Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is my video essay on what an incredible year it’s been for horror in 2022. For all the genres for both film and television, horror has become the true winner for this year and in many ways, it’s redeemed itself from the mess of its predecessor.
Last year we had another Conjuring, another Purge film, another Escape Room, and another M. Night Shyamalan film, all of which were just very okay or lackluster, uninspiring, and in some cases god awful. Don’t even get me started on Willy’s Wonderland and Spiral.
But for some reason, 2022 was different for horror, and thankfully in a good way.
I’m not saying there weren’t some bad pieces of horror junk but in terms of delivering something good, fresh, and that stood out amongst the rest, this year had it in spades.
This is my video explaining why.
0:00 Introduction
3:00 Midnight Mass
4:44 Treehouse of Horror XXXIII
7:39 Barbarian
9:27 Nope
10:47 Men
12:01 The Black Phone
13:54 Hellraiser
15:18 Bodies Bodies Bodies
16:19 Watcher
17:41 All My Friends Hate Me
20:17 Halloween Ends
22:15 Conclusion
Thank you to my incredible Patreons for continuing to support this channel. You guys are amazing.
At the time of this being made, these include the lovely people: “Mike Scheurman, Jack Pollard, Dr_Slurp, ThatEvilCanadian”.
If you’d also like the option of becoming a Patreon, head to:
patreon.com/motioninart
For more of my reviews, analyses, and other articles:
motioninartmedia.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/motion_in_art
Reddit:
reddit.com/user/motioninart
What is a Horror Film?
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apocalyptic events, and religious or folk beliefs. Cinematic techniques used in horror films have been shown to provoke psychological reactions in an audience.
Horror films have existed for more than a century. Early inspirations from before the development of film include folklore, religious beliefs and superstitions of different cultures, and the Gothic and horror literature of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley. From origins in silent films and German Expressionism, horror only became a codified genre after the release of Dracula (1931). Many sub-genres emerged in subsequent decades, including body horror, comedy horror, slasher films, supernatural horror and psychological horror. The genre has been produced worldwide, varying in content and style between regions. Horror is particularly prominent in the cinema of Japan, Korea, Italy and Thailand, among other countries.
Despite being the subject of social and legal controversy due to their subject matter, some horror films and franchises have seen major commercial success, influenced society and spawned several popular culture icons.
The horror film is defined by The Dictionary of Film Studies as representing "disturbing and dark subject matter, seeking to elicit responses of fear, terror, disgust, shock, suspense, and, of course, horror from their viewers."In the chapter "The American Nightmare: Horror in the 70s" from Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan (2002), film critic Robin Wood declared that commonality between horror films are that "normality is threatened by the monster." This was further expanded upon by The Philosophy of Horror, or Parodoxes of the Heart by Noël Carroll who added that "repulsion must be pleasurable, as evidenced by the genre's popularity."
Prior to the release of Dracula (1931), historian Gary Don Rhodes explained that the idea and terminology of horror film did not exist yet as a codified genre, although critics used the term "horror" to describe films in reviews prior to Dracula's release. "Horror" was a term used to describe a variety of meanings. In 1913, Moving Picture World defined "horrors" as showcasing "striped convicts, murderous Indians, grinning 'black-handers', homicidal drunkards" Some titles that suggest horror such as The Hand of Horror (1914) was a melodrama about a thief who steals from his own sister. During the silent era, the term horror was used to describe everything from "battle scenes" in war films to tales of drug addiction. Historian Gary Don Rhodes stated that the term "horror film" or "horror movie" was not used in early cinema.
The mystery film genre was in vogue and early information on Dracula being promoted as mystery film was common, despite the novel, play and film's story relying on the supernatural.
And if you’re still reading this – hello.
This video is made through Fair Use under copyright law for the purposes of education in criticism or review; as well as parody or satire. copyright.gov/title17/92c https://www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod
This is my video essay on what an incredible year it’s been for horror in 2022. For all the genres for both film and television, horror has become the true winner for this year and in many ways, it’s redeemed itself from the mess of its predecessor.
Last year we had another Conjuring, another Purge film, another Escape Room, and another M. Night Shyamalan film, all of which were just very okay or lackluster, uninspiring, and in some cases god awful. Don’t even get me started on Willy’s Wonderland and Spiral.
But for some reason, 2022 was different for horror, and thankfully in a good way.
I’m not saying there weren’t some bad pieces of horror junk but in terms of delivering something good, fresh, and that stood out amongst the rest, this year had it in spades.
This is my video explaining why.
0:00 Introduction
3:00 Midnight Mass
4:44 Treehouse of Horror XXXIII
7:39 Barbarian
9:27 Nope
10:47 Men
12:01 The Black Phone
13:54 Hellraiser
15:18 Bodies Bodies Bodies
16:19 Watcher
17:41 All My Friends Hate Me
20:17 Halloween Ends
22:15 Conclusion
Thank you to my incredible Patreons for continuing to support this channel. You guys are amazing.
At the time of this being made, these include the lovely people: “Mike Scheurman, Jack Pollard, Dr_Slurp, ThatEvilCanadian”.
If you’d also like the option of becoming a Patreon, head to:
patreon.com/motioninart
For more of my reviews, analyses, and other articles:
motioninartmedia.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/motion_in_art
Reddit:
reddit.com/user/motioninart
What is a Horror Film?
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apocalyptic events, and religious or folk beliefs. Cinematic techniques used in horror films have been shown to provoke psychological reactions in an audience.
Horror films have existed for more than a century. Early inspirations from before the development of film include folklore, religious beliefs and superstitions of different cultures, and the Gothic and horror literature of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley. From origins in silent films and German Expressionism, horror only became a codified genre after the release of Dracula (1931). Many sub-genres emerged in subsequent decades, including body horror, comedy horror, slasher films, supernatural horror and psychological horror. The genre has been produced worldwide, varying in content and style between regions. Horror is particularly prominent in the cinema of Japan, Korea, Italy and Thailand, among other countries.
Despite being the subject of social and legal controversy due to their subject matter, some horror films and franchises have seen major commercial success, influenced society and spawned several popular culture icons.
The horror film is defined by The Dictionary of Film Studies as representing "disturbing and dark subject matter, seeking to elicit responses of fear, terror, disgust, shock, suspense, and, of course, horror from their viewers."In the chapter "The American Nightmare: Horror in the 70s" from Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan (2002), film critic Robin Wood declared that commonality between horror films are that "normality is threatened by the monster." This was further expanded upon by The Philosophy of Horror, or Parodoxes of the Heart by Noël Carroll who added that "repulsion must be pleasurable, as evidenced by the genre's popularity."
Prior to the release of Dracula (1931), historian Gary Don Rhodes explained that the idea and terminology of horror film did not exist yet as a codified genre, although critics used the term "horror" to describe films in reviews prior to Dracula's release. "Horror" was a term used to describe a variety of meanings. In 1913, Moving Picture World defined "horrors" as showcasing "striped convicts, murderous Indians, grinning 'black-handers', homicidal drunkards" Some titles that suggest horror such as The Hand of Horror (1914) was a melodrama about a thief who steals from his own sister. During the silent era, the term horror was used to describe everything from "battle scenes" in war films to tales of drug addiction. Historian Gary Don Rhodes stated that the term "horror film" or "horror movie" was not used in early cinema.
The mystery film genre was in vogue and early information on Dracula being promoted as mystery film was common, despite the novel, play and film's story relying on the supernatural.
And if you’re still reading this – hello.
This video is made through Fair Use under copyright law for the purposes of education in criticism or review; as well as parody or satire. copyright.gov/title17/92c https://www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod
