Image Source: “LOCAL58TV- You Are On The Fastest Route Available”
Preben Svitzer
Analog horror, an early 2010s horror subgenre, is characterized by low-fidelity VHS graphics, with a focus on conceptual horror rather than traditional plot-driven films. “Local 58,” a series released on October 25th, 2015, by the channel LOCAL58TV, is one of the first productions of the genre. Its creator, Kris Straub, drew inspiration from his earlier work, “Candle Cove,” but after seeing its increasing popularity he decided to separate “Local 58” from its predecessor.
“Local 58” consists of 12 episodes, most ranging from 1-5 minutes long with the 11th being nearly 30 minutes. The series presents itself as footage from a fictional TV channel in the 1930s Mason County, West Virginia, aptly named Local 58. The channel is hijacked multiple times throughout the series, inserting ominous messages and broadcasts into the channel.
The general story of the series is fairly vague, leaving much to interpretation, and which has led many viewers to create their own theories regarding the story’s background. While the series doesn’t have a continuous plot, most, if not all, episodes contain cryptic messages and references to staring at the moon, occasionally throwing in videos of cross-dimensional monsters and the skeleton of a gigantic organism rotting within Earth’s moon.
“Local 58” is often credited as the “grandfather” of analog horror. It inspired many works like “Gemini Home Entertainment,” and “Eventide Media Center,” displaying all the traditional aspects of its genre. Using sound and video degradation, it derives its horror not from jumpscares but from the disturbingly realistic nature.
“Local 58” prides itself on its sound design and visual effects, an apparent ideal throughout the series. Sound design is significant in any type of media across all genres, but its importance in niche genres, like analog horror, where it is even more pronounced. Using sound design to manipulate factors like tension and tone in tandem with its realistic-style images and videos, allows for a harrowing experience that is “Local 58”.
“Local 58” is a thrilling analog horror series that showcases the lure and beginnings of the VHS-based analog horror genre. While it lacks the budget of a modern production in the same genre, this web series focuses on the core aspects of analog horror. Featuring realistic graphics and excellent sound design, “Local 58” has rightfully earned the title of the “Grandfather of Analog Horror.”
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