Remember the old days, when horror films were considered a bad investment for studios? When studio heads rarely released horror pictures and they were mostly confined to the indie market as big studios wouldn't touch them as often as they would other genres of film...due to their content and how it mostly offends mainstream society? While that somewhat is still true to this day, Horror has gotten big over the last 10 years. In fact it's gotten huge! With films such as "Saw", "Scream", "The Ring", and "The Grudge" reinventing and revitalizing the genre.

When "Scream" was made in 1996, it didn't take off like execs had hoped, but it slowly built steam and became a very high grossing slasher film. Then it was followed up with two sequels which did extremely well. Then asian horror hit it big in the american market place, so the only logical step was for american studios to start remaking asian horror movies which they did with "The Ring" and "The Grudge"...both films did really well and "The Ring" was followed up quickly with a sequel, while "The Grudge" has a sequel coming out this October.

Then "Saw" came along, and totally revolutionized the genre with it's twisted brand of torture horror and thriller elements, while creating a smart story and an even smarter villain. This new wave of horror is getting people into the cinemas and maybe it is the reason why horror is finally receiving recognition from major studios and more so the mainstream. Which brings us to awards shows. Awards shows are always a sign that more people than usual actually give a damn and a genre of film or entertainment is so big that a group of people get together and decide to rent out a huge theater and hold a show honoring those who have contributed to it...and horror has finally gotten to that point.

Hence why in October two, count em' TWO awards shows celebrating everything scary and beyond that has come and gone from late last year into this year will air on television. On October 10th Spike TV will debut their awards show "The Scream Awards", while on October 22nd...Video/Music channel FUSE will team with America's Horror Magazine FANGORIA to debut the "Chainsaw Awards". Both shows will celebrate the best in horror of the last 12 or so months with nominees ranging from slasher movies such as "Saw 2", and "The Devils Rejects"...to supernatural horror such as "Underworld Evolution" and "Final Destination 3".



Image from New Line Cinema's "Final Destination 3"





The best thing about shows like this is not only do they put horror on display for non-fans or fence sitters who might then get into it more, but they also prove that horror is not just for that "fringe" element, that it's a very electic and diverse medium which attracts people from all walks of life and not just people with quote unquote "issues" as some people still to this day think. Horror is for those of us who appreciate an hour and a half adrenaline rush, or who like to see fictional characters deal with a really fucked up situation and have 2 or three of them actually survive it only to have to go through it all over again in the sequel with new friends and antagonists.

Then there are those who just like to see on-screen carnage, and who really doesn't have an appreciation for on-screen carnage? Things that make you look at your minute problems and life and say "Oh well it could be worse"...I could be one of those kids. Horror has truly become mainstream and hopefully next months experiment of the "Chainsaw" and "Scream" awards will work out well enough to where both shows are yearly events. You can visit the official site of the "FUSE/FANGORIA:Chainsaw Awards" Here, and the official site of the "Scream Awards" Here..and make sure to vote!





( Talk about it in the Forums!)



( Back to the main page)