Review: Horror Movie

5 stars. I've had a few days to chew on this, and I'm not sure if five stars is the right move, but I really can't ignore a few facts: 1) it's the first book to really compel me in a while. I could not put it down. 2) When I finished it, all I wanted to do was turn back to the beginning and start all over again. And also to purchase a copy immediately. 3) It's a lot of things I really love, admire, and look for in horror: found footage-esq, incredibly meta, a borderline psycological study of the genre (and its fans), and reminiscent of one of my favorite authors, SGJ. 

This is my fifth Tremblay. I feel like he's a uniquely controversial author: a lot of readers out there find him to be hit-or-miss, and also, a lot of his books are both adored and hated. People really disagree about his work. In reading the reactions to this book in particular, it seems like many readers took issue with the ambiguity? But also, hated everything else he wrote and for some reason decided to read this anyway? And in some cases, literally didn't even understand the narrative? (Guys: he didn't get his pinky cut off twice. He's an unreliable narrator. He leaned into the lore. It's twisted.)

So, since we all apparently love to talk about it, here's how my scorecard looks: loved A Head Full of Ghosts. Was really shocked and impressed by the audacity of The Cabin at the End of the World. Enjoyed the really zippy, straightforward horror of Survivor Song. Found the writing - the figurative writing - to be incredibly immature in Disappearance at Devil's Rock. I know now to expect ambiguity, maybe an experimental format, some genuinely creepy moments, and a great premise. IMO, Tremblay delivered successfully here on all of those levels.

There's a lot to be said about art, and the making of it. It's probably worth noting the type of art we're talking about here: deep, dark, disturbing horror designed with, and designed to inspire, obsession. The story is about this, and also tries to be this. As someone who has always been far more interested in the analysis of creation than creation itself, yeah, this is right up my alley. So please go in knowing it's not just a "cursed film" trope story - it's got a bit more philosophy woven into the fabric.

Let's get into specifics: Horror Movie is about the making of a low-budget horror film in the 90s, the minds that went into it, its pseudo-release into the world, and the cult following it attracted. It contains the written recollections of the only surviving crew member, The Thin Kid, along with excerpts from the "original" script. We as readers are escorted through the origins of The Thin Kid's participation, the production, the aftermath, and finally the inevitable reboot. 

Rather than trying to defend this book with like, arguments (you can never actually win anything on the internet), I think it might be better to just make a couple of points about what this book is not: as mentioned, it's not a traditional cursed film book. It is not written in a traditional format. It does not give clear answers upfront, throughout, or at the end [some people took issue with Tremblay dropping hints?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Guys, what?!?!?!? Authors drop hints all the time without full context - roll with it, live with it?!?!?!]. It is not even that scary, at the end of the day. 

If it's not for you, great. But I really enjoyed it. If you want to pick it apart with me, even better. But if you want to hate for the sake of hating... smh. Don't be the guy at the convention who demanded to see his finger. Don't be that guy.

Horror Movie on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads