The seeds for meta horror were planted as far back as the 1930s with “Mark of the Vampire,” a Bela Lugosi starrer. Thanks to Wes Craven’s “Scream” franchise, meta horror has now become the flavour of the spooky season. And since this subgenre affords filmmakers freedom to flex their creativity and play around with the rules of traditional horror, it’s probably here to stay.
Meta horror turns horror tropes inside out (at times in really gross ways) and differs from spoofs or parodies, as many works within this subgenre are also formidable standalone horror flicks with well fleshed out character arcs. Clever call backs and ‘breaking the wall’ are usually common too. While a few may go the extra mile, incorporating a side of social commentary with the fear factor, other works only serve as popcorn entertainment.
Without further ado, here are some of my personal favourite meta horrors, in no particular order.
‘Bhooter Bhabishyat‘
“Bhooter Bhabishyat” utilises a frame narrative /story within a story approach. The majority of the action unfolds at a haunted house where an independent filmmaker Ayan (Parambrata Chatterjee) scouting locations with his film crew meets a stranger who pitches a potential movie idea to him.
A precursor to the witty British sitcom “Ghosts,” this light-hearted Bengali meta horror pays homage to classic ghostly archetypes. Included in this are the lonely lady roaming and crooning listlessly even after her death (a popular heroine with a tragic love life who committed suicide after her lover ghosted her), a vengeful battered wife, and an impish thug for hire. It is also a social commentary on gentrification, following the gang of ghosts on a mission to rescue and reclaim their abode from being demolished by the villains of the story. These are greedy realtors, told through the lens of its ghostly ensemble. To borrow from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution: A story by the ghosts and for the ghosts.
Towards the final act, the line between reality and fiction is also blurred as Ayan is left to ponder whether he has just imagined this strange pitch meeting. (The film is now Streaming on Amazon Prime).
‘Supernatural:’ ‘Scoobynatural‘ and ‘Monster Movie‘
The long running TV show, “Supernatural” features its fair share of meta episodes. The most popular is a crossover with the equally long running, “Scooby Doo.” Here, ghost hunters Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles) and their version of a talking dog, the angel Castiel (Misha Collins) are transported into an old episode of the cartoon, courtesy of a cursed TV. The trio teams up with Mystery Inc to put an end to a phantom’s killing spree. “Scoobynatural” evokes a lot of nostalgia for both these shows. And in classic meta horror fashion, Castiel even breaks the fourth wall by jimming the camera. Later as the trio finds their way back into the real world, Dean breaks the fourth wall yet again.
In another meta horror episode titled “Monster Movie,” the Winchester Brothers take on classic monsters. These include a biblically accurate Dracula styled after Bela Lugosi, a werewolf, and a Mummy carrying out a spate of late-night killings in Pennsylvania (and yes, it’s set there because Pennsylvania kind of sounds like Transylvania). This episode is filmed entirely in black and white, playing out as a tribute to the classic villains as well as swashbuckling heroes and beautiful damsels in distress of Universal Monster horrors. While the hero obviously gets the girl and ‘ganks’ the villain in the end (as Dean puts it), at its heart this is also a well-written episode that affords empathy to the villain via his origin story. A vengeful and invalidated monster is drawn to on-screen monsters, setting out on a misguided, murderous and rather melodramatic quest to process his childhood trauma. (Streaming on Amazon Prime).
‘The Final Girls‘
In a concept straight out of “Scoobynatural,” Max (played by Taissa Farmiga, younger sister of scream queen Vera Farmiga, in an inspired casting choice), the daughter of a one-hit-wonder is pulled into Camp Bloodbath. It’s an ’80s cult classic and one of her late mother’s most iconic works, with her friends in tow. While a grieving Max is happily reunited with a younger version of her mother who passed away in a car crash, their on-screen reunion is cut short by the titular camp’s resident masked killer who is on a bloody rampage.
This meta reimagining of the slasher horror genre is centred around giving power back (literally) especially to token characters who merely exist just to die in such movies, like the ‘slut’ or ‘mean girl.’ Co-written by Joshua John Miller, son of horror icon Jason Miller/Fr Karras from “The Exorcist,” “The Final Girls” is a feminist flick and an ode to moms rolled into one. I think even Mrs Voorhees would approve of its core theme of a mother’s love and the lengths to which a mom would go to protect her child from harm. It also features one of the most memorable and effective uses of Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes.”
Malin Akerman is truly MOTHER (as the kids put it), lending likability and edge to the kooky yet headstrong Nancy/Amanda. Nina Dobrev is another revelation and also slays in her subverted take on the snobby popular girl who secretly harbours a heart of gold. Do stick around for the post credits bloopers, or as I call it, a compilation of Adam DeVine’s improv skills. (Now streaming on Netflix).
‘The Cabin in the Woods‘
If “The Truman Show” was a slasher/monster movie, it would be “The Cabin in the Woods.” I am also definitely going to hell for laughing at some of the absurd deaths in this movie, such as Thor (Chris Hemsworth) jumping a bike over a ravine (sorry, spoilers). Overall, this meta horror promises mindless fun and also resembles a cross between “13 Ghosts” and a more gory and bloody live action “Scooby Doo.” (Now streaming on Amazon Prime).
‘Subham‘
In “Subham,” Srinivas (Vamshidhar Goud), a local cable installer, broadcasts horror movies on Amavasya (new moon) nights to spook the whole neighbourhood. However, he gets a taste of his own medicine after his wife, Srivalli (Shriya Kontham) suddenly develops a growing addiction to a popular TV serial and is later revealed to be possessed by the spirit of his newly deceased grandma who was an ardent fan of the aforementioned serial. Gradually, other women in the neighbourhood exhibit similar symptoms. It is now up to Srinivas and his friends to end the reign of the ‘9 pm Ghost’ (named due to the air time of the serial).
This Telugu movie is almost a spiritual successor to the Tamil analog horror “13 B,” which similarly featured a household’s unnatural obsession with a TV serial. “Subham” however doesn’t limit itself to a standard horror flick but takes it up a notch. It addresses the harm caused by regressive ideologies propagated by Indian soaps as well as by recent Telugu masala offerings like Pushpa. These latter romanticise the alpha male mindset as well as its negative influence on audiences/general public. The film depicts the same through the female characters growing increasingly violent and upset after witnessing the constant mistreatment of the serial’s female lead by the abusive, misogynistic male lead, and later through role reversals.
Challenging the ‘I Can Fix Him’ mentality
These progressive undertones aren’t entirely surprising, either, since the movie is produced by actress Samantha in collaboration with her husband and filmmaker Raj Nidimoru. The latter is one half of the Raj-DK duo and also the brains behind the Bollywood horror comedy “Stree,” another Halloween essential and a contemporary feminist retelling of the Indian urban legend ‘Naale Baa‘).
What sets “Subham” apart from the other meta horror works on this list is that the characters opt for practical solutions in its final act, rather than the usual exorcisms or similar rituals. Simultaneously it ends with a call to put the ‘I Can fix him’ mentality to rest for good. (Now streaming on Hulu, Jio Hotstar, and Apple TV).
‘Deadstream‘
And lastly, this is a meta horror for those who are chronically online. Shawn (Joseph Winter), a vlogger in search of redemption and ghosts decides to visit a supposedly haunted house. However, Mildred (Melanie Stone), the resident demonic presence is hungry for Internet clout herself and crashes his livestream, turning it into a… you guessed it, a Deadstream.
Filmed in the style of found footage, “Deadstream” is both funny and revolting. It features jump scares that creep up on the viewer and not only blurs the line between real-life and social media bubble, but subsequently bursts it too. (Now streaming on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Tubi).
