Horror Films 2008 Style

I'm a little disappointed at the current state of horror films being released as of the new year. I've seen all the majors released theatrically with the exception of SHUTTER and PROM NIGHT and the only minor or limited release films that I happened to miss were TEETH and THE SIGNAL (both of which I really wanted to see on the big screen), but other then that I've managed to see everything else and I'm thus far not really impressed.

My favorite films this year have been CLOVERFIELD, DIARY OF THE DEAD, and to some extent THE RUINS. This isn't because the films this year have been so bad, but rather there have been so few genre films released this year. The other ones include ONE MISSED CALL, THE EYE, DOOMSDAY, FUNNY GAMES, and PATHOLOGY, with inclusion of 2007 hold overs I AM LEGEND and P2 (I'm still confused on why they released this film during the crowded Christmas season).

Let's take a look at all the horror films of 2008 by first taking a look at the REMAKES. This group can be separated into two smaller groups - America (PROM NIGHT, APRIL FOOL'S DAY, SISTERS, and DAY OF THE DEAD) and Foreign (ONE MISSED CALL, THE EYE, FUNNY GAMES, and SHUTTER). All three of the American remakes are from films in the '80s when horror films were at their most popular. Both PROM NIGHT and APRIL FOOL'S DAY (which went straight to DVD but should've been theatrical) were brainless slasher films that when viewed today really don't hold up to much so there is no surprise that they were up for the remake machine. Both are for the 13-18 teenage crowd in that there are lots of "boo" scares but no blood and the comedy is always on hand. The DAY OF THE DEAD remake (which also went straight to DVD) was the opposite as it retained the blood-drenched atmosphere of the original but appealed to modern day audiences that like their zombies fast and furious. The action is high and the kills are even higher. SISTERS is a grown up remake of the classic Brian DePalma film that was completely ignored by just about everyone but could have faired the best at the box office had it been given the chance. The America remakes are to hopefully bring old school horror to new school audiences who have never seen the originals nor ever plan on doing so.

In terms of Foreign remakes Asian cultures at at the forefront this year with the remakes of ONE MISSED CALL, THE EYE, and SHUTTER opening approximately a month inbetween each other. All are very similar ghost stories that when put in front of audiences delivered nothing of the originality of dread and mood of their counterparts. None of them ignited the box office. The controversial FUNNY GAMES didn't fare any better only being released on limited screens in a hand full of cities. Not even the star power of Naomi Watts and Tim Roth could overcome the pitfalls of marketing this controversial subject matter to mainstream audiences.

Remakes may have been the craze two years ago but this year no one seems interested anymore.

The big genre films of 2008 (or in terms of budget verses marketing) have been CLOVERFIELD, THE RUINS, and DOOMSDAY. The studio behind CLOVERFIELD got it right by producing a film with a small budget, no stars, and a novel creature in a film with a simple premise. The film was hyped over a year before its release and has one of the most interting marketing campaigns since THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT took the world by storm. With the exception of 2007 hold-over I AM LEGEND this is 2008's highest grossing genre film. The opposite can be said of the dismal performance of the post-apocalyptic DOOMSDAY, which in my opinion was way too much like 28 WEEKS LATER, ESCAPE FROM L.A., and George A. Romero's KNIGHTRIDERS to ever find an identity of its own. It also had an anti-climatic ending that just didn't work for me. These are just some of the reasons why this film never found its audience although I'm sure it will do so when it hits DVD. THE RUINS should've been the scariest film of the year. Based upon one of the best selling genre titles in recent years this film could have easily become as popular as THE EXORCIST; instead it's a film that starts off with a bang but ends on a whimper and never recovers.

The true gems of the year can be seen on the small screen/limited release of George A. Romero's DIARY OF THE DEAD, TEETH, THE SIGNAL, and PATHOLOGY. If there is one thing that all of these films have it is a strong script with both new and old directors at the helm. DIARY OF THE DEAD is Romero's fifth film in his ever expanding Dead films yet this film goes back to where the zombie plague started and updates it for modern audiences who are more savy with technology. This can also be said of the electronic nightmare of THE SIGNAL, another film with a strong direction by a group of relative unknowns. The comedy horror film of the year goes to TEETH which is just disturbing to all us men and bites us where it really hurts. PATHOLOGY works as a pychological horror film which a lot of grown ups tend to venture out for like last year's THE MIST. All in all some of the most interesting films of 2008 have been in limited release.

Now as anyone can tell you, for every one genre film released theatrically there are fifty (50) more being dumped on the DVD shelf (such as the before mentioned SISTERS, DAY OF THE DEAD, and APRIL FOOL'S DAY, so, finding one to watch can sometimes be a little difficult.

There are still many not mentioned here such as THE ORPHANAGE, INSIDE, THEM (ILS) - finally on our shores, NIGHTMARE DETECTIVE. Genre films have there ups and downs and many times the best ones are not of the big screen but on the small one and sometimes you just have to jump into the blood and see what's really inside.