USA Today has posted an article ruminating on just why the f*ck horror is getting so popular again these days. OK, so their wording might be a little classier, but it’s a pretty interesting look into how societal influences can affect the movie going public’s appetite for certain bloody treats. For instance, say you’re constantly worried about some sort of vague, undefined terrorist … I mean … Martian attack. Well, that just might up your need for some catharsis. And what better way to achieve that then some well earned screams of specific, abject fear from your friendly neighborhood genre flick?
Now one amusing sidebar they have is a list of 12 upcoming movies that are “guaranteed to push the boundaries”. Uh-huh. I think what counts as boundary pushing to horror fans would probably result in death by crapping ones pants for the USA Today staffers. In their defense the list does include and , but c’mon, it also has BIRTH, KINSEY, and INSIDE DEEP THROAT on it. Getting a BJ hasn’t pushed any boundaries since my late teens, and I was a late bloomer. Besides, how can you chop on anything staring the innocent Ms. Linda Lovelace?
One other festering, mushy hole in the otherwise interesting presentation, is the presence of “mass media expert” Joanne Cantor, who offers the following astute advice:
So, what’s her point? Does she somehow think that most of the genre audience is 10 or under? Parenting folks! Don’t blame our precious gems for the screw-ups of the uninvolved. And besides, has anyone ever tried to make the case for horror as psychotherapy – outside of the obvious puns of course? NO!