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Exploring the Elements of the Cult Horror Film

Welcome to Summerisle — Heroes, Villains, and Location in The Wicker Man

The most important element to any film, especially a cult horror film, is establishing your world and your characters. The protagonist in the cult horror film is oftentimes a complete outsider, intruding on the equilibrium of the world and becoming our connection to it. This forces the perspective of the cult horror film to be one of abject solitude as we are tethered to the protagonist and learn as they learn. They are our only connection to the events that unfold, whether we like it or not.

The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (1973)

It’s Just for the Night — Atmosphere and Pacing in The House of the Devil

Cult films are all about drawing you into a specific world, lulling you into a false sense of security. Oftentimes, cult horror films don’t feel like a horror movie at all, things just appear to be going along as they normally do. That is, apart from the feeling that something isn’t quite right. All a sudden, the audience squirms in their seat, a feeling of dread slowly creeping up on them. They’re not fully sure why, but they’re squeamish.

The Title Speaks for Itself
The House of the Devil (2009)

Kill the Hunchback — The Ending of Kill List

The slow pacing of the cult horror film is a deliberate move on the part of the subgenre to make the conclusion all the much more jarring. The finales of cult horror films are when everything the film has built up to comes crashing down in delirious and spectacular fashion. It is here that the films tend to go from 0–60 and there’s no slowing down. This is perfectly exemplified in Ben Wheatley’s 2011 film Kill List.

Kill List (2011)
Kill List (2011)

Hail King Paimon and the May Queen — Thematic Resonance in the Films of Ari Aster

The best horror films are often symbolic and allegorical. From It Follows’ discussion of safe sex to The Babadook’s exploration of grief and motherhood, these are what bring the nuance to the seemingly cheap thrills that horror provides. The cult horror film is one steeped in spirituality and therefore becomes the most overtly symbolic and metaphorical of the horror subgenres. They are often presented as dark fables, an eerie moral tale filled with vivid imagery and recurring themes.

Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary (2018)
Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar (2019)

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Part time writer, full time nerd

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