Retail Horror: Exploring the Chilling Intersection of Commerce and Cinematic Nightmares

The world of horror movies is a vast and diverse landscape, with subgenres that proliferate like the undead. From slashers to found footage, body horror to psychological thrillers, the genre has evolved to encompass a wide range of terrifying tales. But among the many subgenres, there is one that stands out for its unique blend of commerce and cinematic dread: retail horror.

Unleashing the Horrors of Everyday Consumerism

Supermarkets from Hell: When the Aisles Run Red

Supermarkets, with their fluorescent lights and endless aisles, may seem like the last place one would expect to find horror. Yet, in the 1989 cult classic "Intruder," the humble grocery store becomes a veritable slaughterhouse. Set in an independently owned market, the film follows the gruesome fate of its workers as they learn their boss has decided to sell the business. What unfolds is a gory special effects showcase, with the store's everyday tools and equipment transformed into deadly weapons. From a box crusher to a receipt spindle, the film's director, Scott Spiegel, drew inspiration from his own experiences working in a store outside Detroit, creating a nightmarish vision of retail gone wrong.The supermarket setting has also been used to explore larger cosmic horrors, as seen in the 2007 adaptation of Stephen King's "The Mist." Filmed at an independently owned grocery store in Vivian, Louisiana, the movie's plot about a strange mist that blankets a town and unleashes monstrous creatures serves as a poignant commentary on the changing face of the retail landscape. The real-life Tom's Market, where the film was shot, closed its doors in 2016, a victim of the same forces that have seen many independent grocers struggle to survive in the face of competition from national chains.

Mall Rats: When the Shopping Malls Become Hunting Grounds

No discussion of retail horror would be complete without mentioning the iconic "Dawn of the Dead" films, both the 1978 original and its 2004 remake. These movies use the vast, abandoned shopping malls as the backdrop for their zombie-infested narratives, tapping into the eerie sense of isolation and decay that has come to define the decline of the American mall. The original film was shot at the Monroeville Mall outside Pittsburgh, which remains in operation today, thanks in part to a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2015. The Sherman Oaks Galleria, the setting for the 1986 horror-satire "Chopping Mall," has also managed to adapt, with portions of the original complex now repurposed for office space.While the malls in these films have largely weathered the test of time, the same cannot be said for the retail landscape as a whole. A Capital One study predicts that the majority of malls are expected to close over the next decade, as consumer preferences and shopping habits continue to evolve. Yet, even as the traditional mall format faces an uncertain future, some major operators have reported a recent comeback, suggesting that the retail horror genre may have more stories to tell.

Haunted Department Stores: When the Racks Come Alive

If supermarkets and malls represent the more gritty, industrial side of retail horror, then the 2018 film "In Fabric" offers a more refined, high-brow take on the genre. Set in a haunted department store, the movie follows the journey of a cursed red dress as it passes from one unsuspecting owner to the next, leaving a trail of supernatural destruction in its wake. The film was shot at the former location of the iconic Allders department store in Croydon, England, a once-thriving institution that succumbed to financial struggles in the 1970s and ultimately closed its doors in 2013.The department store setting, with its elegant displays and meticulously curated merchandise, provides a stark contrast to the gritty supermarkets and abandoned malls of other retail horror films. Yet, the underlying message remains the same: the spaces we inhabit, even those dedicated to the pursuit of commerce, can harbor dark and unsettling secrets. As the retail industry continues to evolve, the potential for these spaces to serve as the backdrop for cinematic nightmares only seems to grow.