Your work is fast becoming some of my favorite on Substack. This is a sentiment I’ve mirrored for years. I saw someone else touch on Wicker Man, which happens to be one of my all time favorite movies (specifically the original with Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt), but the shift in contemporary horror from the boogeyman being the big bad, to something eerily more plausible, and far more sinister has become such a trend because it really is more terrifying. No, the 7’ tall immortal babysitter slayer isn’t coming after me, but the wealthy family who thinks they owe their success to a deity might actually try to sacrifice me.
I loved this so much. I need more sleep but you have definitely inspired me to have a horror movie marathon today while I pack and prepare for my upcoming trip.
Amberlea, what a fun message to wake up to—yeah it interesting comparing Wicker Man to Ready or Not. A lot of similarities; but religious cult vs corporate cult. My brain keeps going to Severance.
The bear trap scene in that movie gives me the heebie jeebies in the same way the Achilles tendon scene in Hostel does. I do not have a weak stomach for gore by any means but certain things just get me. It’s not a stretch at all to loop that movie in either, and I didn’t even think about it, but I was very pleased to see Hostel in the mix. The idea that you can buy your way out of the nightmare with enough money comes in to play in the sequel, which only adds to your point.
It doesn't take generational turnover for an organization to devolve in this manner. I've seen it manifest in the first generation (admittedly with less murder than your examples). There are a large number of personalities who glom onto The Rules and The Way We Do Things. That's the banal horror of "Severance" and "Dilbert" and "Work Chronicles."
The X-Files had similar episodes and plot lines. The episode "Arcadia" comes to mind in which a tulpa is used to brutally enforce the HOA guidelines.
I am prepared to accept that many of us want to believe in human beings, our supposed jailers. I know the cats believe in them. Here. I am prepared to accept that they are a social reality. They are as real as the weight of smiles and songs. It is something enough of us believe in to change the way we behave. We tell stories, we weave dreams, and we dance songs about these supposed creatures. We make up stories of their exploits, and then we strive to invent their imaginary technologies and strategies for ourselves, but, in reality, they are just a reflection of ourselves.
Dude, this is dead-on. And it's so funny to think about.
Just yesterday, I was talking with a friend about THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, and my comment upon exiting the theater: "Welp, I guess we don't need any more horror movies! They fucking got it covered!" But like all endings, it's really just the beginning of the next cycle. And you have clocked that here.
To be fair, most old movies featuring witchcraft or other secret societies had more organically-grown institutions at play (I'm thinking THE WICKER MAN and CITY OF THE DEAD/HORROR HOTEL, for example). But this corporate upgrade is particularly terrifying, because now we ALL work for the haunted machine, with BACKROOMS being just the latest first-rate example.
EXCELLENT PIECE, MAN! I'm really glad I subscribed! THANKS!!!
Your work is fast becoming some of my favorite on Substack. This is a sentiment I’ve mirrored for years. I saw someone else touch on Wicker Man, which happens to be one of my all time favorite movies (specifically the original with Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt), but the shift in contemporary horror from the boogeyman being the big bad, to something eerily more plausible, and far more sinister has become such a trend because it really is more terrifying. No, the 7’ tall immortal babysitter slayer isn’t coming after me, but the wealthy family who thinks they owe their success to a deity might actually try to sacrifice me.
I loved this so much. I need more sleep but you have definitely inspired me to have a horror movie marathon today while I pack and prepare for my upcoming trip.
Amberlea, what a fun message to wake up to—yeah it interesting comparing Wicker Man to Ready or Not. A lot of similarities; but religious cult vs corporate cult. My brain keeps going to Severance.
The bear trap scene in that movie gives me the heebie jeebies in the same way the Achilles tendon scene in Hostel does. I do not have a weak stomach for gore by any means but certain things just get me. It’s not a stretch at all to loop that movie in either, and I didn’t even think about it, but I was very pleased to see Hostel in the mix. The idea that you can buy your way out of the nightmare with enough money comes in to play in the sequel, which only adds to your point.
Yeah and I love the idea of Deal-with-the-Devil but with a contract so complicated it requires a full time staffer to explain the rules.
It doesn't take generational turnover for an organization to devolve in this manner. I've seen it manifest in the first generation (admittedly with less murder than your examples). There are a large number of personalities who glom onto The Rules and The Way We Do Things. That's the banal horror of "Severance" and "Dilbert" and "Work Chronicles."
The X-Files had similar episodes and plot lines. The episode "Arcadia" comes to mind in which a tulpa is used to brutally enforce the HOA guidelines.
I am prepared to accept that many of us want to believe in human beings, our supposed jailers. I know the cats believe in them. Here. I am prepared to accept that they are a social reality. They are as real as the weight of smiles and songs. It is something enough of us believe in to change the way we behave. We tell stories, we weave dreams, and we dance songs about these supposed creatures. We make up stories of their exploits, and then we strive to invent their imaginary technologies and strategies for ourselves, but, in reality, they are just a reflection of ourselves.
They are just monsters too.
Dude, this is dead-on. And it's so funny to think about.
Just yesterday, I was talking with a friend about THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, and my comment upon exiting the theater: "Welp, I guess we don't need any more horror movies! They fucking got it covered!" But like all endings, it's really just the beginning of the next cycle. And you have clocked that here.
To be fair, most old movies featuring witchcraft or other secret societies had more organically-grown institutions at play (I'm thinking THE WICKER MAN and CITY OF THE DEAD/HORROR HOTEL, for example). But this corporate upgrade is particularly terrifying, because now we ALL work for the haunted machine, with BACKROOMS being just the latest first-rate example.
EXCELLENT PIECE, MAN! I'm really glad I subscribed! THANKS!!!
Thanks John! Really appreciate it