As a horror fan, I have heard this statement more times than I’d like to admit. My fault completely because I have a strong opinion on what makes a horror movie and what doesn’t, and a lot of times, people disagree with my assessment. It begs the question, what makes a horror movie?
The traditional definition of horror films simply states that a horror movie just has to cause a physical or psychological reaction from the viewer. That definition does not say anything about the actual content of the movie, just that it has to make the viewer feel something. This is the definition I go by when I make a determination as to whether something is horror or not. Did I feel something?
In movies like Midsommar, Obsession, or Backrooms to name some popular films, there is no true villain in the movie at all. With all three of these movies, sure, things happen to the main character but the journey for them is nothing like a traditional horror like Nightmare on Elm Street. They don’t have a “monster” or “slasher” in the traditional sense but I can guarantee you that each one of those movies made the viewers feel something they probably wouldn’t want to feel in real life. Unsettling, uneasy, and sometimes unbelievably graphic things happen and that’s all a horror movie needs. We don’t always need a supernatural aspect.
Those are some obvious horrors but what about a movie like Seven? Pan’s Labyrinth? Lamb? Eyes without a Face? Nightmare Alley? Are these horror movies? I would argue yes. Why? Because I would argue that most suspense thrillers, crime films, and noir fall into the overall genre of horror. No, there isn’t a huge scary creature chasing you but are you telling me that a serial killer is not monster? Are you telling me that a suspense thriller like Seven didn’t make you feel unsettled? Uneasy? Scared of what was in the box? Don’t lie to me and say you weren’t scared for Brad Pitt.
When I made my 31 in 31 list for this year, I had a feeling there would be some question as to what I considered horror and its simple: if a movie makes me feel scared, it’s horror. But I am always interested in seeing how other people categorize movies, especially when the movie intentionally wobbles on the line.
And that’s why horror is my favorite genre. I love to see the unique ways people try to scare us, and I absolutely love when people make me scared of something I never thought to be scared of. A killer Bambi? Come on!
And what if every movie is horror? Is that so bad?
What are your favorite “not horror” horror movies? Do you have a different opinion on what makes a horror movie? Let me know your thoughts!
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