Once the 20th century ended and the world was ushered into the new millennium, a new era of horror was born. Nastier, meaner and grimmer, what was soon dubbed “torture porn” by its detractors took over the screens, pushing its way through the polished teen slashers of the nineties and bursting forth with more blood and viscera then ever before. Films like Saw (2004) directed by James Wan and Hostel (2005) directed by Eli Roth became the poster children of the horror movement and yet despite their incredible success, this era of horror has always been looked down upon, especially in the areas of academia and film study. Until now.
Millennial Nasties: Analyzing A Decade of Brutal Horror Film Violence by author Ariel Powers-Schaub is a text looking to change how audiences view these films. Shifting from the “torture porn” label which implies any number of negative connotations, towards what Powers-Schaub has dubbed with incredible ingenuity as “millennial nasties” – a term which describes this particular subgenre of horror perfectly.
Introducing the book is the queen of extreme herself, Zoё Rose Smith, aka, Zobo With A Shotgun, detailing Powers-Schaub’s unique writing ability which not only grabbed her attention from the get-go, but will follow in the rest of the book. From here the author begins with her reasons for writing this book and how she intends to analyze the subgenre. Through these short chapters, we are introduced to the author’s world, creating an almost welcoming and friendly initiation for readers who are about to read about some really f*cked up films!
What follows is an incredibly detailed, yet simple to follow break-down of the ten years following the start of the new millennium, including a short account of the Saw franchise within the decade, films that center around vacations gone wrong, home invasions, dysfunctional families, remakes and of course, the final girls, amongst others.
Millennial Nasties: Analyzing A Decade of Brutal Horror Film Violence is a fantastic addition to the bookshelves of horror film lovers who delight in pouring over the films of the early 2000s, as well as newcomers to the subgenre who are attempting to understand how they came to be so popular, and are looking for films to add to their watch-list. Ariel Powers-Schaub’s writing style is relatable and easy to understand, as she eschews fussy and pretentious academic analyses, and instead talks directly to her fellow film fans and horror-philes. Millennial Nasties: Analyzing A Decade of Brutal Horror Film Violence is a book which readers need to keep close by as a companion to anyone seeking to (re)watch some of the nastiest horrors of the new millennium.
Millennial Nasties: Analyzing a Decade of Brutal Horror Film Violence is out September 17th, 2024 and is now available for pre-order from here.
5 Screams out of 5
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