issue 19 // volume 43

Canadian horror: Where it's
been and where it's going

> A history of horror films from this side of the border

Colten Kamlade
Columnist

 

Cae has always had a unique
relationship with the horror genre.
In the ’7os and ’8os, tax shelter laws drew
in hundreds of investors. These laws
meant that if you invested in a film with
enough Canadian crew members, then
you were exempt from paying taxes on
that investment until profits were made.
During this time, some of the most
iconic slasher flicks were churned out.
My Bloody Valentine (1981), Prom Night
(1980), and The Changeling (1980) were
all filmed and produced north of the
border. While they were not films of the
highest caliber, they were integral to the
development of the genre. Some of them,
such as My Bloody Valentine, far surpassed
the quality of the American films that they
were trying to imitate. Others, like Black
Christmas (1997), are so bizarre that they
deserve credit for their sheer originality.
While a handful of these films were good,
many more were terrible, and eventually
investors lost interest. The age of the
Canadian slasher had come to an end.
South of the border, however, films
like Halloween (1978) and Friday the
13th (i980) were—and still are—the

Nothing says Valentine's Day like

    

 

Poster for Videodrome

framework around which most horror
was built. When audiences go to see a
slasher they know that the “final girl”
will somehow thwart the masked killer...
until the sequel, that is. While Canada
once embraced these tropes, directors
soon realized that, if they wanted to stay

relevant, they had to do something to
distinguish their films from American
horror. David Cronenberg was the first
to realize this. He is considered one of
the founders of body horror—a subgenre
that plays on our fear of disease, decay,
and mutilation. Even during the years of
cheap slashers, he was creating quality
films. Videodrome (1983), Scanners
(1981), and Dead Ringers (1988) are just
a few of his contributions to the genre.

It was not until 1997 that another
horror film attempted to break away from
the tired formula of its predecessors.
Cube follows the trials of six individuals
who wake up in a mysterious room. The
only exits are through hatches in each
of the four walls, the ceiling, and the
floor. All of these lead to rooms identical
to the original—meaning that escape
seems impossible, especially with the
traps hidden in the cubes. While Cube
divided critics and audiences alike, it was
a laudable attempt at something new.

In 2000, Ginger Snaps achieved
what Cube set out to do. Controversial
in its time, the film deftly blends themes
of girlhood, loyalty, and alienation
while also telling a chilling tale of
lycanthropy. Moreover, it was the dawn
of a more socially conscious type of

film that will break your heart

> Seven unconventionally romantic films

Jessica Berget
Staff Writer

 

h, St. Valentine’s Day, the most

romantic capitalist holiday there
is. What better way to learn about life
and love than through devastating
heartbreak, right? Whether you're
single, in a relationship, or anywhere
in between, these films will satisfy
your Valentine’s Day movie craving and
teach you everything you need to know
about love, loss, and relationships.

Away We Go (2009)

John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph star
as Verona and Burt in this eccentric
romantic comedy/drama about an
unmarried couple who struggle to
make ends meet. When they find out
they're having a baby, they travel the
states visiting friends and relatives
searching for a perfect place to raise
their first child. Hilarity and sadness
ensue as they meet with other
families while also trying to establish
and make sense of their own.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2002)

This classic Wes Anderson film follows
the Tenenbaums, a family of geniuses
torn apart by their parents’ separation.
After their rich father (Gene Hackman)
runs out of money, he lies to his

family that he has stomach cancer and
wants to make amends to his family

before his death, bringing them back
together for the first time in 22 years.
Meanwhile, Richie (Luke Wilson) and
Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) struggle
with being secretly in love with one
another, despite being adoptive siblings.

Frances Ha (2012)

Frances (played by Greta Gerwig) is a
dancer’s apprentice based in New York,
although she doesn’t have a permanent
place to live. As her best friend starts
becoming serious with her boyfriend,
the two young women grow apart.
Frances struggles to deal with a break-
up, getting her life and career together,
and the devastating disappointments
that come with adulthood. This film has
important lessons about relationships,
life, and how to love yourself. It may hit a

 
 

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little too close to home if you have ever
been a young adult struggling to find
your place in the world (a.k.a. everyone).

Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
15-year-old Adéle (Adéle Exarchopoulos)
has her life changed forever when she
meets Emma (Léa Seydoux), a blue-
haired girl with whom she pursues a
relationship. The film follows Adéle as
she learns about love and loss as well as
struggling with social acceptance, her
sexuality, and her maturing relationship.

Lost in Translation (2003)

Love and friendship bloom under
strange circumstances in this film.
Bob (Bill Murray) is dissatisfied with
his plummeting career as an actor and
decides to take a job in Japan doing

arts // no. 9

horror. Ginger Snaps acknowledged and

rejected the typecasting of females as

victims and “eye-candy.” Instead, both

the protagonist and the antagonist

are played by women, and the men

take a backseat in supporting roles.
Since Gingersnaps, there have

been a handful of good Canadian

horrors. Pontypool (2008), in which

a virus is spread through language,

and American Mary (2012) both come

to mind. These films are well made,

but they are not revolutionary. They

are not the next stage in the evolution

of Canadian horror. So, what is?

I believe that the genre needs to shy away

from gratuitous violence and nudity.

Horror directors need to take themselves

seriously and create movies designed

to evoke emotions other than disgust.

Themes such as loneliness, anxiety,

depression, and purposelessness are

often featured in horror films, but these

important topics are buried beneath

gore. If directors would dedicate more

time to exploring these grim issues

and less time pondering how to make

the audience cringe, then I believe

fans of the genre would discover

horror films far more poignant, and far

scarier, than those made at present.

a

a whiskey commercial. Similarly,
Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is
disenchanted with her marriage, as
her successful photographer husband
leaves her behind in a hotel room

as he works. The two strangers meet
in a Tokyo hotel bar and begin a
strange but intimate friendship.

Harold and Maude (1971)

Harold (Bud Cort) is a 20-year-

old boy obsessed with death. In an
attempt to get attention from his rich,
neglectful mother, he stages various
fake suicides and eagerly awaits

the day he will meet his ultimate
demise. While at a funeral, he meets
79-year-old Maude (Ruth Gordon),

a woman who shares his fascination
with death but uses it as an excuse to
live her life to the fullest. This movie
will change the way you see love and
relationships, and might also give you
an appreciation for Cat Stevens music.

Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight is the thoughtful, devastating
story of a young boy who struggles

to understand himself and the

world around him as he grows older
and slowly comes to terms with his
sexuality. The film chronicles the
character Little, as it follows him
throughout life in a rough Miami
neighbourhood, where he experiences
friendship, heartbreak, and love.