August-Released Horror Films Over the Decade: A Filmmaker's Test?

Even though scary flicks can hit theaters any time of the year, it is the month of August that intrigues me. October is typically the month that filmmakers like to get in their horror movies, carefully lining up their productions with Halloween. I wonder whether filmmakers hope to "test" audiences by presenting "new" scary ideas a few months before Halloween hits. Even though the "Saw" series held down much of the decade, the month of August brought about some innovative films and some pretty obvious duds. Do directors attempt to prepare their fans by capping off the summer with "experimental" horror movies?

"The Others" (2001)

This wildly successful chiller (produced by Tom Cruise) gained steam amongst viewers, becoming one of the top-grossing films of all time. But considering the mind-bending theme, this movie could have gone a different way. Nicole Kidman is spot on as a fidgety mother awaiting her husband from the war. The movie's supernatural edge made it a horror standard. October's bloody graphic novel-based "From Hell" was an abrupt departure from Kidman's moody supernatural thriller.

"Signs" (2002)

People are for some reason, uneasy whenever it's announced that M. Night Shyamalan is making a new movie. On the heels of his success with "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable", the controversial director had something to prove. According to critics, that is just what he did; the film went on to receive 6 Academy Award nominations. But just in case fans didn't latch onto the sci-fi concept, moviemakers had "The Ring" up their sleeves to capture our attention.

"Freddy vs. Jason" (2003)

2003 must have been the year for resurrecting old slasher flicks. Despite the obvious potential for Hollywood B-movie cheese, this movie was pretty darn successful at the box office. You never know what to expect when you put out a movie like this. Filmmakers were probably just warming us up for the reinvention of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (starring Jessica Biel) in October of that same year.

"Exorcist: The Beginning" (2004)

You've got to admit that any film with the name "Exorcist" in the title is going to catch our eye. Unfortunately that title wasn't enough for this movie to avoid being a complete flop. The prequel to the famous 1973 original simply didn't catch on. But none of this mattered when October rolled around, as 2004 marked the year the "Saw" series cranked up.

"The Cave" (2005)

If you can't recall ever seeing "The Cave" in theaters, don't feel too bad. Starring Morris Chestnut and Eddie Cibrian, the movie follows a group of explorers who are trapped in a cave. Enter the stage, creepy monster. Sprinkle in some gratuitous blood and guts, and voila! Not surprisingly, the film barely broke even at the box office. By October, "Saw II's" release erased the "The Cave's" lackluster memory.

"The Descent", "Pulse" (2006)

In 2006, British filmmakers released "The Descent" putting a better spin on what Americans did with "The Cave." During this year, we had "Pulse", a dim little PG-13 horror remake from Wes Craven. The movie featured Christina Milian along with a few other good-looking twentysomethings, and should have been a lot deeper than it was. As a result, we didn't spend too many of our hard earned summer dollars on this film. Especially not when "Saw III" was right around the corner.

"Halloween" (2007)

Heavy metal musician-turned-movie director Rob Zombie shook things up a bit when he refashioned 1978's "Halloween" with a modern twist. His interpretation was a phenomenal success considering his relatively meager budget (by Hollywood standards). Though "Saw IV" was made with a few million less than Zombie's film, it made insane amounts of money in theaters.

"Mirrors" (2008)

Sadly, even Keifer Sutherland couldn't seem to hold this film together. The concept (crafted from yet another Asian horror film) was a good one. And the movie did have its fair share of creeps. But by the fifth installment of "Saw", a bunch of mirrors could hardly compare.

"Halloween II" (2009)

Rob Zombie returned in 2009 with another installment of the "Halloween" series. Re-adapting the sequel presented a few bumps and bruises in the production and storyline. Making it even more difficult to make a mark was "Paranormal Activity" (an understated horror chiller)---which actually ended up out-earning the overwrought "Saw VI" installment.

"The Last Exorcism" (2010)

By 2010, exorcisms were all the rage again. This one revived the tried-and-true "lost footage" technique---a neat cinematic trick. But with the Saw series finally winding down, it was evident that the vampires had taken over. With "Twilight" fever firmly tucked into our brains, we were ready for "Let Me In"---a brilliant remake that set the stage for more vampire flicks to come.

SOURCES:

www.omg.yahoo.com

www.movies.yahoo.com

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