Is Horror Stuck in a Nostalgia Loop?

Photo by Alexander Wark Feeney on Unsplash

Last spring, my favorite critic Scout Tafoya stayed at my place because he was in Austin for a wedding. One night we were both free, we went to see Evil Dead Rise, the fifth movie in the Evil Dead franchise. He’d already seen it before and assured me that it was “metal as fuck.” Upon watching the opening scene, I was inclined to agree. It might even be my favorite cold open in a horror film ever. The rest of the movie was tons of fun as well, full of violence and gore, and set in a world where no character is safe. Seriously, no one.

We got back to my house, and after raving about how much we liked it, Scout took a breath. I knew what was coming—his primary critique. I thought I knew where he was going, but I waited anyway because I didn’t want to be rude. I have ADHD, so I tend to interrupt people when I get excited about something or think I know what people are going to say. It’s something I’ve been working on, and this was one instance where I had better control of myself.

Scout said, “You know, as fun as that was, I would like to eventually see a movie that doesn’t remind me of something I’ve already seen.”

Let me back up a little. I love the Evil Dead franchise. From the microbudget cheese of the first entry to the Universal Pictures-produced Army of Darkness, even Fede Alvarez’s gonzo remake and the short-lived television series, I haven’t seen an entry I didn’t like. I love the splatter, I love Bruce Campbell’s wisecracks, I love the Three-Stooges-goes-horror energy all these texts have.

And I stand by my feelings about Evil Dead Rise. I had so much fun with it, but at the end of the day, it’s just a remix of the preceding films (excepting Army of Darkness).

Of course, I love nostalgia. Everyone does, even if they say they don’t. We talk about how great it is. We talk about how cynical it is. We talk about how nostalgic we are for the days when nostalgia was considered a mental illness. (Remember those times?)

By the way, I’m not above any of this. I do like to think I have a modicum of self-awareness about it, though.

Nostalgia is … well, it’s like catching up with a former lover. They still remember all the right places to touch you and what you like having whispered in your ear, but sometimes, the post-coital glow dims, and you’re left feeling a little bit empty.

I remember how excited I—and many other fans—were when Cabin in the Woods came out. It was the most loving deconstruction of the horror genre since the first Scream. Like Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven, the filmmakers behind Cabin in the Woods never let us think that the stories they're sending up aren’t effective stories. Rednecks in the woods, killer clowns, leather-bound BDSM demons, and giant bugs are all perfectly passable antagonists in a horror story, and Cabin never lets you think otherwise, even as it pokes fun at the familiarity of these tropes and the corporate overlords who keep them in circulation.

Cabin in the Woods was an exciting call to arms. A declaration that yes, these are all cool ideas—but what else do you got, horror creators?

I think a lot about the questions raised by Cabin in the Woods. What else do we got? Do we, as creators, have a responsibility to be original? Is it even possible to be original now? Is nostalgia good or bad for the horror genre? And what, if anything, do we owe the genre’s rich history?

I don’t have answers to these questions, by the way. I suspect the truth lies somewhere in between (as truth often does).

Anyway, what do you think? I’d love to hear from you. Is horror media stuck in a nostalgia loop? Does it matter if it is?

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I’ve still got Signed Hardcover Bundles of Barn Door to Hell in my store. Pick one up, if you’d like. Of course, its Amazon too, if that’s your thing, along with the paperback and Kindle editions. Remember how I said the answer to the nostalgia question is somewhere in the middle? Yeah, this book is pure horror nostalgia, BUT it's got a splatterpunk edge to it that (I hope) makes it stand on its own.

That’s it for now. Am I back to doing these newsletters weekly? I doubt it, but time will tell. I’m committed to one a month, but if I feel compelled to do more, I’m not going to stop myself. Regardless of how often I do these, I am so grateful to all of you for reading them. It’s flattering that I have a regular group of people who read things I write, so seriously, thank you for being here.

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Currently reading: The Nameless by Ramsey Campbell

Recently Watched: Altered States (directed by Ken Russell), The Beyond (directed by Lucio Fulci), and The Boys (Season 3).

Currently Hearing: A white noise machine from the other room

Currently Playing: Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)