Horror serves as an almost paradoxical type of media. It exists to intentionally inflict a negative emotion through fear, and yet it holds a stronger cult following than perhaps any other genre. Horror has evolved debatably more noticeable than any other category of film, with the constant shifting of what is considered taboo having a strong effect on what is considered to be the extremes which define it. What makes its history even more fascinating though is its relationship with the internet, and how it went from being used as a means of nothing more than promotion to a home for radical new artists and styles.
When talking about the internet and horror, it is impossible to neglect one of the first instances of a film using the online world to further its storytelling, that instance being The Blair Witch Project. This film was one of the first examples of found footage filmmaking, a style in which the story is told through the medium of a supposed piece of organic (typically home video style) film being discovered and then presented to the audience like it was something that actually happened. The plot revolved around the story of three missing college students and how their time in the New England woods likely caused it. A non-negligible number of people believed that the movie was a true story, with cast members discussing in interviews how their families received genuine sympathy cards from those who watched the film. While part of this was because of the film’s unique approach to storytelling, it was certainly helped by the website which was set up along with it. Though taken down today, archives of it show how it was set up in a style similar to many other late nineties websites, and had pages discussing the characters’ disappearances and the mythos surrounding the film, furthering the immersion even beyond the cinema screen.
This example was interesting in how it showed that the net could be used in a new unique way to help shape the stories and background information of the movie. The website almost served as a predecessor to a new medium for horror. The ARG (or alternate reality game) was a new way of sewing mysteries that started becoming popular in the 2000s. While they’ve been used in multiple ways, they’re most frequently used as a means to put together unsettling stories. They do this by linking together different websites, digital files and codes, which when dug through, put more pieces of a mystery together. While they are by no means easily digestible content, and often require a large amount of commitment to get anything out of, those who take an interest in them tend to be incredibly dedicated and take intense enjoyment with the puzzles that they have to solve as part of the games.
However, this wasn’t the only form of terror present on the net, as it was still home to plenty of sites which could host more stylistically conventional works of horror. Although today YouTube is known for having strict guidelines and algorithmic protections regarding disturbing content becoming popular, during its early years it was an easy place to upload homemade, creepy content, and have them garner lots of attention quickly. Videos like those of John Bergeron’s singing robots, and of Eric Fournier’s character Shaye Saint John became icons of the uncanny valley. Others like Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Salad Fingers, and Petscop grew gigantic fanbases dedicated to solving their series’ respective mysteries. In a time where big horror films were charging for people to see continuations to old series and debatably tropey tales, the free content found on video sites that people used every day had become a place to see fresh and more far out ideas than one might possibly see on the silver screen.
Near the end of the 2010s, a new type of horror also entered the internet: analog horror. This genre drew off of the nostalgia of users who grew up with media from the age of analog television and VHSs, presenting its videos in a 4:3 aspect ratio with lower video and audio quality. The first example of videos in this genre are generally attributed to the series, Local 58. The videos it hosted appeared to be a series of recordings of local news broadcasts with slightly morbid and supernatural undertones. Its replication of older news channels styles helped to make it seem authentic, and the channel would gain a large amount of attention. In a way, it almost seemed to mirror the success of the first found footage films in how it replicated a familiar style of video which some may have taken comfort in, and turned it disturbing. This was also mirrored in how much of an inspiration it would become to future works. One does not have to look hard to find an analog horror series, there’s so many on the web now that there are people arguing that the genre is oversaturated, and there’s plenty of parodies echoing that sentiment. That being said, it seems as though it’s sticking around, and some are infused with a genuine quality that one could consider to make them actual works of art.
Filmmaking isn’t the only way that people have shared their creativity in horror, though; those with talent for writing specifically have found their home too. The online world is home to countless forums dedicated to telling creepy stories, in various styles and subgenres. It has also been home to large, community world-building projects which even the most novice of writers can contribute to. With this accessibility, one could say that there has started to be a disparity in the quality that is present in online content. But even with that, every creative must start somewhere, and if so many truly have a passion for the work that they’re making, then they will inevitably improve, which could be seen as reason to be excited for what the future of horror will entail.
Looking back it’s fair to say that the internet has been very impactful on the landscape of the horror genre. Impressively, it has let its new approaches to the medium exist in tandem with the classical variations of it, meaning that no matter how a person wants to be scared they can find a way to satiate themselves. Every new and unique approach that the online world has allowed to come to fruition has inspired a cycle of creativity which will insure that even more new ideas will arrive. All that’s left to see is what will come next.
