There has been a lot of hate thrown around in regard to POV (found footage) horror films as of late. I am not the biggest fan of the POV style, it can be done right (the REC. series) and it can be done wrong (most any DTV indie release). But I have never considered POV films were hurting Hollywood. There are so few theatrically-released POV films that the thought of this film style destroying cinema seems laughable to me (outside of Paranormal Activity films, approximately 12 POV horror titles have seen theatrical distribution since 1999). Considering this – I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at the POV horror film and its larger-scale impact on Hollywood. Since the the Blair Witch Projects release – heres a breakdown of the FIVE most financially successful horror films of their respected years. (Fun note: Blair Witch made less money than The Mummy and Sixth Sense in 1999 – so even it wasnt even THE most successful genre title of 99): Most successful genre films by year: 2000 – What Lies Beneath, Scary Movie, Scream 3, The Cell and Final Destination 2001 – Mummy Returns, Hannibal, The Others, Scary Movie 2 and Thirteen Ghosts. 2002 – Signs, The Ring, Red Dragon, Blade II and Resident Evil. 2003 – Scary Movie 3, Freddy vs Jason, Chainsaw Massacre, Gothika and Underworld. 2004 – Van Helsing, The Village, The Grudge, AVP and Hellboy. 2005 – War of the Worlds, King Kong, Saw II, Ring Two and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. 2006 – Scary Movie 4, Saw III, Underworld: Evolution, The Omen and Final Destination 3. 2007 – I Am Legend, Disturbia, 1408, Saw IV and Halloween. 2008 – Twilight, The Mummy 3, Cloverfield, The Happening and Saw V. 2009 – Twilight 2, Paranormal Activity, Zombieland, The Final Destination and Friday the 13th. 2010 – Twilight 3, Paranormal Activity 2, Elm Street, Wolfman and Resident Evil: Afterlife. 2011 – Twilight 4, Super 8, Paranormal Activity 3, Insidious and Final Destination 5. 2012 – Twilight 5, Hotel Transylvania, Prometheus, Dark Shadows and Underworld Awakening. 2013 – World War Z, Conjuring, Pacific Rim, Insidious 2 and Mama. So whats the point of this? What have we learned? Outside of the Paranormal Activity films being financially successful (a top grossing film 3 times over the past 13 years), the only POV film to make the top list is Cloverfield – which was an incredibly well-made and entertaining POV film. If success is the measuring stick for ruining Hollywood then, over the past 13 years – the types of films that have hurt the horror industry - more so than POV - are as follows: REMAKES: Arguably THE biggie, there are over a dozen remakes that have broken the top 5 grossing films of the past 13 years. More if you count films such as Dark Shadows and I Am Legend, which were based on pre-existing filmed stories. TWILIGHT: Not a lot of explanation is needed, but Twilight (which featured vampires and werewolves killed Hollywood. Nuff said. SHYAMALAN: Since 1999 M. Night has been on fire. Sixth Sense, Signs, The Village, and The Happening are some of the biggest genre films featured above. When he does non-horror, its usually a mess. Maybe M. Night should get back into genre filmmaking (2010s Devil, which he wrote, was pretty good as well). NEW FRANCHISES: Final Destination and Resident Evil are among the most common top-grossing franchise films, along with Underworld. Unfortunately for those filmmakers, anything that resembles those films (I, Frankenstein), or stars their actors, seems to bomb. Milla Jovovich (Three Musketeers, Fourth Kind, Perfect Getaway, Stone), and Kate Beckinsale (Total Recall, Whiteout, Contraband) especially. SEQUELS: Man, have sequels ruined Hollywood. In the past 13 years no less than 29 sequels have become the top grossing films of their respected years. Add to that the dozen-plus remakes, and spoofs, and your top grossing films of the past 13 years are LARGELY based on sourced material ... In fact, in 2013 FOUR of the five top grossing films were original - ORIGINAL - films. None of which were POV and none of which were based on materials dating beyond 2011. It looks like 2013 was a pretty damned good year for horror!!!! THE FUTURE: It may be due to the upcoming Friday the 13th remake being announced as a POV feature, which has caused this film styles bashing. But lets be honest. POV isnt making the dent on Hollywood one may think. Thus far in 2014 Godzilla (a remake) has already become THE genre film to beat at the Box Office. Outside of yet another Paranormal Activity film, titles like Oculus and Haunted House 2 are temporarily the industry leaders for horror. With titles like Deliver Us from Evil, Purge: Anarchy, Green Inferno and Ouija set for release, its fair to say POV will not be adversely effecting this years box office. And as for 2015? Currently on the schedule: a new Amityville film directed by Franck Khalfoun (Maniac), Lazarus (starring Olivia Wilde and Evan Peters), a remake of Poltergeist, Hotel Transylvania 2, a new Frankenstein movie, Conjuring 2, Insidious 3, Jurassic World, another Terminator film, a long-anticipated Goosebumps feature, Guillermo del Toros Crimson Peak, and (as mentioned) the latest Friday the 13th – proving that Hollywoods fascination with remakes and sequels far outweigh their curiosities with POV. Nathan Hanneman *the above article was done with a wink/nudge and a bit of sarcasm towards negative editorials against the horror industry. Love the movies you love, ignore the ones you hate. But support the industry regardless!
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 21:49:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015