For several years now, horror films have crowded out comedies, blockbusters, and iconic franchises at the global box office. And nothing can be compared with a good horror movie, raising up your adrenaline more than playing online blackjack with real money. Who is responsible for all our goosebumps? Undoubtedly, we are talking about horror film studios, and some of the most worthy independent ones are described below.
Blumhouse Productions
Blumhouse Productions is a unique phenomenon of the 21st century: a successful business project and, at the same time, a film studio not afraid of experiments. The name of the founder of the studio Blumhouse Productions, who challenged the working model of Hollywood, is associated with two directions, which, in accordance with generally accepted film production rules, are at different poles. These are low-budget horror films that do more than well at the box office (Paranormal Activity, Astral, Sinister, Happy Death Day) and Oscar-winning festival dramas (Obsession and Black Klansman).
Now Blumhouse Productions is already working in three directions: they release original films, create sequels to films that have already made a splash at the box office, and develop a line of projects focused on various video streaming services. A successful producer considers all possible options: even if the theatrical distribution is gradually dying, television and especially online cinemas with streaming are on the rise.
One of the studio’s latest ideas was the horror anthology “Welcome to Blumhouse”, implemented in partnership with Amazon and consisting of eight films by different directors, united by the theme of difficult relationships within dissimilar families. According to Bloom, through these stories, the authors enter into a direct dialogue with the viewer, and he is proud that he was able to find talented authors who feel the nerve of time and respond to current world events. Films from the “Welcome to Blumhouse” series are spared the supernatural as a terrifying factor – they return the viewer to the real world, which is often much scarier than fiction.
Blumhouse Productions is for sure one of the most famous horror film studios nowadays, but there are a few others that are also worth mentioning.
A24
A24 is arguably America’s leading independent film company. Denis Villeneuve himself was one of the first to entrust the production of his movie “The Enemy” to the new indie studio, which brought everyone a huge success. Two years later, A24 projects began to earn Oscars. The company has such recognized hits as “Ex Machina,” “Room,” “Moonlight,” “Lighthouse,” and many other notable films. Particular attention should be paid to the studio’s original and exciting horror films. The company gives a chance to newcomers to the film industry to make history: it doesn’t matter if they shoot comedy or horror, the main thing is to create an author’s statement that will resonate with the younger generation. Now, just one A24 logo at the beginning of a film is enough to cause a buzz among the viewers.
Troma Entertainment
It is a recognized world leader in the field of independent genre cinema. Troma Entertainment opened its doors in 1974 with the help of Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Hertz, and since then, it has been producing numerous low-budget independent films continuously. The films of this studio often become “cult” and are unique in that they are widely known in Hollywood, although they are not mainstream pictures. Troma’s slogan is “Films of the Future.” Troma film products are characterized by their frequent use of shocking material, including overt sexuality, violence, gore, and nudity. These features are so characteristic of the studio that the term “Troma film” has become a household name for such works.
IFC Midnight
IFC Midnight is not completely independent, being a part of IFC Films, an American film production and distribution company based in New York. As an IFC Films branch, Midnight studio earned its place in the horror genre cinema industry. It is known for such modern legends as A Dark Song, The Devil’s Candy, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, The Clovehitch Killer, Dead Snow, Maniac, and The Human Centipede. In addition, their commitment to bringing hidden gems to wider audiences has been invaluable for fans of horror cinema.
Dark Sky Films
It is not a worldwide famous company, however, the contribution of Dark Sky Films to the indie horror powerhouse can not be underestimated. It produces high-quality content, including such titles as House of the Devil, the Hatchet sequels, Stake Land, Starry Eyes, We Are Still Here, Deathgasm, Bliss, and 1BRare.
Terror Films
Another small company worth mentioning. Every horror film fan should give this studio credits just for titles like Hell House LLC and The Taking of Deborah Logan. Without any doubt, this team knows what they are doing and how to lead a film to success.
Full Moon Entertainment
Full Moon Entertainment is a company and film studio founded in 1989 by horror veteran Charles Band after his Empire Pictures studio ceased to exist. It specialized in making B-movies, usually released direct-to-video. It is best known for the horror film series Puppet Master and Subspecies. The company’s labels also include Shadow Films, Shadow Entertainment, and Wizard Video.
SpectreVision
SpectreVision was founded in 2010 by actor Elijah Wood and directors Daniel Noah and Josh Waller. Now it is an independent American motion picture production company that specializes in psychological thrillers and horror films. Some of the most interesting projects for the past years include “Mandy” and “The Girl Comes Home Alone at Night.”
Ghost House Pictures
Ghost House Pictures is an American motion picture production company founded in 2002 by Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi, which usually co-produces films with Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane. The company produceD horror films such as Don’t Breathe, Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell, The Grudge, and 30 Days of Night.
