We don’t often big someone up, but I wanted to make an exception. I browse through a lot of YouTube, like everyone, and a while back I discovered Kane Pixels’ Backrooms. On the previous version of Last Movie Outpost I had written up an article talking about A24 producing a movie based on the channel.
I will start off by saying I deliberately haven’t done much research on this project as I don’t want to know too much about it. I will expand on that later.
Backrooms
Pixels is a digital artist. Some of his early videos are recreations from Attack on Titan as historical movie footage. I like things with strong visuals, so found his channel interesting.
I know it’s not to everyone’s taste, but it is impressive work. He also made a few shorter videos, some of which serve as an introduction to Backrooms. Then he made this.
It’s such a simple premise. Someone with a video camera wakes up in a series of rooms. How did he get there? What are these rooms? Do you stay where you are or try to find a way out? And what the hell is that thing chasing him?
I love how the visuals are just simple. Yes, there is CG in there, but it’s not over the top. It’s not stupidly rendered CG. Those Backrooms are real. It quite caught people’s imaginations and has over 60 million views on YouTube.
The way he recreates video footage is very impressive as well. Some people have said that the entire thing is CG, but the way the camera moves, I’m not sure. I think he’s found an old abandoned office building somewhere. If it is CG, then holy shitballs!
Backrooms – Found Footage #3
His newest video went up on Friday and I watched it in the evening. Another ‘victim’ of the backrooms enters and has to make his way through them. Each room is different to the next. Why are they there? What do they mean?
As this newest person makes their way around, this video seems to expand more on what this place might be. Some of it looks bigger than expected, much bigger.
You know the old trope, a long silence, tension builds and then there is a jump scare? This newest video is mostly just the build-up. As the person moves throughout the rooms, you are constantly on edge about what he will encounter.
If you are going to watch them, I suggest you watch them in order. There are little nuggets of what is going on throughout, but they are spoon-fed to you. This way, it’s not giving you the whole thing. It’s all about teasing you and keeping you guessing.
What’s It All About?
This is the thing I really like about Backrooms. Most modern movies have to spell everything out. This is Captain America, he is a super soldier, he fights the Red Skull, as an example.
Now and then you get a director that makes you have to use your imagination, like when Nolan, at the end of Inception, makes you question what is real. Personally, I love it when movies give you room to use your imagination. This is exactly what Backrooms does.
My take on this is; the Backrooms were created by aliens. They have used limited resources to put together what they think the human world looks like. Now and then, they kidnap a random human and put them in the rooms, so see how they react, much like putting a mouse in a maze.
It reminds me of a movie like Cube. Again, there’s no explanation, no real ‘bad guy’, just a bunch of people trapped inside an ever-changing series of rooms.
Backrooms: The Movie
I was a huge fan of A24, but I have lost a little faith in them more recently. Their stuff is becoming very formulaic, but I have hope for a Backrooms movie. I just hope they keep it as simple as possible.
There is no need to overcomplicate it, no need for a love interest and no need to ruin a good thing. The original video, with over 60 million views, is popular for a reason. I also hope they nail the ending. How many movies these days are great, only to ruin things at the end like Amber Heard making your bed?
Pixels seems like a genuinely creative person and I can’t wait to see what he does next. I just wanted to give him some love and if you love good horror, he’s worth checking out. You can find his channel here.