Much like the desiccated corpses it so often portrays, horror has once more risen from its box office grave, shambling into theaters and drawing big audiences again.  With the success of Paranormal Activity this weekend, and the previous success of the recent hit, Zombieland, it looks as if horror is back in a big way.  But did it ever really go anywhere?

Zombieland, now in its third week of release, still clings to the top ten in ticket sales, and has crossed the $60 million mark.  Pretty heady stuff for a horror-comedy (audiences just don’t turn out for them) and a zombie film to boot (zombies are played out).  Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the film is actually a very good time at the theater, and has some of the funniest moments in any film in recent memory.  Oh, that cameo…

This comes fast on the heels of the dismal performance by Jennifer’s Body, a movie that everyone knew about, but almost no one saw (how I envy them).  As soon as it became clear that it was going to bomb, which happened the day after its release, according to most post-mortems, it seemed that most media was willing to sound the death knell of the horror-comedy.  Zombieland ended that conversation quickly, but what accounts for its success?

come?  The ads promised horror-comedy, Megan Fox was arguably the most talked-about celebrity in Hollywood at that moment, and there were even hints of a sexy-sexy same-girl smooch in the movie.  That should have made for a stellar opening.  But, it tanked.  Hard.

Only two weeks later, Zombieland arrives, with a smaller hype machine behind it, but the reviews were stellar from the fan sites and the mainstream press.  I have yet to find someone who has seen the movie with legitimately harsh criticisms.  A few, “It’s not my thing”s and “It was a little too bloody”s, but nothing like the drubbing Jennifer’s Body took.  The difference, then, I posit, is that one (Zombieland) is a far superior film and was successful because it’s actually a good film.  This isn’t a hard and fast rule, you can see the disappointing ticket sales of Drag Me to Hell for the exception which proves the rule, but it’s mostly true.  

Now comes Paranormal Activity, which has an army of devotees behind it, many of whom were unable to see the film previously, but kept clicking at Eventful.com because they hadta see it!  I was no different.  I clicked.  I hadta, too.  And I did.  I wasn’t crazy-go-nuts for the movie like many, but I get it.  I understand why this movie can scare, and it deserves its success.  How’s it doing, you may ask?  Number three for the weekend.  It made about $1 million less than the Gerard Butler vehicle, Law Abiding Citizen.  On about 2000 fewer screens.  That’s right.  If it was playing in a theater, it devastated the competition.  Horror is back.

and has some of the funniest moments in any film in recent memory.  Oh, that cameo…

This comes fast on the heels of the dismal performance by Jennifer’s Body, a movie that everyone knew about, but almost no one saw (how I envy them).  As soon as it became clear that it was going to bomb, which happened the day after its release according to most post-mortems, it seemed that most media was willing to sound the death knell of the horror-comedy.  Zombieland ended that conversation quickly, but what accounts for its success?

Both films had a head of steam going into their opening weekends, with Megan Fox talking crazy and getting press from so-called reputable outlets (no matter how talented or beautiful she is, nothing that comes out of her mouth should ever be covered by CNN) and Diablo Cody fresh off her Oscar win.  But, people stayed away in droves.  How come?  The ads promised horror-comedy, Megan Fox was arguably the most talked-about celebrity in Hollywood at that moment, and there were even hints of a sexy-sexy same-girl smooch in the movie.  That should have made for a stellar opening.  But, it tanked.  Hard.

million less than the Gerard Butler vehicle, Law Abiding Citizen.  On about 2000 fewer screens.  That’s right.  If it was playing in a theater, it devastated the competition.  Horror is back.

Except, it’s not.  Coming up, we have Saw VI, which I predict is going to disappoint, both as a film and as a commercial product.  I could be wrong, but I can’t imagine anyone seeing Saw V and coming back for more.  The films lately that have been inferior, Jennifer’s Body, Halloween II and The Stepfather (opening against the PA juggernaut… poor remake, never stood a chance), have done poorly.  Movies that are entertaining, funny and/or scary?  Gangbusters.

At the end of the day, gang, we’re riding a nice little cusp, but don’t get confident.  If Saw VI goes over like a lead zeppelin and The Road underperforms after its numerous delays, we may hear the funeral mass said again for horror.  Don’t buy it, though… ever.  Horror may go underground, but it just takes one quality film (The Sixth Sense, Silence of the Lambs, Scream, Zombieland, etc.) to resurrect it.  In fact, I offer my own humble take on the discussion which accompanies every major horror release, the one that predicts the decline or ascension of the horror genre.  Ignore it.  It’s a fake, pointless discussion.  Horror is here, will always be here, will always be cyclical in terms of quality.  Abide, my fellow dudes, abide, and the good will always swing back around.  And when it does, for the love of all that is bloody and gruesome, plunk your cash down to see it.  

accompanies every major horror release, the one that predicts the decline or ascension of the horror genre.  Ignore it.  It’s a fake, pointless discussion.  Horror is here, will always be here, will always be cyclical in terms of quality.  Abide, my fellow dudes, abide, and the good will always swing back around.  And when it does, for the love of all that is bloody and gruesome, plunk your cash down to see it.