Endless Thread
Back to the Backrooms!
· Summarized
Key takeaways
- The 'Backrooms' concept exemplifies how internet lore can evolve into mainstream media, showing the power of collective storytelling.
- Real sets and practical effects can enhance horror storytelling by creating more immersive and tangible experiences for audiences.
- The themes of infinite space, isolation, and societal emptiness resonate deeply in modern culture, reflecting fears about urbanization, technology, and mental health.
- Viewer interpretations of horror films vary widely, emphasizing the importance of personal resonance and symbolic meanings in horror.
- Even the most internet-born ideas can have substantial cultural and commercial impact when given creative treatment.
Summary
Introduction to the Backrooms and Origins
The episode begins with a discussion of the 'Backrooms', a horror concept originating from internet creepypasta, associated with endless, yellowish hallways and an unsettling, labyrinthine space. The hosts reflect on its evolution from a 4chan meme to a subreddit, and now to an upcoming Hollywood movie. They share their personal experience of visiting a movie theater to watch the film adaptation, highlighting the cultural significance and internet lore surrounding the concept.
The Making of the Backrooms Movie and Its Themes
The hosts delve into the production aspects of the 'Backrooms' film, noting that it was shot on a large physical labyrinth set, blending practical effects with CGI. They discuss the movie's themes, including the horror of infinite, open space and the fear of being lost or trapped. The conversation also touches on broader ideas like modern urbanization, the emptiness of constructed spaces, and the nostalgia for the pre-internet era, paralleling these concepts with the 'Backrooms' lore. The film's commercial success is also highlighted, being the biggest A24 box office debut.
Audience Reactions and Interpretations
The episode features interviews with audience members who attended the movie, sharing their impressions of the film's horror elements, especially the fear of unseen threats in open spaces. They discuss different theories about the 'Backrooms', including its symbolic meaning related to mental health, societal alienation, and the human condition. The conversations reveal diverse perspectives on what the 'Backrooms' might represent and the universal fear of being trapped or losing control.
Sponsors
- Is Business Broken · Support for this podcast comes from Is Business Broken, a podcast from the Marotra Institute at BU Questroom School of Business. A recent episode explores the challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing one of the world's most carbon intensive industries, ocean freight shipping. Stick around until the end of this podcast to preview the episode.
Show notes
Once upon a dimly lit hallway, Ben and Amory stumbled onto a beloved brainchild of the internet: Backrooms. It began as a "creepypasta"— a horror story or concept that originates online and often becomes a meme — based on the idea of glitching into an inescapable prison of empty rooms. Back in 2020, Endless Thread discussed how this chilling kernel of internet lore migrated from 4chan to Reddit. Now, "Backrooms" is a major motion picture from A24.
Amory and Ben take a little field trip to the theater to see the film and discuss how the concept holds up in the hands of Hollywood.
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