Going to a local multiplex and seeing the sparse selection of horror films is nothing short of depressing.

Americans used to make horror movies. And they were damn good at it.

In a recent issue of “Vanity Fair,” Jason Zinoman wrote an article entitled “Killer Instincts.” It chronicled the rise of American horror films through the latter half of the 20th century, describing the journey of such visionaries as George Romero, Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven and John Carpenter.

These four men helped carve the identity of American horror films with movies like “Night of the Living Dead,” “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, “Last House on the Left” and “Halloween.” These cinematic classics hold up decades later, which is a far cry from the current state of the genre.

Going to a local multiplex and seeing the shoddy selection of horror films is nothing short of depressing. And by depressing, I mean it makes me want to go into a dimly lit room, drown my sadness in gin, pop in some early Boyz II Men and weep myself to sleep.

Nearly every movie is either a remake or a sequel. After “The Ring” was released in America with moderate success, Hollywood executives seemed to be saying, “Hey, let’s see what them Asians are up to.” It turns out that you can make a quick buck by reshooting the same movie and assaulting MTV with hordes of cookie-cutter trailers.

Alongside bland remakes like “Shutter” and “The Eye” are a whole slew of sequels that range from lame to pathetic. Hell, it’s even kind of impressive to see a movie like “The Hills Have Eyes 2,” which is a sequel of a remake. There is no boundary that Hollywood’s laziness won’t cross.

Despite my cynicism, there seems to be some hope.

One bright spot in terms of recent American horror films was “The Mist.” Recently released on DVD, the film was directed by Frank Darabont, who earned Oscar nominations when he helmed “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile.” Like those two, “The Mist” is based off of a Stephen King novella of the same name.

The film tells the simple story of a man and his son who become stuck inside of a grocery store when a malevolent mist suddenly overtakes their New England town. With hellacious creatures stalking through the haze, the survivors are forced to prepare for a siege of their hiding place.

Although the monsters are undoubtedly horrifying, the true terror comes from the psychological rift that occurs between the survivors. While half believe that rational thinking and smart planning is the best way to survive, the other half firmly decide that the entire event is God’s way of punishing the wicked.

A frightening study of mob mentality combined with a heaping dose of creatures and gore create a great, all-around horror experience.

Movies like “The Mist” prove that there’re still mounds of potential in the horror genre. If a creative team with honest passion gets behind a solid concept, audiences can still experience a great film. However, if studios continue to churn out low quality rehashes for the sole purpose of making a quick buck, horror films might become a dusty relic of cinematic past.

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