of consent and domestic violence and notes that the genre has evolved to include new themes and directors such as Julia Ducournau and Coralie Fargeat, who use body horror to explore intimate and bodily traumas, especially female ones.

Elevated horror movement

Morgan Bizet, a journalist at Chaos Reign, suggests that the horror genre has seen a shift in focus, with more psychological tension and artistic aesthetics. This "elevated horror" movement includes directors such as Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, and Jane Schoenbrun. While this style of direction existed earlier with directors like John Carpenter and Wes Craven, the scale and influence have increased, affecting mainstream films like Évanouis and Resident Evil.

New wave of cringe horror

The rise of platforms and web culture has also led to a new wave of "cringe horror" films, such as Backrooms and Obsession, which blend violence, discomfort, humor, and gore. However, Bizet notes that gore has always been present in horror, citing films like Frayeurs by Lucio Fulci and Cannibal Holocaust by Ruggero Deodato.

Horror films push boundaries

Despite the evolution, horror films continue to push boundaries and intertwine genres more than before. Mohamed Chabane and Théo Jourdain Rhodes, directors of Kraken, mention that audiences are more accustomed to violent content, requiring filmmakers to add more to scare them. They also note that more films are being banned for under-12s or under-18s, such as Resident Evil and Évanouis, or Terrifier 3 in 2024.

Horror cinema as a societal mirror

As horror cinema continues to evolve, it remains a mirror of society, reflecting contemporary issues and fears while maintaining its core elements of suspense and terror.