New Weird


The new weird is a somewhat ephemeral genre to identify. One could relate this to the definition of pornography; You know it when you see it. As with most experimental genres that we explore in the modern age of film the concept is hard to pitch to potential investors. The low or mid budget nature of these films helps to pin them down in the faux reality that they reside within. Much like the found footage films they bring a sense of authenticity to them while residing within a truly supernatural and strange world. This sharp contrast is likely a large part of the appeal. This is perhaps the strongest portion of the formula, by giving the viewer enough to root themselves in a possible reality the supernatural reality becomes that much more believable and intriguing. Perhaps this hyperreal or surreal tendency aids in the horror aspect of the genre. The fundamentals of horror come from the roots of human nature, the untapped unknowns. This is displayed in monster myths especially. These early tales relied on bumps in the night and other notable psychosomatic terrors.

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