With its many witty references to the history of the genre, the ‘Final Destination’ franchise pays homage to classic horror. Fans who pay close attention and detect the movie’s homages are rewarded with everything from character names to secret references. Numerous character names in the series pay homage to well-known horror producers, performers, and filmmakers.
For instance, the characters Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) and his best friend Tod Waggner (Chad E. Donella) are named after George Waggner, the producer of ‘The Wolf Man’ at Universal, and Tod Browning, the director of ‘Freaks’. Lon Chaney, Browning’s frequent collaborator, is the ancestor of Terry Chaney (Amanda Detmer). In the meantime, comedy star Billy Hitchcock (Seann William Scott) pays homage to suspenseful maestro Alfred Hitchcock.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
Notable names are even given to supporting characters. Detectives Schrek and Weine make references to Robert Wiene, director of ‘The Cabinet of Dr Caligari’, and Max Schrek, the original Count Orlok in ‘Nosferatu’, while teacher Larry Murnau is named after ‘Nosferatu’ director F.W. Murnau. Filmmakers Carl Theodor Dreyer and Fredric March, the Oscar-winning star of ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, are mentioned by Blake Dreyer and Crista Marsh early on in the movie.
The most significant allusion is Valerie Lewton (Kristen Cloke), who bears the name of producer Val Lewton, who invented the “Lewton Bus” jump-scare method. Although ‘Final Destination’ twists this, this technique creates tension before ending with a harmless surprise.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
In one case, Terry Chaney gets hit by a real bus, turning the innocuous object into a lethal weapon. Similar to Lewton, the franchise’s protracted death scenes tease viewers with close calls before landing unexpected, lethal blows.
By highlighting the franchise’s historical origins in horror, these Easter eggs increase its allure. Given these well-considered features, it’s a little wonder ‘Final Destination’ is still a favourite; this year will see the debut of ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’.
–Farheen Ali