Horror has been my favorite genre for many years now and I sometimes forget how many people seem to have no idea what actually goes on in these movies. Especially when people started complaining about elevated horror where "the real monster is the trauma", like guys the genre always had deeper meanings? Are we watching the same films?

Seeing the discussion on Godzilla as the embodiment of Japanese nuclear trauma was a cool because I actually wrote part of my MA thesis on Godzilla and why its endured for 70 years as this cultural force in Japan.

I always thought that the first "The Purge" movie (not to be confused with "The First Purge") was such a good example of a movie existing in the wrong genre, or just... not having been given enough thought for the genre it was chosen to be produced in. Watching that movie, all I could think of was what a GREAT Sci-Fi this movie would make, and what a lower-middle-of-the-road horror it was being.
The important thing to remember, with all movies, regardless of genre, is that while no genre is inherently cheap and shallow, ANY movie can be. I do think the perception of horror as cheap/shallow is why so many horror movies can get made about societal ills. Producers, who will balk at societal messages in a "mainstream" movie, will let that shit sail in horror, because they don't recognize it when it's dressed up in blood and ghosts. They see it as slop for the masses. And in so many cases, that's lucky, because 'the masses' are exactly who these societal messages are aimed at...

I think the main problem with people who think like this about horror is regarding "thinking" and "feeling" as opposites and disregarding things like introspection or emotional intelligence.

The actors from Get out like Chris & the maid did such a phenomenal job! I was so impressed by their expressions in the movie

Seeing that fact this video has low views suprised. This is one of the best videos ive seen analizing horror. Literally opened my eyes to what horror and stories do to a person. I hope you make more videos, I will be tuned in!

Its almost as if sci-fi introduces an idea, then asks you to observe as a scientist.
 Horror makes you consider the same idea- as a human.

This was excellent! As a long time fan of genre films, and someone who is in the LA horror scene, I often think about how many people don't understand horror, even people who love it. Sure, there are monsters, the aesthetics are gothic, etc..., but it's a great place to feel our fears and overcome them. I grew up as a big fan of the Wolfman. It didn't hit me until years later that it was a film about transformation and a warning of what we can become. Everyone can be a monster and that's scary. It's a reminder not to become what you fear. Cheers! Happy Holiday to you.

This is a really interesting take, first time (I think) I've seen the genre described like it. I'm no big fan of horror but saying it makes you feel rather than think is a great description.

I love this!!! Truly wonderful thoughts and observations here. I always loved horror because through it i could access that deep, unsettling consciousness of humanity. Now you put that feeling into words!! Thank you for that

Dude you changed my life! ❤

amazing video!! my favorite horror films are: deep red (1975), the thing (1982) and possession (1981)

Glad you discovered a new appreciation for horror! I also used to think like this, and slowly came around as I could no longer deny how much I enjoy every horror movie. I wound up with a podcast (Cadaver Dogs) where we do detailed analyses of horror movies, discussing their themes and cultural influences.

I hope you continue to explore the movies, as I do think even the ones you discuss here can go much deeper, although this is a great start. The Shining is a bit of a landmine -- it's been so thoroughly discussed and analyzed to the point where people have torn a whole bunch of nonsense conspiracy theories out of it. We covered The Shining last year, and two things we agreed on from the start were that we wanted demystify the movie, and that it's a goddamn funny movie. Tone matters when analyzing movies!

As for the comparison to sci-fi... uh, I was a bit lost on that to be honest, because Get Out is already horror/sci-fi. That's a very common crossover -- The Thing, The Fly, The Substance, Alien, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Godzilla, and Frankenstein are all sci-fi/horror (and all movies you should watch). Sci-fi is more apt at describing a setting, while horror is more apt at describing a mood, so it's easy to mash the two together. That other movie sounds really cool though, and I want to check it out haha -- to me, the biggest differences sound to be that the white couple is sympathetic in the 90s film, and the black couple volunteers for the process, which would of course make for a very different experience that touches on slightly different (but adjacent) themes of assimilation, slavery via capitalist infrastructure (rather than force), and loss of cultural identity -- at least that's what I'd expect. So yeah, I'm in.

Big studio action movies are the popcorn flicks and some horror is fluff but as a lifelong horror fan it can be so much more than shallow entertainment.

I love your channel/videos. Just discovered you, and glad I did.

Your look into films is mesmerising and eye opening.

Thank you.

super underrated video

This channel is gold.

Loved this a lot. Reminded me of The Babadook!

Your videos are genius

As a lucid dreamer with horror/thriller/gore nightmares, i can confirm that this video---and the explanation of what Horror genre really is---they're all true.

I often dissect my own nightmares and dreams and their symbolisms, and they often carry buried meanings. Especially the nightmares... literal real-life problems, suppressed emotions, and situations i need to address. And when the nightmares are recurring---often wrapped in different presentation, but the heart of the story & theme is the same---they won't go away unless i face them.

In dreams, i have it in me to face and even defeat them. Beneath my conscious mind, my dreams are training me, getting me used to face them in real life... though irl, it's so much harder to do so.

One of the most... relieving nightmare, though, is when the leader of the bad guys caught up to me... but instead of killing me, he said, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

... I still carry it in me until today. Remembering that the problems / the things that haunt me aren't always here to hurt me. Most of the time, they're here to give lessons... some other times: providing a door to something greater---because real growth often requires big, scary change, and painful process.

Huft... thanks for coming to my ted talk.
(Maybe i should've made this into a dive-deeper video and get money instead of just a comment... then i wouldn't be so broke. 😅😅)