Why Practical Horror Films Are Once Again Gaining Popularity Against CGI

You’re either a lover of horror films, a partial watcher who sees a quick comedy film afterwards to calm the mind, or a true hater of them.

Love them or loathe them, you can’t deny that there’s a difference between practical horror films (films that have real people moving in real time, using special on-set effects) and CGI (computer-generated imagery). CGI relies heavily on computer-generated images and now even artificial intelligence (AI).

We don’t want to dismiss this whole technique. There are shots, scenes and specific scares that will require CGI, and when it’s done well, it’s incredibly effective. There are also horror animations and horror games that prove scarier than contemporary films. From studios such as Bethesda to Royal Panda, the horror niche is being adopted and put to use to cater to the growing demand. And this will only increase and improve. However, the subtle difference is the creative talent tasked with both conceiving of how to use it and then the creative talent bringing it to life (or death!).

That being said, the overreliance and poor use of CGI in contemporary horror films has subsequently resurrected an interest and appetite for practical effects – films that go back to the roots of the genre, which hit its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s.

So, why are practical horror films gaining more popularity than CGI films? Read on to find out more.

Why People Love ‘Real’ Horrors

Let’s put our cards on the table. CGI horrors are losing a certain amount of their magic.

A ghost floats in with its head spinning and limbs twisting. You are there thinking, ‘Great animation, but not scary in the slightest.’ The fact that it’s animated makes it even less realistic and like a horror – not that a head spinning around would ever be realistic…we hope.

Visual effects aside, watching an actor covered in prosthetics crawl out of a semi-dark basement is a different world. The sweat, the shaky breath, the wood creaking under the actor’s steps – that slaps. It sticks. It invokes a primal sense of fear because it’s messy and uncomfortable and could be real. Unlike CGI, true horror doesn’t glide into the frame but ungracefully stumbles its way in, and that is what makes it terrifying.

Remember the classics such as The Thing and The Exorcist. Those films were distinctly feelable. 

The Issue With CGI Horror Films

Here’s the deal with CGI in horror: it’s simply too perfect. Too pristine. And horror? Horror in itself should be chaotic.

CGI is useful in superhero movies. It works wonderfully when you require a spaceship to explode or a dragon to unleash fire. But horror? Horror is deeply personal. It should burrow under your skin rather than glide past your eyeballs like a cutscene.

The more that studios rely on CGI, the closer that action and horror with thrills become to each other. The essence of horror is lost. Fear is silence, flickering lights, and the subtle movements of shadows that are enough to send a shiver down your spine.

Even if they are rendered magnificently, CGI monsters are still CGI monsters. The audience may appreciate the technical skills, but they won’t scream in fear. Admiration rather than chilling terror will be the response, raising the question of whether horror still exists.

Big budgets rely far too much on CGI. With just a few thousand dollars, a bucket of fake blood and a garage, a horror masterpiece would arise back in the day. Today, $10m goes toward a soulless demon that even toddlers find unthreatening.

Will AI Become the New CGI?

AI will stir the pot. It wasn’t long ago that AI was really stirring the pot for cinematics.

It’s possible to create entire scenes using deepfake technology, and monsters can be made in less than 30 seconds. However, as of now, there is one thing that cannot be replicated: the soul of the creation.

AI horror might look amazing and even creepier than surreal. But one thing’s for sure: it’s devoid of humanity. There is simply no chance of escaping the emotional detachment that one feels from something that was constructed rather than born. It’s the same issue as with CGI.

Ultimately, horror is best enjoyed when it seems to be true. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that practical horror is returning to the forefront. In reality, it never perished. It simply remained hidden, poised to terrify us once more.

So, what do you prefer? CGI horrors or practical horrors? If you say CGI, you’re not a true horror fan.