I justify the significance of analyzing these films in three ways. The first is that this work will be some of the first research to examine 2010s horror cinema since the end of the decade. As we enter a new chapter of film history, it is important to begin scholarly research that reflects on the messages of the recent past. The 2010s are now behind us and can be studied as an era of filmmaking. A great deal of horror film scholarship does not touch on post-2000s film making (Carroll; Clover; Fry; Glasby; Sobchack) and those that do, do not look at the 2010s as a finished decade of cinema (Kerner; Ng; Ryan; Sipos). Doing this research at the beginning of the 2020s gives me a unique opportunity to create new work that looks back on the most recent segment of film history. This research is relevant because I aim to not only connect 2010s gothic horror films with the larger history of the genre but also draw conclusions about social fears from the decade based on themes and commentary identified in the selected movies. 

My second justification is that the films I have selected are culturally relevant and should be studied. The Babadook (2014), Crimson Peak (2015), and The Invitation (2015) all received critical praise for their stunning cinematography and unique narratives (Foundas; O’Malley). The review-aggregation website, Rotten Tomatoes, lists all three films on their ranking of “100 Best 2010s Horror Movies” (rottentomatoes.com) and while Crimson Peak has been studied for its gothic style (Smith; Weeber), The Babadook and The Invitation have not. In my analysis, I highlight the ways these films fit into the gothic genre just as well as Crimson Peak. My research will add to the existing literature on these films, rationalize their significance in horror film history, and examine their gothic influence and style.  

Finally, this study has a social significance, for the theme of isolation is currently painfully relevant. This project will look at how isolation is depicted as an unnatural and scary opposition to the human condition  in The Babadook, Crimson Peak, and The Invitation and will look at isolation as a recurring theme in the gothic horror genre. Isolation is currently an especially salient topic, for the COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in the “implementation of unprecedented ‘social distancing’ strategies” (Hwang et al.). As a crucial step to ending the pandemic, people have had to remain isolated from one another to an extent most have never experienced. Isolation is currently a popular topic of discussion both casually and academically. Furthermore, the feeling of isolation has been feared for centuries and therefore has been present throughout horror cinema history. My work will add to its cultural dialogues about isolation both past and present.