While horror films may lure audiences with their promises of thrills and chills, underneath the surface,these films are teeming with social commentary. Often inspired by socioeconomic events, horror films afford humanity an opportunity to reflect on their behaviors, past and present, in a bid to learn lessons for the future.
Prolific horror writer and directorEli Rothbrings his expertise and knowledge of the macabre, and more importantly, his love of horror, to the small screen with his horror docuseries,Eli Roth’s History of Horror.Roth, as well as some of the cast and crew of some of horror’s most iconic films, take a deep dive into the underbelly of the horror genre, with each episode analyzing a subgenre or theme,perfect for those new to the genreor for those who are devout cult horror fans.
10"Houses of Hell" (Season 2, Episode 1)
IMDb Rating: 7.9
From haunted houses to murder houses, Roth invites fellow filmmakersScott DerricksonandRob Zombie, among others, to discuss what makes the setting of a house creepily effective in a horror film. The commentary on this episode illuminates how homes can go from a place of safety and sanctuary to a character with its own sadistic motives.
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Even though the setting of a house can be used to create tension and atmosphere in horror movies, it can also be used to explore dynamics between families, as directorAndrew Douglasinfers. Films such asWes Craven’sA Nightmare on Elm Streetexplore the effects of alcohol abuse, whileTakashi Shimizu’sJu-On-The Grudgevisually illustrates generational trauma and parental abuse.
9"The Demons Inside" (Season 1, Episode 4)
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Believe it or not, possession films are a more recent subgenre of horror, as films were heavily censored by the Motion Picture Production Code from the 1930s to the 1960s. However, with the introduction ofWilliam Friedkin’scult horror classic,The Exorcist, andLinda Blair’shead-turning performance as Regan MacNeil, possession movies provided a mirror for generational conflict during the 1970s.
Possession films are more than supernatural horror stories; they are an examination of good and evil. And sometimes, they serve as commentary on humanity’s anxieties regarding their susceptibility to being taken over by a force greater than themselves.
8"Slashers Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 3)
While ‘Slashers Part 1’ focuses on the early days and origins of the slasher genre, the second part focuses on the films that revitalized slashers.Wes Craven’sScreamandJonathan Demme’sSilence of the Lambsare two prime examples of slashers that not only carved up the box office but also subverted the genre as well as audiences expectations.
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Slashers are a rather peculiar subgenre of horror. As they tend to become outdated at a faster pace due to the constant transactions of socioeconomic events, they find a greater need to be resuscitated, relying on visionary filmmakers and original stories to breathe fresh air into the subgenre.
7"Nine Nightmares" (Season 2, Episode 6)
Some horror films are in a class of their own and are too socially conscious for their own good. Contributions from directorJordan Peelein his second film,Us, frighten viewers with the suggestion of the blind eye that society turns to systemic repression.
Often times, these nightmares are extremely humanized, as depicted inMary Harron’sAmerican Psycho. Complete with a pitch-perfect performance fromChristian Baleas Patrick Bateman, Harron’s film was a social satire on consumerism, vanity, and the suppressed rage hidden under polished surfaces.
6"Witches" (Season 2, Episode 4)
Roth begins this episode withAndrew Fleming’sThe Craft, which gave unfettered power to another underrated and underused subgenre in horror, the witch. Roth provides insight that equates Fleming’s film to the harsh, brutal reality of teenage female adolescence and the fragility associated with the dynamics of these friendships.
What makes the witch as a protagonist in a horror film an outlier of the genre, is that the presence or absence of the witch as a visual cue is not a necessity. Ultimately, it does not understate the universally shared testament of witches: Hell hath a woman scorned.
5"Body Horror" (Season 2, Episode 3)
One of the most graphic episodes by far, ‘Body Horror’ introduces viewers to the films ofDavid Cronenbergand even Eli Roth’s own contribution to body horror, as seen in his filmCabin Fever. Roth and guests decipher how body horror not only offers grotesque imagery but also tackles metaphors of addiction, the delicacy of the human body, and brevity of the aging process.
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These films may not elicit shock from viewers with cliché jump scares, but they are effective in unnerving their audiences with their disturbing and hyperrealistic imagery. Unlike other subgenres, body horror takes a more humanized and grounded approach to rousing viewers nightmares.
4"Monsters" (Season 2, Episode 2)
Frequently regarded as a classic subgenre, films that are considered “monster movies” are at once broad and noncomprehensive. They can appear to be a film about an extraterrestrial lifeform, likeRidley Scott’sAlien, or underneath the hard exterior, it can be a film about the creation of life and humanity’s need to regulate and control the laws of nature.
The monster movie subgenre can have a canon of creature features that aretowering technical achievements, as seen inPeter Jackson’sphotorealistic remake ofKing Kong. However, even monsters have their weaknesses, as this subgenre finds itself requiring frequent remakes due to newer and more advanced special effects technologies.
3"Ghost Stories" (Season 1, Episode 7)
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Roth’s seventh episode of the first season provides intriguing perspectives and excellent examples of ghost stories in horror films. More importantly, special guests likeLeigh WhannellandLin Shayediscuss exactly what question those films pose to audiences: are ghosts real, and if they are, what does their presence mean for our existence and cycle of life?
One of the highlights of this episode hails from directorAna Lily Amirpour’scomments onM. Night Shymalan’sThe Sixth Sense. Remarking on how it is a “deeply soulful” film, Shymalan’s take on a ghost story prioritizes the complexities of conflict in human relationships, proving how communication with the living can be far scarier than ones with those who have passed.
2"Zombies" (Season 1, Episode 1)
From conversations spanning fromGeorge A. Romero’sDawn of the DeadtoThe Walking Dead, horror makeup legendsTom SaviniandGreg Nicoterojoin Roth and recall how their technical achievements have influenced special effects in horror films, specifically those regarding the living dead. Zombies may look terrifying externally, but their grotesque appearance is symbolic of what is buried deep in humanity’s psyche.
The most interesting aspect of this episode is the idea of the zombie being representative of society’s collapse and ultimate descent into moral ambiguity, orhow the genre has seen notable reinventions, as seen inDanny Boyle’s28 Days Later. Of course, the majority of zombie apocalypses depicted in these films originate from a virus; however, what humans fear the most is what they are capable of amidst uncertain times.
1"Slashers Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 2)
IMDb Rating: 8.2
An archived interview from legendary horror directorTobe HooperandMaster’s of HorrorcreatorMick Garrishelps viewers understand why films likeThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrewere a reflection of political turmoil. Film scholarJason Middletonprovides a brilliant perspective, explaining how this film is a rejection of the automation of industrial jobs and how those displaced workers fight back with the tools that have replaced them.
For the first part dedicated to the slasher subgenre, Roth hosts a roster of special guests, such as scream queenJamie Lee Curtis, fellowGrindhousecollaboratorQuentin Tarantino, and Freddy Krueger himself,Robert Englund. The slasher boom of the 1980s is examined throughthe genre’s most influential films, as well as the oversaturation of these films and their resurgence with films likeSean S. Cunningham’sFriday the 13thandTom Holland’sChild’s Playand the introduction of their respective horror icons, Jason Vorhees and Chucky.
