Movies

Unexpected Horror Hit Makes Moviegoers Vomit; Its Director Regrets Nothing

Unexpected Horror Hit Makes Moviegoers Vomit; Its Director Regrets Nothing
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2022 is a year of some of the best horror movies of the decade.

Terrifier 2, an indie splatter horror film, became an unexpected hit this Halloween season, earning over ten times of its $250,000 micro-budget in the box office since its United States release on October 6. It also got an excellent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And that is despite the movie being so gross in its bloody violence and gore that some viewers allegedly vomited in the theaters, or even passed out, resulting in calls of emergency services for them. One of the producers of Terrifier 2, Steve Barton, even posted a warning for potential viewers on his Twitter page:

"This movie contains scenes of graphic violence and brutal depictions of horror. Viewers who are faint of heart, prone to light headedness or have weak stomachs are advised to take extreme caution. There have already been numerous instances of fainting and vomiting in theatres. For those choosing to continue, you have been warned…"

Well, to think of it, Terrifier 2 probably succeeded because of such legendary levels of gore and mutilation, not despite them – in fact, reactions to the Twitter warning above pretty much confirm that. To start with, it was targeting the niche audience of splatter horror fans, which crave even grosser and bloodier murders on screen. As its writer-director Damien Leone told EW: "I mean, those are the things that they [the fanbase of Terrifier 1] really want. I think this movie is more accessible, but we're essentially still making these movies for them, and if other people want to come on board, the more the merrier."

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And then, as it seems, the reputation of an exceptionally gruesome movie actually worked to attract more viewers to Terrifier 2. Many horror movie fans apparently now perceive watching it as something like a test, which can prove strength of both their hearts and their stomachs. Leone explained that he has mixed feelings about reports on those who have failed to pass this self-imposed test:

"Listen, I would have loved to have a couple of walk-outs, I think that's sort of a badge of honor because it is an intense movie. I don't want people fainting, getting hurt during the movie. But it's surreal."

Like the first movie in the mini-franchise, Terrifier 2 ends on a cliffhanger, and given its commercial success, another sequel seems to be a given. We can only guess, what impact Terrifier 3 is going to have on the movie-goers!