If there is one horror film that feels incredibly inspired by its predecessors, it is Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods (2011). Whilst the film has been described by producer Joss Whedon as an attempt to “revitalise” the slasher film genre, as well as acting as a critical satire on torture porn, it very much feels like an homage to horror of the past.
There is simply no way that this post could even begin to show every single reference and homage made to the horror genre in this 95-minute film. However, I do plan to highlight a few in particular that I like, and how it takes the reference and puts a spin on it.
Failed Ritual from 1998
The two heads of the facility refer specifically to one incident in 1998 that led to a failed ritual, due to the chemistry department. This is a reference to a horror film named The Faculty, which is peculiar within the genre.
The reason? Not one of the main characters dies in the entire film. This is very strange for a horror film, as usually death has to occur to create fear, and to have that sense of danger be obvious. This is a nice nod-back to a less obvious rarity in the horror genre.
The Double-Sided Mirror
Of course, there is nothing revolutionary about a double-sided mirror in the horror genre. The way it is used, however, comments on the gender roles that are usually portrayed in the genre. It is no surprise that the woman is the one using the mirror as intentioned, posing and checking her looks.
It is the man that discovers that the mirror is double-sided, and even though he is not a villain or a threat, it puts him in a position of power. It is common to see this in filmmaking, particularly a guy observing a girl. Does it remind you of a certain hole in the wall at the Bates Motel in Psycho, for example?
The Whiteboard
Where do I even begin with the whiteboard? This whiteboard appears in a large majority of the horror genre, both vague and specific. It can be easy to spot the obvious horror tropes, from vampires to werewolves. However, the fun ones on the list are the more specific ones that are clearly linked to one horror property. Twins? The Shining. Kevin? We Need to Talk About Kevin. Clowns? Pennywise from IT.
I have to say though, I will take anything on this list above the listing simply saying “dolls”. The film crew even designed easter eggs for every single item on the list, even if they were not all shown in the final product. These were not just small references thrown in to please the most die-hard of horror fans, this was care and attention put into every bit of this 95-minute, $30-million dollar film.
Global Rituals
One group of references that this film highlights is the cultural impact of the horror genre. The genre is not only popular in the US and UK, but all across the world.
This segment highlights some of the biggest horror franchises from outside the main regions, such as King Kong in Buenos Aires, Ringu in Kyoto, The Thing in Stockholm and Dracula in Madrid. Whilst the rest of the film can seem to be heavily influenced by the American branch of the horror genre, it is nice to recognise the influences all across the world for such a diverse genre.
The horror genre is one where we get the same clichés and tropes done over and over again. The same monsters, the same locations, the same sort of victims. Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard realised this and turned the concept into one that not only criticised the horror genre for being repetitive, but also gave homage to the classics that we have come to know and love.
This is how you take the properties and tropes that audiences know and love, yet twist it to make the genre fresh and exciting. It is a shame that less people talk about this film nowadays than at its release, because it may be one of the strongest of the genre in the past few decades.
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