The Horror Crowd doc asks: “What’s it like being the weird kid?”
By Carla Davis
The Horror Crowd director Ruben Pla knows that we horror fans (I personally refer to myself as a “horror nerd”) color a little outside the lines. We are…well, we are different. And in the new documentary, he asks his cast of horror actors and creators, “What’s it like being the weird kid?”
I totally get that feeling of being weird. I remember as a teenage girl living in a small town, going to the mall and loitering around the magazine section of the book store. When nobody else was standing there, I would furtively grab a copy of Fangoria, and flip through its blood-splattered pages, mesmerized by the gory photos of horror films and the interviews with horror royalty such as Tom Savini. I never bought a copy, because I was too embarrassed to nonchalantly hand the magazine (always with a fantastically disgusting cover photo) to the cashier. I didn’t want them to think I was weird or disturbed.
Two years ago, I bought my adult self a subscription to Fangoria, and I was positively giddy when the first issue came in the mail. I am no longer embarrassed to be a horror nerd; in fact, I wave my freak flag proudly!
The Horror Crowd digs into the early horror experiences of creatives in the field.
There are fans of horror who are only interested in the films themselves, not really the people who write/direct them, create the special effects or act in them, but that’s not me. I love hearing their back stories, because I feel a kinship with these people. I am the exact audience The Horror Crowd is catering to.
What famous faces are involved in The Horror Crowd?
The cast of experts and creatives who tell us their stories include directors and writers such as Russell Mulcahy (Highlander, Resident Evil: Extinction), Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw franchise), Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination), Mike Mendez (Big Ass Spider) and Adam Robitel (The Taking of Deborah Logan).
Some of the actors included in the doc are Lin Shaye (Insidious), Brea Grant (who wrote and starred in Lucky), Greg Grunberg (Lost) and Clare Kramer (who played Glory in Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
I learned a lot by watching The Horror Crowd (did you know that both Paranormal Activity and The Taking of Deborah Logan were inspired by The Blair Witch Project?), and it was interesting hearing the panel members talk about their horror roots. I have always found it fascinating how many people have fond childhood memories of watching horror movies with family members. It brings positive emotions to the mix, and I think that’s what many don’t understand: that horror memories can be warm and fuzzy. And, by the way, so can the people who put the horror onscreen.
The Horror Crowd cemented for me the idea that most people in the horror “community” are awesome, and that we just want to be a part of something bigger. Are there bad eggs out there, stirring up trouble on social media? Of course! But I think the vast majority of us are happy to discover others who feel the way we do about a much-maligned genre of filmmaking. That’s why I feel so happy when I attend a horror convention, where people who don’t even know one another can strike up a conversation about a film or series while waiting in line for a photo op,
The Horror Crowd will be available on digital and Video on Demand beginning September 2. Check it out if you love EVERYTHING about horror…not just the films themselves.
Next. When I Consume You is chilling family trauma at its best. dark
Do you consider yourself a “horror nerd”? Do you enjoy documentaries that explore the horror genre and include the creative minds behind it? Tell us why or why not in the comments section.