There are horror films
that aim to shock through gore or exploitation. These films are horrific, but
in manipulative ways; they include franchises such as Saw (2004 – 2010) and Paranormal Activity (2007 – 2014) that
use clever special effects to disgust or upset. Audiences see them because we
like to be scared in a safe environment. It’s the same reason we ride a
rollercoaster. Then there are horror films like Cheap Thrills, a film that is horrific for very different reasons.
Cheap Thrills is the directorial debut of E.L. Katz and screened at last year’s
FrightFest in London, being considered by audiences as one of the best films
there. Cheap Thrills is now getting
its cinema release and it’s easy to see why it was so loved amongst the
die-hard genre fans at FrightFest. This is a horror film that asks one of the
most potentially horrifying questions possible: how far would you go for money?
This is a film about the human condition and how depraved it can be. In this
way (and with a good degree of gore), Cheap
Thrills is more memorable and more shocking than most offerings from horror
filmmakers.
Opening with an almost
Michael Mann style camera and representation of America and moving into
claustrophobic quarters with a close up intensity that makes us both passive
and active, Katz shows great creativity. In storytelling too, Cheap Thrills impresses by not relying
on a twist ending, but by offering a set up that the audience can predict and
be even more fearful with the knowledge of where the characters are heading.
Cheap Thrills is a low budget film that brings fresh creativity to an enduring genre
that can often feel stale in a mainstream environment. Let us hope that Cheap Thrills is able to reach the
mainstream audience it deserves.
