Two horror movies were released in close succession this summer and both have been sparking conversation – Obsession and Backrooms.
Obsession, directed by Curry Barker and starring Inde Navarrette, explores what happens when a man who is infatuated with his friend wishes that she would love him more than anyone in the world – and has that wish granted. Even if you haven’t seen the film, you can imagine how horribly awry things go from there. The film explores the way that gender dynamics, power, and control of romantic partners intersect.
Read more about the portrayal and exploration of gender in the horror genre with these articles (be sure to be logged in for off-campus access or connected to UAA WiFi!):
- ‘“Do you feel held?”: Gender, Community, and Affective Design in Midsommar’ by Cary Elza
- Gender and Mental Health in Possession Film: A European and North American Portrait by Maria Gil Poisa
- The Horrors Persist, But so Do We: A Feminist Rhetorical Critique of Patriarchal Hauntings in Contemporary Horror Cinema by Crystal R. Orellano
Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons and starring Chiwetel Ejiofo, follows a man living in a furniture store who discovers a portal into a seemingly endless liminal space. The film was based on a web series created by Parsons which was based on “the Backrooms” creepypasta. (Creepypasta is a term used to describe user-generated horror stories that are shared through online platforms, like chatrooms, videos, and forums.) Read more with these articles and books:
- Analog Horror and the Internet: The Mandela Catalogue and the Uncanny Reality of Mediation by Emma Eleanor Jones Culver
- The Creepypasta collection : modern urban legends you can’t unread edited by MrCreepyPasta
- The Emotion of Dread in Cinematic Horror by Matthias De Bondt
Both films are part of a new movement in horror that is shifting the way that horror is evoked and expressed (and both directors are in their 20s!). You can explore more with this ebook, Post-Horror: Art, Genre and Cultural Elevation by David Church.
If you’re interested in learning more about the horror genre or any other topic, get in touch with us at the Information and Research Help Desk – we’re always happy to help!