Independent Horror Films Draw Comparison to 1970s New Hollywood, Studio Executive Says

At industry gatherings held over the past three months, producers and studio executives have repeatedly turned the conversation to two independent horror titles: Kane Parsons' "Backrooms" and Curry Barker's "Obsession." A co-chief at Sony Pictures Classics has described the pattern as a shift for the industry, likening it to the wave "Easy Rider" set off in the 1970s. That earlier film, made outside the studio system, helped open Hollywood to a new generation of independent voices. The executive's comparison points to Parsons' and Barker's work having a similar effect today, prompting sustained discussion among the people who greenlight and finance films. No details on wider distribution or release plans for either title were included in the report.

With reporting from Variety Film.