The man known for bringing unintentional horrors like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen into our cineplexes has decided to move on to legitimate horror films.
In a recent issue of The Hollywood Reporter, Bay was named one of the “20 Masters of Horror,” with the specific title of “The Re-Animator.” This is obviously a reference to his Platinum Dunes, which has been remaking horror classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street for about a decade. He has also produced a few original horror films, including the highly successful low-budget effort The Purge, which made a whopping $87 million in box office grosses on a meager $3 million. Apparently, the success of The Purge has inspired Mr. Bay to take his own stab at the low budget horror genre. As he stated in an interview with Hollywood Reporter;
“I have a great fantasy — that I will probably make a reality — of directing my own self-financed horror movie.”
Now, for all the hate Bay has gotten over the last several years, I never felt like the man was untalented. He knows how to handle a solid action sequence with a lot of flair and style that has made many of his films visual feasts. The biggest problem I have with Bay is that his bigger budget stuff tends to lack joy and control. His Transformers trilogy really has sullied his name, mostly because it feels like he has free reigns to do whatever he wants on an enormous budget while still feeling like very manufactured hollow products. His best films (The Rock, Pain & Gain, Bad Boys II) work because it feels like Bay is having fun with enough restraint… well, maybe not Bad Boys II, but Bay still has a specific comfort zone that works for him; lower budgeted stylistic films that he has a passion for.
Now, with that in mind, I’d be very curious to see what a low budget horror film from Bay could result in. Sure, the Platinum Dunes remakes were rather awful for the most part, but those were done by music video directors who seemed to be trying too hard to adapt Bay’s style into a horror film setting. Plus, it seems like Bay has respect for the genre, given that he cited The Exorcist and The Shining as films that have stood the test of time in the above mentioned Hollywood Reporter piece. As long as Bay has passion for the project and a decent script, his entry into the genre could work.
Do you feel like Michael Bay could give us a fun horror film or do you think he’ll just going to put metaphorical wrecking ball testicles on the entire genre? Post your thoughts in the comments below.
Via /Film