“Death confronts humanity with an incomprehensible, inexplicable, and unassailable reality.”
As Christians, we can stare into that gaping yawn of infinity, not with terror, but with hope. I assume a “culture of death” derives from the absence of hope. I think of Auden’s, “we who must die, demand a miracle…”
Horror has definitely taken a turn in this generation. Feels like the overall shortened attention span of the 2020’s keeps movies reliant on shock factor—as evidenced in movies like Terrifier. With that said, there is a section of horror still committed to the narrative, even if it’s harder to find.
Can we get a TERRIFIER review from a horror aficionado? In any case, the "shock factor" issue seems on point. It's basically a version of "clickbait." If audiences are less inclined to believe in intricate, supernatural tales of ghosts and the afterlife, and if "torture porn" will at least put butts in the seats, then why not ratchet up the violence and gore? I do think Mike Flanagan's popular (and excellent) adaptations of Poe and Jackson suggest that there is a genuine interest in "good horror," if only studios will finance it.
“Death confronts humanity with an incomprehensible, inexplicable, and unassailable reality.”
As Christians, we can stare into that gaping yawn of infinity, not with terror, but with hope. I assume a “culture of death” derives from the absence of hope. I think of Auden’s, “we who must die, demand a miracle…”
This was an excellent essay.
🙏
Horror has definitely taken a turn in this generation. Feels like the overall shortened attention span of the 2020’s keeps movies reliant on shock factor—as evidenced in movies like Terrifier. With that said, there is a section of horror still committed to the narrative, even if it’s harder to find.
Can we get a TERRIFIER review from a horror aficionado? In any case, the "shock factor" issue seems on point. It's basically a version of "clickbait." If audiences are less inclined to believe in intricate, supernatural tales of ghosts and the afterlife, and if "torture porn" will at least put butts in the seats, then why not ratchet up the violence and gore? I do think Mike Flanagan's popular (and excellent) adaptations of Poe and Jackson suggest that there is a genuine interest in "good horror," if only studios will finance it.