Do Horror Films Shadow the GOP? A Spooky Exploration!

Next week’s hyper-contentious election looms over us like an overzealous horror flick, casting a shadow darker than anything M. Night Shyamalan could dream up. The face-off between fiercely opposed camps has created an atmosphere so tense that I wouldn’t be surprised to see a documentary titled "Politicians: The Real Life Slashers." Honestly, why hasn’t anyone made a slasher flick about volunteers canvassing door-to-door at dusk? Now that would have audiences clutching their popcorn with nervous anticipation!

This unsettling vibe brings to light an uncomfortable truth about horror films: they often come with political messages tucked under the bed, not always subtle enough to make you think twice about which way they'll vote come November. Let’s be real here. Films may not have a ballot, but they do have opinions. Take, for example, a classic like The Exorcist, a film wrapped in layers of Republican rhetoric and good old-fashioned satanic possession. In William Friedkin's 1972 masterpiece, modern science is utterly powerless against the demonic intruder, forcing us to rely on the patriarchal Catholic Church to handle the mess. Talk about leaving the heavy lifting to the guys in robes—and hey, wasn't this also around the time Reaganomics was gaining traction?

The concept of supernatural evil often leans into conservative territory. Films like The Blair Witch Project and The Ring illustrate this perfectly, as skeptical protagonists try to disprove occult legends, only to find themselves falling prey to their own logic. It’s like inviting a vampire into your home—what were they thinking? Add to that the hawkish elements found in classic monster flicks. Forget diplomacy; when it comes to confronting horrors like King Kong or Jaws, the big guns are always the answer. It’s worth noting that the script for Jaws was heavily influenced by John Milius, a self-proclaimed right-wing extremist. Go figure!

But let’s not be too quick to wield the right-wing razor across the entire genre. For every film that sticks to the weary old recipe of bogeymen and monsters, there exists one with a touch more nuance—a darker mirror reflecting the society that terrorizes individuals. Films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Night of the Living Dead, Rosemary’s Baby, Carrie, Get Out, and Midsommar show that sometimes the true monster is the world around us. Then you have the post-Jaws monster movies, where the brute force comes up short; think Alien, Independence Day, and Cloverfield—oftentimes, the battle is won with wits, not weaponry.

Even those films revolving around endlessly reincarnating supernatural slasher villains chasing after unsuspecting coeds aren’t so easily categorized politically. As film scholar James Kendrick wisely notes, many basic slasher films tend to put traditional male support systems—like police or military—in the line of fire, often resulting in their ineffectiveness or demise. Honestly, if you’re the boyfriend or the cop in a slasher flick, you might as well wear a neon sign that says, “I’m doomed.” This usually leaves the lone woman to fend for herself, which is a twist that could use some serious unpacking.

If there’s any reigning template for horror today, it’s the “final girl” trope. Featured in classics like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the Halloween franchise, the Alien franchise, the Scream franchise, Resident Evil, The Descent, Happy Death Day, and, of course, The Final Girls, this trope leaves us pondering its political leanings. Statistically speaking, they might just be tailored for a Kamala Harris roster come Election Day. Now wouldn’t that be a twist worth waiting for?