The Breakfast Club of Horror Hounds? Meet the Genre’s Latest Splat Pack
Matt Molgaard
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The original Brat Pack rose to prominence in the 1980s thanks to stellar coming of age pics like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, The Outsiders, Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire (among others) and consisted primarily of Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy.
They were a special breed who tapped the nerves of the most sensitive and hardened film viewers alike. They were a universally loved bunch, and how could they not be?
If you caught The Breakfast Club and failed to relate to at least a single character (I once performed in a garage band titled “On the John Bender” if that tells you anything), you may – pardon my French – be a fucking heartless bastard. If the rebel in you couldn’t see the allure of The Outsiders, you may be oblivious to your own unruly tendencies. If you couldn’t see a little bit of yourself in the personalities showcased in St. Elmo’s Fire, you’re probably in serious denial.
I’ve never been a mushy or overly emotional fellow, even as a child, but those films did something special. They wriggled inside of our psyches and found a way to impact our lives. They meant something. John Hughes – who really laid the groundwork for this troupe – meant something.
While the prime days of the Brat Pack are long gone, we’ve begun to see a shift in film, general trends and popular cinematic contributors. Interestingly enough, there are fundamentals of this shift eerily reminiscent of the old Brat Pack days. But there are major differences. These aren’t coming of age or discovery pictures we’re seeing sporting the same familiar, friendly (and menacing) faces with a penchant for working with one another, they’re horror films.
And just like the Brat Pack wave of the ‘80s, these movies are insanely significant. They’re relevant to the vast majority of genre fans because here we are again, relating to these performers and the diverse characters they portray. We’re becoming close – even from a spectator’s distance – to these extremely talented thespians and filmmakers who have banded together to deliver something special, time and time over. What we’re seeing now may not be seen again for decades. And like The Breakfast Club or The Outsiders, some of the films these guys are producing will never be forgotten or lost within the annals of history.
It’s a special time to be a horror fan because we may never again see this form of movement. Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve transitioned right into the era of the Splat Pack, and it’s time to begin acknowledging each member for the genius they offer up time and again, not simply for themselves – or each other (you know it’s a blast working with friends on a regular basis) – exclusively, but for the pleasure of the dedicated fans as well.
Adam Wingard: Adam’s true forte seems to be directing. He’s quite well-suited behind the camera (he’s the mad man responsible for A Horrible Way to Die, You’re Next and The Guest), but he’s charismatic in an everyman kind of way when utilizing his acting chops. He can handle comedic sequences, but I favor his intense roles. For some awesome Wingard work look into Splat Pack flicks V/H/S, V/H/S/2 and 24 Exposures.
AJ Bowen: AJ Bowen leaves the directing to his peers, but he’s one of the most active performers in the Splat Pack. There’s good reason for that, as he’s insanely versatile, portraying a believable victim in one film, only to turn the tide and embrace the villain in another. Relatable in every sense, you can catch Bowen in a number of his buddy’s movies. Among the best are You’re Next, The House of the Devil, The Sacrament, Hatchet II, Among Friends and A Horrible Way to Die.
Amy Seimetz: The ladies of the Splat Pack are outnumbered by the men three to one (a collective WTF is called for!), but the few ladies who deserve to be recognized in this group are more than gorgeous young women, they’re ridiculously talented. Amy, one insanely underrated performer, has had a hand in quite a few of the Splat Pack picks like The Sacrament, You’re Next and her truly shining role, A Horrible Way to Die.
Ti West: Ti’s specialties definitely reside in the directorial and editing departments. He’s a true visionary capable of generating awe inspiring camera angles and motion techniques. But he’s entertaining in front of the camera as well. A quiet, generally reserved guy, Ti’s brought a different layer of character personality to films like The House of the Devil, You’re Next and Swanberg’s dramatic romance piece, Drinking Buddies.
Danielle Harris: Hands down the most prolific performer of the lot, Danielle Harris isn’t a permanent fixture of the Splat Pack, but she’s put her time and work in, and she’s got a fine relationship with a few of the members of this crew. She shot Hatchet III with the uncredited Joel David Moore and AJ Bowen, who also surfaced in Among Friends, as did Kane Hodder, who himself has links to the Splat Pack as well.
Simon Barrett: Simon Barrett tends to take to the backseat when the director calls action. That said, he has had a few memorable bit roles within the world of the Splat Pack. Simon popped up in V/H/S, hung loose in V/H/S/2, donned a creepy mask in You’re Next and stepped in to fill the fold of A Horrible Way to Die. Where the man truly excels is the writing department; Barrett’s the brain behind the scripts for all of the aforementioned films as well as the forthcoming The Guest.
Joel David Moore: Joel David Moore squeezes into Adam Green’s crew a bit more comfortably than the Splat Pack, but Green himself can be considered a distant relative of this crew, just as Moore deserves to be recognized as a part-time member of the squad. You can think of him as the Demi Moore of the Splat Pack, although he’s significantly less attractive. Having noted that, Joel’s a damn stud and his appearances in works such as the Hatchet flicks, The Guest and Chillerama firmly cement him as a pivotal piece of horror’s greatest crew of active filmmakers, the Splat Pack.
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