Backrooms and the future of online cinema

4 hours ago
1 min read

The Backrooms film's origin is as intriguing as the movie itself. Self-taught in Adobe After Effects and Blender, Kane Parsons gained online fame with his Backrooms short in 2022, amassing nearly 80 million views. At 17, he was chosen by A24 to direct a feature-length version. Despite his age, the film is a solid horror piece, showcasing the potential of internet-born talent in Hollywood. Recent films like Obsession and Iron Lung, by YouTube creators, highlight this trend.

Historically, Hollywood's new talent often emerged from accessible mediums. In the past, directors like Sidney Lumet and Steven Spielberg began with live TV, while Ridley Scott and David Fincher rose from commercials and music videos. Now, the internet serves as the new proving ground.

Backrooms, rooted in a 4chan creepypasta, explores the unsettling nature of liminal spaces, a concept popularized online. Parson's film expands on his YouTube shorts, using a nostalgic VHS aesthetic and a larger budget to explore these eerie spaces with live actors.

Parsons, alongside co-writer Will Soodik, excels in horror mood but needs to develop more complex characters. The film follows a furniture store owner (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who discovers a gateway to the Backrooms, joined by his therapist (Renate Reinsve). While the characters are less memorable, the Backrooms' mystery captivates. The movie wisely avoids over-explaining the Backrooms, maintaining an eerie mystery that engages the audience's imagination. The film's success in a theater filled with screaming teenagers underscores its impact. As short-form video creators transition to feature films, cinema continues to evolve, welcoming new talent from digital platforms.