Horror as a Reflection of Ourselves
According to Zefyr Lisowski's "Uncanny Valley Girls", horror is not just about fear, but also a way to understand ourselves.
A recent surge in horror films has led to a doubling of the genre's market share from 4.87% to 10.08% between 2013 and 2023.
- Jennifer Kent's "The Babadook" (2014)
- Ari Aster's "Hereditary" (2018) and "Midsommer" (2019)
- Jordan Peele's "Get Out" (2017) and "Us" (2019)
- Robert Eggers's "The Witch" (2015) and "The Lighthouse" (2019)
These films are notable for their psychological complexity and stylistic polish, but labeling them as a corrective to previous horror films is ahistorical and insulting.
Horror has always been about us
Author's summary: Horror films reflect our understanding of ourselves.