A Tweet from Joe Bob Briggs prompted a passionate debate within the horror community about the over-saturation of political messaging in horror, which despite what recent trends might suggest, is nothing new.
Briggs, who is the beloved host of Shudder’s The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs, made his opinion on the inclusion of politics in horror quite clear. Typically, what Briggs says is highly regarded by most horror fans, as he’s considered a major authority on the subject. Briggs’ career as a movie critic has been going strong since the 80s, and The Last Drive-In is a revival of his long-running show on TNT called MonsterVision, which aired from 1991-2000.
The Tweet was a direct tie-in to the impending release of Blumhouse’s remake of Black Christmas, which has been doused with controversy and backlash from fans since its initial announcement. Black Christmas has already been criticized for its PG-13 rating, for putting a feminist-forward theme at its center, and because it’s yet another remake of a classic horror film.
2019’s Political Horror Debate Explained
Political debates on social media are par for the course in modern society, but the notion that the horror genre, which is full of social commentary, came out of left field. Per his Tweet, Briggs expressed that he had a preference for vintage horror, as directors from previous generations had “no political axe to grind”. However, directors from the 70s and 80s, which was his target, saturated their films in such commentary. The 70s were a tumultuous time, so films like Tobe Hooper’s 1974 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre dipped into the discussion of the 70s counterculture movement through the characterization of its teenagers who end up doomed at the Sawyer farm. George A. Romero’s zombie movies have all been traced back to deep political roots dating all the way back to Night of the Living Dead (1968), which featured a black male protagonist just four years after the signing of the Civil Rights Act.
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) saw Wes Craven making allegorical references to the Vietnam War and rage against the American culture. The cannibals, many have interpreted, represent the marginalized groups and oppressed groups such as the Viet Cong. John Carpenter’s They Live (1988) may be one of the most political horror films of all time with its blatant messages about capitalism, consumerism, and how subliminal messaging can control a society. In a similar vein, Brian Yuzna’s Society (1989) was a literal take on the rich eating the poor, which commented on the class structure and wealth gap in American culture.
Black Christmas (And Horror) Has Always Been Overtly Feminist
Director Sophia Takal’s Black Christmas remake has been marketed as a feminist horror film, but neither the film nor the horror genre has ever lacked in that brand of messaging. The 1974 original film, directed by Bob Clark, not only had a hand in creating the slasher sub-genre, but was unmistakably feminist. While the film does follow a sorority, its take is far from exploitative, and instead turns a lens on female sexuality and a woman’s bodily autonomy. Roe v. Wade was signed a year prior to Black Christmas’ release, which brought additional potency. Jess Bradford (Olivia Hussey) not only completely dodges the traditional final girl tropes by not being a virgin, but she’s pregnant and spends a good portion of the movie arguing with her boyfriend about her choice to abort.
Black Christmas isn’t the only horror film to put female sexuality front and center. Ginger Snaps (2000) turned a woman’s time of the month into a coming-of-age werewolf story. Jennifer’s Body (2009) showed the strength in female friendships and eliminated the male hero tropes entirely. The genre itself has shown countless women finding their strength and power to fight back against male oppressors before Halloween, before Psycho, all the way back to classic films like King Kong and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Political messaging and feminist-forward horror has always been a part of the genre, and based on recent trends, it’s here to stay.
Next: Black Christmas Original Movie Ending And Killer Explained
