The Old Guard and the 'Prestige' Problem
For decades, a certain hierarchy has dominated film criticism. Serious dramas, historical epics, and subtle character studies were seen as 'high art,' worthy of awards and thoughtful analysis. Meanwhile, genre films—horror, science fiction, fantasy, and action—were
often relegated to the cultural bargain bin. They were seen as commercially driven, formally unsophisticated, and emotionally juvenile. While exceptions were made, the underlying assumption was that genre fare was less worthy of serious consideration. This viewpoint, cultivated over generations, still informs the perspective of many established critics, for whom a film's value is often measured against a canon that has historically undervalued or outright ignored the artistic potential of genre storytelling.
Digital Natives and Genre Fluency
Younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, did not grow up with the same critical gatekeepers. Raised on the internet, they are fluent in a visual and narrative language that is steeped in genre. They don't just consume these stories; they deconstruct them, meme them, and debate their thematic weight on platforms like Letterboxd, TikTok, and Reddit. For them, a slasher film isn't just about scares; it's a framework for exploring social anxiety. A sci-fi epic isn't just spaceships; it's a vehicle for interrogating humanity's future. This generation sees genre not as a limitation, but as a rich and flexible set of tools for powerful storytelling. They are less concerned with whether a film is 'important' by old standards and more interested in whether it is effective, innovative, and emotionally resonant.
The Festival as the New Battleground
This year's BFI London Film Festival serves as a perfect microcosm of this cultural shift. The program is packed with ambitious genre titles, from the gory Hammer Horror-esque fable 'The Face of Horror' to the tech-thriller 'Artificial' and the Thai horror 'Inherit'. These films aren't hidden away in midnight slots; they are significant parts of the festival, generating buzz among attendees. While older critical sensibilities might struggle to place a film like the fantastical comedy 'Wicker' within a traditional prestige framework, audiences embrace its genre-bending charm. This isn't a rejection of quality, but a redefinition of it. A film's success is measured by the intensity of the audience's reaction—the gasps, the applause, the post-screening debates—as much as by its formal accolades.
Beyond 'Elevated Horror'
For a time, the term 'elevated horror' was used to grant critical respectability to films like 'Get Out' or 'Hereditary.' It was a pass that allowed genre movies into the serious-art club, provided they tackled weighty themes. But for younger viewers, that pass is no longer necessary. They are just as likely to find artistic merit and thematic depth in a film that proudly embraces its B-movie roots as they are in a somber drama. The restoration and celebration of Ken Russell's once-censored 1971 masterpiece 'The Devils' at this year's festival is a prime example. A younger audience doesn't see it as a 'problematic' cult film needing justification, but as a bold, visceral piece of filmmaking that was ahead of its time, celebrated by modern genre masters like Guillermo del Toro.
