Indie Horror Films Embracing Retro Tech and Settings

Indie-Horror Films Adopt Retro Settings in Latest Trend

This summer's movie season has witnessed the rise of two indie-horror hit films, Obsession and Backrooms, which have collectively grossed hundreds of millions of dollars and captivated a younger audience. Both films were produced by gen Z directors, Curry Barker and Kane Parsons, who initially gained recognition through their YouTube content. Despite their differing plots, the two movies share a common thread - a nostalgic blend of analogue props and production design that transports viewers to a bygone era.

The films' retro settings are evident in their attention to detail, from the lead characters' attire and hairstyles to the use of vintage technology and props. In Obsession, the characters' interactions with a mom-and-pop music store, a vintage station wagon, and a kitschy gag gift evoke a sense of nostalgia for a pre-digital era. Similarly, Backrooms features a protagonist hawking self-help cassette tapes on late-night infomercials, while another character struggles to adjust the fuzzy signal on an old TV - a relic of a time long past. The films' production design, including the wall-to-wall carpeted and ceiling-tiled backrooms, also adds to the retro atmosphere.

The trend towards retro settings in indie-horror films suggests a growing interest in nostalgia and a desire to escape the digital world. As the film industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how this trend develops and whether other filmmakers will follow suit in embracing a bygone era.