Haunted History: A History and Synopsis of Horror Movies, Part 3

Welcome to the third and final installment in my short horror movie synopsis. In this article, I will dive deeper into the culture of modern horror and how the genre has evolved into a platform for strong social messages. Specifically, horror has evolved to tackle ongoing racial issues, violence and trauma, and gender inequality. Within this synopsis, we will break down and discuss the current impact of modern horror and how it has shaped our social climate.

Beginning in 2000, we have the werewolf classic “Ginger Snaps,” directed by John Fawcett. Ginger Snaps conveys a strong message about puberty through lycanthropy and is one of the earliest modern horror movies to address the gender roles assigned by our culture to women, especially at an adolescent age. 2002 saw the British zombie masterclass “28 Days Later” discuss the breakdown of our society, attempting to peel back the inner workings of human nature when faced with extinction. Zombie movies, specifically, have always had a strong social message regarding consumerism and the never-ending chase for comfort. George A. Romero’s 1974 classic “Dawn of the Dead” was remade in 2004 under director Zack Snyder. Snyder continued Romero’s message and pushed strong themes of modern consumer culture and its perpetual habit of selfishness and material gain, even in times of the apocalypse.

2006 saw two masterpieces in social commentary from Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” and Bong Joon-ho’s “The Host”. Guillermo del Toro has a reputation for beautifully disturbing works of art with strong messages and an emphasis on looking deeper at ongoing problems. “Pan’s Labyrinth” tells a tragic story of war and authoritarianism, showing the true brutality of what happens when the powerful abuse their citizens. “The Host” is centered around a strong environmental message, as the titular monster represents ongoing toxic dumping and environmental pollution from the South Korean government. Mental health emerged as a strong topic of discussion in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The Swedish vampire film “Let the Right One In”, released in 2008, tells a tragic and horrifying story of child neglect and loneliness, centering around the ever-present issue of bullying within our youth and its mental health impact on young individuals. “Black Swan”, released in 2010, discusses strong themes of mental health struggles and self-destruction. This beautifully made psychological thriller represents a shift in theme towards a darker look at the often-stigmatized world of mental health disorders.

There are two primary topics of discussion I would like to focus on in our current relevant modern horror culture (2014-present). First is the amazing work of Jordan Peele and his strong messages regarding ongoing racial inequality. Peele, originally a comedian, entered the horror world in 2017 with his incredibly horrific “Get Out”. This masterpiece delivers strong messages criticizing “colorblindness” in America and racial appropriation within our modern culture. Peele’s follow-up, “Us”, released in 2019, critiques the American dream and how racial boundaries have prevented our culture from progressing into a state of peace. 2022’s “Nope” was perhaps Peele’s most in-depth work, addressing the ongoing dilemma of toxicity within our “spectacle” culture. The next topic of discussion I would like to focus on is mental health within modern horror movies. I will not dive into detail regarding the specifics of lessons from the movies, as the subject matter is often sensitive and too complex for one perspective. 2014’s “The Babadook”, 2018’s “Hereditary”, and 2020’s “Saint Maud” all offer dark looks into loneliness and grief. While each of the movies can be quite brutal in tone, the messages they convey offer strong insights into self-reflection and peace.

This ongoing trend in horror movies is no accident. As society and culture have progressed, our fears have shifted away from the monsters of shadows and into the monsters of humanity. As we grow more self-aware and receptive to ongoing social issues, we also bring to light the social pressures and fears of our ever-changing world. To answer my initial intention in these articles, horror movies are important because they are reflections of our society. They express and visually present relevant fears. Horror movies are more than just simple scares and sights; they are messages and lessons, updates on our modern world, and our ongoing struggles with the fear of the unknown. To finish, I will leave you with a quote from horror icon Clive Barker: “Horror is a way of making us face what we don’t want to face, to acknowledge the things we fear in the world and in ourselves.”