It’s alive!
It can be argued that the ‘70s ushered in the grand masterpieces of horror film that are still revered to this day. It could also be said that the campy fun horror and superb practical effects of the 80’s brought the genre into the mainstream and peaked the curiosity of the general public. But as an avid fan of these dark twisted tales for almost all of my conscious life, I feel very comfortable with the following statement: horror is alive and well in 2019. It honestly has never been a better time to be a horror fan. The classics are readily available to watch via streaming services, discount physical media, and midnight matinees at local indie theaters. They continued to be rediscovered all the time by the youth. But now, we have so much content to choose from, making the choice of what to check out is often over whelming. It’s a great thing for horror fans. Yes, it is mainstream. But fortunately, it’s still really good. Twenty years ago only a handful of genre TV shows were around that were genuinely good. Now, there’s a vast selection to choose from. From Hannibal to Dexter to Penny Dreadful, these recent series were exceptional examples of premium quality. Many more citable works are currently still in production.
Movie-wise, there are a plethora of options available. From the super low budget to the Hollywood productions, horror is thriving. It’s everywhere. While the superhero genre may still reign supreme, horror is big business and has succeeded in nearly every format. From “Hereditary” to “Us” to “It” to Shudder’s “The Last Drive-In with Job Bob Briggs”, there is something for any fan. Heavy streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu have all made some incredible contributions of original content. Shudder and Screambox are streaming services specially for designed for the morbid and macabre. Scream Factory and Arrow have been releasing amazing blu-rays in the field.
Conventions, meet-ups, apps, proms, podcasts, walks, Instagram pictures, and everything in between, horror is here to stay. It is hardwired into our culture and is more widely accepted than it’s ever been. So gorehounds and terror fiends rejoice, for now is a great time to satisfy the need for terror tales. The community continues to grow.
