No one knew that when The Conjuring came out in 2013, it would become the ghost story of the decade, altering how the genre would function both in the mainstream and indie world in the 2010s. While Insidious arguably marked the true beginning of the “2010s Paranormal Boom”, The Conjuring became the defining film to pave the way for inspired flicks, sequels, spin-offs, and an entire MCU-style Universe. The movie and its direct sequels are fantastic, highlighting how a solid atmosphere can be as effective at being scary as blood and guts.
As the release date for The Conjuring: Last Rites rapidly approaches, and promises to be the final film in the franchise, it is highly important to note these movies’ impact. They changed the horror genre and were the undeniable kings of the supernatural-thriller subgenre. This bittersweet end for the franchise does not just mark a finale for the extended Universe, but the ending for an entire era of horror, signifying a definite change that has been coming for a long time.
The Conjuring: Redefining 2010s Horror
When thinking about 2010s horror films, what imagery might come to mind? Probably bleak, grey color palettes, violin music, exorcisms, and old lady demons with big, satanic CGI smiles. Oh, and a PLETHORA of jump scares. When going to the movies on a Friday night to see a horror movie, it was almost guaranteed that you would see these elements throughout this decade. While films like The Woman in Black and Insidious helped to generate public popularity and interest in these types of stories, it really is The Conjuring Universe that dominated. And it was generally the best of its kind in quality as well.
How The Conjuring Sparked a Paranormal Trend
What is so strikingly original about The Conjuring franchise is how it works more akin to the Marvel Cinematic Universe than any other horror franchise. This is exactly how it became royalty for this type of movie. While the spin-offs varied more in quality, the actual films functioned beautifully on their own as epic supernatural horror flicks, with smaller movie series like The Nun and Annabelle helping to craft a bigger fictional world. This Universe helped sway the genre towards a moody atmosphere and beautiful set pieces.
Additionally, the movies have carried a sort of charm and heart that is hard to find in modern horror. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have always shined as Ed and Lorraine Warren, creating a modern Mulder and Scully. With every movie centering on a different case, it feels almost like a monster-of-the-week-type TV show, harkening back to shows like Buffy or The X-Files. Hell, with no word of Ash Williams since Ash VS. Evil Dead ended in 2018, Ed and Lorraine are probably modern horror’s most iconic current heroes.
The Conjuring films helped define this era of horror, ruled the subgenre, and provided much-needed heart and original characters.
A Finale for The Warrens and The Subgenre
While it felt like horror might stay within this realm forever, things began to change rapidly. With so many “Exorcism of” or “Haunting of” movies coming out on the weekly, a change was almost 100% necessary. Hereditary and The Witch led arthouse, introspective-yet-nasty horror into the mainstream. Since those two films in particular had enough of the popular elements, they were almost able to work their way in from the inside, creating more experimental alternatives for The Conjuring and Insidious films. Now, the box office is dominated by these creepy think pieces, as well as a new slasher revival (Scream, Thanksgiving, Happy Death Day, etc). However, supernatural movies have been slowing down a lot, and The Conjuring: Last Rites may be the nail in the coffin. But it seems to be going out with a bang.
This film centers on the real-life investigation of the Smurl family in the mid-80s. Supposedly, couple Jack and Janet Smurl were violently haunted by a series of ghosts and demons; the brutal specifics of their claimed attacks are absolutely bone-chilling. With the trailer as bleak as it is, setting the tone for such a disturbing tale, Last Rites may not be for the faint of heart.
The Conjuring: Last Rites – A Bittersweet Franchise Finale
It is a difficult thing to examine because, while horror desperately needed this shift, there is so much heart, love, and care put into these movies-and a sense of community that comes along with them. Sure, everyone complained everyone’s ears off about jump scares in the 2010s, but let’s be real. On a crowded Friday night premiere screening, you want everyone packed together, screaming at every jump. The Conjuring films worked because they delivered this alongside their character-driven, atmosphere-based horror movies.
Ed and Lorraine Warren’s heart and investigations are the root of this Universe, extending outward into all the spin-offs. With the franchise coming to a close on what might be one of the most terrifying real-life cases in paranormal history, audiences should expect Last Rites to be not just scary as Hell, but emotionally satisfying as well.