Backrooms: Why We Should Trust the Kids

Richard Gerlach discusses the current trend of young filmmakers coming into stride, especially with BACKROOMS

A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.

Directed by Kane Parsons

Written by Will Soodick

Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve

(*Editor’s Note: BACKROOMS has dominated the box office this weekend, and Rich is here to tell us why! Blog manager Tom)

Backrooms is the new A24 horror project. This one is unique for many ways, and one of the first is the filmmaker behind it. Kane Parsons is a 20-year-old filmmaker who got his start on YouTube. He learned how to use Blender for 3D modeling and would make short films using it. One of these short films, titled Backrooms, is inspired off an internet Creepypasta about finding a wall in reality one can phase through and on the other side is an endless labyrinth of rooms and hallways. The success of these videos led A24 to reach out to Parsons, and $10 million dollars later, we have what some might say is the horror movie of the month. Is it? Yes, I personally believe this is one of the best horror films of the year.

In the movie Backrooms we are introduced to Clark played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, an alcoholic furniture store manager who is resentful for losing his house in a divorce; as well as the fact his career path never worked out for him. We are also introduced to his therapist, Mary Kline played by Renate Reinsve, who, similar to Clark, is dealing with unresolved trauma in her life. There are some smaller roles like Mark Duplass’s, Phil, an Async employee and researcher who knows a bit more about the Backrooms. As well as Carl’s assistant manager, Kat, played by Lukita Maxwell and her boyfriend Bobby played by Finn Bennet.

Backrooms is about a man named Clark who one day after a strange electrical event at his store, find a wall that he’s able to phase through and he’s introduced to the Backrooms. As he explores, lost and confused, he learns he is not alone. We follow him and others as they enter the Backrooms and explore the never-ending labyrinth.

What makes this movie and story work is the vibe. It’s creepy. It’s really creepy. There are segments in the movie that are filmed like Found Footage moves. Those segments had me on the edge of my seat the entire time through. When it comes to the plot, the movie has a serviceable plot. It cares more about the vibe of the Backrooms but also what the Backrooms also represent. It’s said early on in the movie that the Backrooms are like trying to explain what a dog is to someone who has never seen one, and have them try to draw it. Some things are right, while others are wrong. As we journey deeper into the labyrinth we see twisted versions of our own reality, because the deeper we go, the more distorted the copies or echoes of our world become.

The movie itself is focused more to be a metaphor on trauma and transference. The Backrooms can be seen as a way to explore someone’s psyche. The rooms copy our reality and then spit back what it sees. The labyrinth is amazing to look at but also scary. The main characters in this movie are also dealing with some heavy trauma we see reflected in the rooms, and at the ned get a really poignant scene during a therapy session gone wrong. It is surreal, and twisted, and something that would make David Lynch proud.

But this brings me to my point, we need to trust young people in cinema. Kane Parsons is only 20 years old, and his vision for this movie is so fresh and confident. He also made sure that the set was real. They build a whole Backrooms labyrinth to film on, which people get lost in while filming. The movie was already proven to be a success making over $80 million in the box office. Seeing someone so young, who got his start on YouTube making a movie this successful is amazing. Reminds me of Curry Barker, also a young YouTuber who put out another hugely successful horror movie this month. These new filmmakers and bringing fresh voices and fresh perspectives and we owe it to ourselves to watch their movies. Personally I’m excited for what Kane Parsons has next, because I want to continue my journey into the Backrooms.

Richard Gerlach is a teacher, cinephile, bibliophile and all-around nerd. When he isn’t teaching ELA, he’s consuming massive amounts of media to give endless recommendations from books, to movies, to tv shows. He specializes in the weird and the dark. He hopes to see you there.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.