Everygenre has its offshoots. Inan age of postmodernism, where pretty much everything has been done, movie-makers are constantly exploring new ways to surprise audiences and subvert expectations.Horroris perhaps the most transcendental genre of all.
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It can manifest in so many different ways, tapping into a variety of fears and insecurities both physical and psychological by merging with other styles. And furthermore, it has been doing so since the beginning. Almost from day one, horror was slithering down a myriad of routes to scare the masses. Here are some of the mostpopular horror subgenres, andkey movies from each.
10Gothic Horror
Gothic horror is perhaps the most recognized horror subgenre. It gave fans all of those wonderful cliches, from bats and castles, to cobwebs and vampires and lone figures stalking candlelit hallways. Often romantic, almost always full of creeping shadows, Gothic horror reigned supreme duringthe days of Karloff and Lugosi, and again with the Hammer Horror output of the 50s and 60s.
James Whale’sFrankensteinis Gothic horror at its finest. A ghoulish tale of grave-digging and reanimation, with a suitably nasty-looking cemetery and an even creepier monster, it set the standard for everything that followed.
9Comedy Horror
Comedy and horrorhave always worked well together, ever sinceBride of FrankensteinandThe Old Dark House. Sometimes, the comedy takes over (for better or worse), whilst at other times it is used sparingly and to great effect. Horror is also the most spoofed of all genres, and while most of the time these are misses, when done properly, it’s very funny.
Shaun of the Deadis perfect comedy horror. Genuinely eerie, with the threat played dead straight (No pun intended), it finds humor in the characters and their situations as much as the zombies around them. It’s also extremely clever. Romero was a fan!
8Body Horror
There’s nothing more frightening than the horror that comesfrom our own bodies. Violating the flesh through disease, possession, sex or mutation, body horror is the goriest of the spooky subgenres, taking things even further than slasher movies.
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David Cronenberg is the undisputed king of body horror, andShiverswas his first real foray into that world. Reviled by critics upon release, it features a host of taboo subjects, including bodily possession by way of sex, and set the standard for what was to come from the director.
7Folk Horror
Folk horror plays with themes of superstition, paganism, folk religion and sacrifice. Often dealing with supernatural themes, some of the strongest folk horror films actually only suggest paranormal influence, the antagonists usually being people with alternative beliefs.
The Wicker Manis the ultimate folk horror movie. Showing the plight of an outsider in a strange village, whose religious upbringing is wildly different to the locals, it builds up the mystery and suspense right up to the chilling finale.
6Found-Footage Horror
Found-footage filmsput audiences right in the middle of the action. It’s about as real as horror can get when done properly, showing viewers what usually is the final moments of a group of people up against something very unpleasant indeed.
The Blair Witch Projectmight not be the first found-footage horror, but it was certainly the one that brought it into the mainstream. Infamous upon release (many thought it was real), the true horror of the film comes not from what the viewers do see, but from what they don’t.
5Eco-Horror
No animal is safe from being turned into a monster of some sort. From ants and cats, tococaine-fuelled bears, frogs and even shrews, eco-horror leaves no corner of the animal kingdom untainted.
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Jawsdidn’t just inspire amovement of eco-horror(which included thePiranhafilms), it also changed the face of motion-picture history. A big summer blockbuster about a killer shark, it had people fleeing the ocean and flocking to the cinemas instead.
4Apocalyptic Horror
Apocalyptic horror can take many forms, perhaps the most popular being the Zombie movie. Dealing withthe end of the world, and/or what comes after, these films are usually very close to reality – if not in the cause, then certainly in the way that humanity deals with it.
Threadsis the most terrifying, difficult apocalyptic drama ever made. Set in a quiet English town in the 1980s, it shows audiences what might happen if the Russians dropped a nuclear bomb on the United Kingdom, and the awful after-effects. A tough, grueling watch – once seen, never forgotten.
3Supernatural Horror
Supernatural horror movies are the ones that have viewers sleeping with the lights on. Often combing elements ofGothic and psychological, these paranormal movies dare to shine a light on the things that go bump in the night. For added effect, some involve possessed children just to unease audiences further.
The Exorcistis steeped in psychological horror and mystery, right up until the rug is pulled, and it’s revealed that poor Regan MacNeil is indeed possessed by a truly unpleasant entity claiming to be the Devil. A landmark movie.
2Psychological Horror
Psychological horror invades the mind. Whether paired with the gore of slasher movies, or peppered with elements of the supernatural, the scares of the psychological are far more introverted and slow-building. There’s usually a strong mystery element too, as motives are questioned and viewpoints are shattered.The villains are usually human, too.
The Silence of the Lambsis an incredible example of psychological horror. It dares audiences to glimpse inside the mind of two very different, butequally evil serial killers.
1Slasher Horror
Arguably the most popular horror subgenre,slasher films are surprisingly versatile. Often featuring a (usually masked) psychopath, slashers have the power to scare, amuse and even subvert. At one end of the spectrum, there’s theFriday 13thfranchise with their popcorn-friendly gore setpieces. On the other, theScreammovies, that toy with slasher conventions with style and wit.
The first ‘proper’ slasher is probably the originalHalloween. It contains the familiar tropes –mad man in a mask, horny teenagers getting slaughtered – but it’s executed with far more decorum and taste than some of the gnarlier, mid-80’s efforts.
