In the horror films of the 1980s and 1990s, it was almost a guarantee that if a character smoked cannabis or had sex, they died in some gruesome spectacle. However, one horror film festival founder shared his thoughts about the evolution of "sinful teenagers" in the genre.
In a recent interview Timothy Schultz, founder of the Mile High Horror Film Festival, answered the age-old question, who dies first -- the stoner or the horny teenager? "Ha! This is an important topic of debate," he told Westworld. "Fewer sinful teens are getting the axe, but it does still happen. One of the craziest stoner deaths I've seen comes from Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood, where someone gets brutally impaled by their own bong. I think the peak of stoner deaths was in 1980s slasher films, although it still happens from time-to-time. As for who goes out first, the stoner vs. the teens having sex: it depends on the film, but I think the stoner has a slightly higher chance for survival. The odds are not good if you're smoking weed or having sex in an '80s horror movie, though."
Schultz discussed why he thinks contemporary horror films are less likely to kill off teenagers who break the rules, particularly stoners. "It has definitely evolved over time. It used to be much more taboo to use cannabis, and that was reflected in film. It’s legal now in many places," he explained. "The stoners used to frequently get slaughtered; now, I see them surviving until the end and even overcoming the antagonist."
The Mile High Horror Film Festival was established in 2010 and is now one of the largest genre film festivals in North America. Every year, the festival hosts special guests like Jack Black, Lisa and Louise Burns -- the twins from The Shining -- and Linda Blair, who played Regan in The Exorcist. It also features a wide array of panels and presents over 100 horror films from around the world.
"This year, there are several new indie horror movies that I’m excited about, such as the zombie feature film, Brain Freeze. We’re also featuring seven shorts programs!" Schultz stated. "We pride ourselves on showing the best new horror shorts from around the world. What's special about a film festival is that these are films you can't see anywhere else; it’s a chance to see them before the general public."
This year the Mile High Horror Film Festival will be held virtually from Oct. 7 to Oct. 13, and passes are currently available for purchase on the festival's official website. Horror fans can buy a Slasher Pass for $49, which gives them access to five film screenings, or a Scream Pass, which gives them access to ten screenings.
Source: Westworld