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"SLOW BURN" - Why Director Ti West is the Future of Horror

Horror movies in the past two decades have been as fast paced as many of our day to day lives have become. And who can blame them when technology moves at the speed of light and keeping ones attention requires more and more stimulation to the point that mply unwinding these days often involves prescription medication.

With our faced paced lives movie studios, writers and directors in an effort to keep us on the edge of our seat have adapted their style to fit, what they feel, will appeal to todays audience. And for the most part it works, at least on the surface. But has all this instant gratification and the lack of story development effected us in a negative way? I for one certainly feel strongly that the answer is “yes”.

As if the industry isn’t effected enough our beloved horror genre seems to be feeling the brunt of this “new waive” of entertainment more than others. Because horror in the past replied mainly on character development and building tenon not much changed throughout the decades of film making. You mply had a story that would arc with hopefully a terrifying payoff at the end.

Look at films that paved the way like the Universal Monsters or more recent films such as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shinning or Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby. These films had compelling stories but most importantly you cared about the people in the films themselves. With today’s horror these bac elements are often overlooked or replaced for instant scares and CGI blood baths.



Ti West in his young career has already changed the way we look at modern horror. Coining the term “slow burn”, West has accomplished both intelligent storytelling with undeniably terrifying scares proving that technology does not make a film inherently better.

In a recent interview with the SFEExaminer West had this to say about his preferred way of filmmaking, “I like obsesng over the most meticulous parts of the craft. For me, cinema is more than just entertainment. With all of my favorite filmmakers there’s a good cooperation between the visuals and the content.”

Born in Wilmington, Del., West grew up in video stores, often recording movies he wanted to see with his VCR. He tried to see everything; the horror section seemed especially alluring and forbidden.

When he attended the School of Visual Arts in New York, he met veteran actor and filmmaker Larry Fessenden (“Wendigo,” “The Last Winter”).

Fessenden, taken with West’s talent, offered to put up money for a low-budget film. That became 2005’s “The Roost,” about teens terrorized by crazed bats.

West’s breakthrough came with 2009’s “The House of the Devil,” a film that slowly builds toward its bloody climax, a devil-worshipping ritual. Yet the movie’s sleight-of-hand had some viewers complaining  nothing happened.



“I can watch a movie about a girl walking around a house, and I’m watching a movie about a girl walking around a house,” West says. “Other people will watch it and think nothing’s happening. What people are complaining about doesn’t make sense to me. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

This is indeed what makes West so different then the modern horror writer and director. The 2010 horror film “The Innkeepers” changed the way I currently look at horror films and has set the bar incredibly high. “The Innkeepers,” is an extraordinary work of horror that defies viewers’ expectations and serves up plenty of tingles.



It tells the story of the Yankee Pedlar Inn, about to shut its doors for good. Two hotel workers, played by Sara Paxton and Pat Healy, agree to spend their final shifts on the premises.

At the same time, they hope to catch a glimpse of the inn’s famous ghost, Madeline O’Malley.

West’s movies are generally about deflection and rhythms. Like a magician performing tricks, he prefers wide corridors and brightly lit spaces to shadows and darkness. He extends the time before the dramatic payoff, or shortens it, or changes the payoff entirely.

West’s next film titled “Bedbugs” is currently in the works and is sure to provide spine tingling scares with his trademarked “slow burn” approach. This may be one film that shows creepy crawlers off in a sense that will have you questioning whether or not you want to sleep in your house. I for one certainty can’t wait to see what more this young talent has to offer the genre that I love so much.

Couldn't have said it better my self. I love a non stop roller coaster as much as the next person, but when that's all you have, it gets a little boring. I like to spend time with characters and tuations knowing that its going to go bad and fearing the moment when that's going to happen.

Many younger fans are stuck in "Instant gratification mode" due to email, Twitter, and the like. Because of this, they don't give films a chance to build and that is not only a shame, but a great disservice to not only the film, but to themselves. Great article my friend with strong points that I stand behind. New film makers should follow Ti's lead.

Well stated booman! I was telling my friend the other day about how much support this te gives to Ti West and his type of movies. Like nful celluloid said above, I love some hardcore shit hit the fan type of horror but its also nice to get a really cool deep horror movie like only Ti West can provide. Props on the article. Loving this place more and more!

I am so glad this te respects directors and actors like this that give a shit about the genre. No offense to anyone but horror has become watered down and the mple fact that Ti West movies go straight to DVD should tell you how bad off the genre is. Films like Saw and Final Destination wore themselves out and became crap when original actual scary horror gets shelved. Bravo and great read BooMan!

He definitely has a good start with what he has done. Good article.

I know he doesn't claim it, but I enjoyed Cabin Fever 2. I really liked House of the Devil and was SOOO excited to see The Innkeepers that perhaps I had my expectations set to high....I mean, I REALLY wanted to like this movie and if I would have turned it off 10 minutes before it was over I would have told everyone it was awesome, but I felt let down in the end. The "slow burn" approach never paid off for me in this one...It's like I spent all that time waiting because you knew it all had to come together in the end, but instead it seemed to fall apart for me instead..

I like Ti West and his directing, He's good at what he does.

Horrorbid and you members are clueless if you call this good horror. Ti West movies are boring and are rips of the Paranormal Activity formula. Its a bunch of nothing happening movies with no good gore and boredom. You all are out of the loop if you think this is good horror.

Horrorbid and you members are clueless if you call this good horror. Ti West movies are boring and are rips of the Paranormal Activity formula. Its a bunch of nothing happening movies with no good gore and boredom. You all are out of the loop if you think this is good horror.

Is this a legit post or are you "trolling" for an argument?

He's the future because he's the past.

Love him. Loved the article.

100% agree. Ti West is the fucking man. Hollywood needs to get behind him and I want to see a TON of films from him in the next 10 years!

Horrorbid and you members are clueless if you call this good horror. Ti West movies are boring and are rips of the Paranormal Activity formula. Its a bunch of nothing happening movies with no good gore and boredom. You all are out of the loop if you think this is good horror.

Is this a legit post or are you "trolling" for an argument?

^ He's a great director... Be at least a little bit optimistic TroubledSoul.I think that hes just trying to start an arguement, Rusty.

Horrorbid and you members are clueless if you call this good horror. Ti West movies are boring and are rips of the Paranormal Activity formula. Its a bunch of nothing happening movies with no good gore and boredom. You all are out of the loop if you think this is good horror.

Toll, this guy is trolling, 1 post and he is talking shit about one of the best directors we have right now. Troll!

He's the future because he's the past.

Love him. Loved the article.

That is the dumbest statement ever. His movies are plain boring as shit. I thought the house of the devil was a bore fest and I couldn't even make it to the ending of the innkeepers because it was so boring.

As for you all calling me a troll. I just calls them like I sees them. Tell me what makes his movies the future of horror? If this is the future then I'm going to fall asleep.

Horrorbid and you members are clueless if you call this good horror. Ti West movies are boring and are rips of the Paranormal Activity formula. Its a bunch of nothing happening movies with no good gore and boredom. You all are out of the loop if you think this is good horror. LOL they aren't rip-offs of the Paranormal Activity formula! The Inkeepers RIPPED ON the Paranormal Activity formula. How sadly uninformed you are. smfh

Ti West was literally trashing on those movies with some of the cat-scare scenes.

I love Ti West (not my all time favorite director but Mr. West will go down as a master of horror). I think one of the problems many people have with his movies is that we live in a world that wants instant gratification. Many people want all horror, all action, all gore within the first 10 minutes of the film. They don't want to wait for the build up, the anticipation. They seem to find it boring. Ti West knows how to tell a good story and he executes it perfectly, IMHO. But this is coming from a horror movie fanatic that absolutely hates Eli Roth.

I love Ti West (not my all time favorite director but Mr. West will go down as a master of horror). I think one of the problems many people have with his movies is that we live in a world that wants instant gratification. Many people want all horror, all action, all gore within the first 10 minutes of the film. They don't want to wait for the build up, the anticipation. They seem to find it boring. Ti West knows how to tell a good story and he executes it perfectly, IMHO. But this is coming from a horror movie fanatic that absolutely hates Eli Roth.

I couldn't agree with this statement more. While i do like Eli Roth it is for completely different reasons. His films are in no way as competent as West's. They are actually polar oppotes, imho.

I definitely think Ti West brings balance into the genre. On another note, I think that he carries the torch from past directors such as John Carpenter or even John Landis, who not only showed through their work their influences, but also were able to transcend and put their own ideas and style into effect, essentially becoming the influence.