James Wan is an icon when it comes to horror films. The man who reinvented the genre with franchises such as Saw and Insidious, and created the Conjuring universe, has been celebrating his birthday on February 26 since 1977.
While horror launched him to stardom, Wan has worked in films of other genres as well, such as Furious 7, Aquaman, and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom.
Among his early works is the film Death Sentence, which was released in 2007. It tells the story of a mild-mannered insurance company risk assessor who witnesses the murder of his son and sets out to exact his own brutal justice. In honour of Wan’s birthday, today’s quote of the day is an excerpt from an interview that the filmmaker gave to LA Weekly ahead of the film’s release.
The complete quote reads: “Whether it’s a popcorn movie or some really intellectual sociopolitical movie, I think to some degree they’re all influenced by the social climate that we’re living in. A lot of these types of films — the vigilante or revenge drama — were so popular in the ’70s because there was a feeling in the culture of loss of control. And I think right now there is this real feeling of loss of control. With all the crap that’s going on around the world, you kind of want to do what you can to protect the ones you love.”
What does the quote mean?
Can art, which includes films, be free from socio-political influence? The question has been the subject of many debates. According to James Wan, a master of the craft, it is never the case.
Whether a film is an indie or a big-budget production, it is always influenced by the climate in which it is made, believes Wan. And he substantiates it with the example of thrillers being popular in the 1970s, as the turbulent time had people feeling “loss of control.”
As we go further into the 21st century, the same holds true as well. And that is why thrillers never went out of fashion, and the superhero genre has likely been a major pull.
But Wan also leaves the broad perspective and zooms in on individuals. It is not just about the art and the artist; it is also about the audience. In the final section of the quote, he observes, “You kind of want to do what you can to protect the ones you love.”
This goes beyond viewing a film and speaks to a fundamental experience that drives our actions, and in a way contributes to the creation of the social climate, which in turn influences films.
Relevance of the quote today
Literature was known to be the mirror of an age. Movies are even more so. The fact that every movie is now considered a vessel of woke agenda, or a machine of right-wing propaganda, paints a picture of exactly how socio-politically fractured the present time is.
It is easy for our mids to spiral in such a situation. However, doing everything one can to protect loved ones is something that all can relate to. Thus, the feeling can be a unifier that fosters greater empathy and understanding, and makes the world slightly less divided.
