Man that’s weird

The English language has many definitions for the word weird.  However most people would summarize it as “something different in an odd way”.  The actual definition is “suggesting something supernatural; uncanny”.  Anyone can see how Horror would jump to this as a way to show things.

            Now writers and producers in the mainstream have more or less standardized what weird is.  Now there really isn’t anything wrong with this, however it does have side effects.  Because of this standardization other writers and producers will try to mimic it so we have a over-saturation of the same stuff.  Currently what seems to be popular in horror films, games, stories, seems to be jump scares and .  Now the jump scare when used properly is incredibly effective.  However I think they are losing the balance here.

For comparison, The movie Cabin in the Woods, has a scene where armed men infiltrate are attacked by a group of monster from a group of elevators.  Now honestly, all I can give it is a sarcastic “Ooooo so scary…”.  Its been done to death!  If there is no contrast, its not scary, its not weird. I’ve see that type of “weird” so many times it has become normal.

However, in the movie Under the Skin, the refreshing take on how people were captured and attacked.  It was drawing you in so when the jump scare actually happened it spooked you like no other.  It was truly weird something that was supernatural and uncanny.  It was so unexpected to see the captured person so literally pop like a balloon.  It scared the crap out of me.

So when it comes to the topics of the Old Weird vs. the New Weird, I think the New Weird can only exist because the Old Weird has hit a standardization.