10 Essential Horror Subgenres to Explore Before Your Next Movie Marathon

People who aren't into horror often lump all things 'scary' together, something that doesn’t happen with other genres—American Pie and Molière’s plays are both comedies but rarely grouped as one. Similarly, just because you enjoy Scream doesn't mean you'll like Cannibal Holocaust, even though both fall under the horror banner. Understanding horror subgenres can really help you navigate your way through the genre.

Fans often argue over what qualifies as a subgenre, and there’s no definitive list. Are zombie movies their own genre, or are they simply a part of survival horror? Is found footage a genre or just a technique? Do giallo films always have to be Italian? The lines are often blurred, with many films fitting comfortably into multiple subgenres. For example, a slasher movie villain could very well be a supernatural creature.

Horror varies wildly in both its immediate impact and lingering effect. You might laugh at a silly monster tearing people apart but feel unsettled by more realistic violence, or find it funny when someone’s limbs are ripped off but then get terrified just thinking about a massive spider. Knowing your subgenres can really make a difference.

1. Slasher Films

When a movie revolves around a group of good-looking but mostly forgettable teens meeting gruesome ends, you’re likely watching a slasher flick. The genre exploded in the 1970s, thanks to films like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and John Carpenter’s Halloween. It faded for a while, only to make a triumphant return in the late 1990s and early 2000s, led by Scream and a slew of similar films where characters quip things like, 'I hope I don’t get murdered by a scary killer'—before being murdered by a scary killer.

Must-See Films: Black Christmas (1974), Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), Scream (1996), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

2. Monster Films

Often referred to as creature features, monster movies helped shape the horror genre in the 1930s to the 1950s, with Universal Studios leading the charge. From Frankenstein (1931) to Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), these films featured men in rubber suits rampaging through miniature cities. While modern audiences are more attuned to the mechanics of special effects, which makes it harder to suspend disbelief in films like Godzilla battling King Kong, there’s been a return to practical effects thanks to filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Sam Raimi, J.J. Abrams, and George Miller. As a result, many modern monster films now skew toward sci-fi rather than pure horror, using alien or otherworldly origins to justify their colossal creatures (as seen in Jordan Peele’s Nope).

Essential Viewing: Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954), Godzilla (1954), Alien (1979), Pacific Rim (2013), The Meg (2018), Nope (2022)

3. Giallo Films

Giallo films blend various genres, often combining elements of slashers, thrillers, and mysteries with a distinctive artistic and sensual flair. Originating in Italy during the 1960s and ’70s, the genre became synonymous with directors like Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, and Mario Bava, though its influence can still be seen in Hollywood today. Defining what exactly makes a film giallo can be tricky, but most fans know it when they see it. Not very helpful, right? Well, that’s part of the charm!

Essential Viewing: Suspiria (1977), Inferno (1980), Malignant (2021)

4. Supernatural Horror

Supernatural creatures—like ghosts, spirits returning from the afterlife, and otherworldly beings—are a staple of horror. This category includes tales of demonic possessions and exorcisms, poltergeists, haunted locations, and of course, classic ghosts. Many of Stephen King’s adaptations fall into this realm as well. Keep in mind: Pennywise isn’t just an eerie clown—he’s a terrifying, transdimensional demon that happens to take the form of a clown!

Must-See Films: The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976), The Evil Dead (1981), Paranormal Activity (2007), Drag Me To Hell (2009)

5. Splatter Films

Known also as 'gore movies' or, less flatteringly, 'torture porn,' splatter films focus on the visceral details of violence—eyeballs hanging from skulls, entrails flying through the air, and characters using intestines like ropes. These films revel in graphic carnage, with happy endings being the rare exception. Instead, they often present a cynical view of human life, with filmmakers pushing the limits to showcase their capacity for grotesque excess.

Essential Viewing: I Spit On Your Grave (1978), Driller Killer (1979), Cannibal Holocaust (1980), Audition (1999), Saw (2004), Hostel (2005)

6. Survival Horror

The term survival horror was originally used for video games but has come to describe a genre of intense, nerve-wracking films where a diverse group of people struggles to survive against a monstrous horde, often getting picked off one by one. While these films are frequently centered around zombies, they can also explore other apocalyptic scenarios, typically unfolding over a brief period of time.

Must-See Films: Dawn Of The Dead (1978), 28 Days Later... (2002), Resident Evil (2002), Bird Box (2018)

7. Psychological Horror

What could be scarier than the thought that the killer is inside your house? The chilling idea that the killer could be inside your mind. Psychological horror shifts the focus away from visual spectacle and dives into discomfort, fear, identity, paranoia, and madness. It explores the unsettling thought that any of us could be teetering on the edge of reality, or asks what it would take to push someone into committing horrific acts. Creepy children! Terrifying mothers! The fear of accidentally becoming a serial killer—it’s all possible.

Must-See Films: The Shining (1980), The Others (2001), Kill List (2011), The Babadook (2014), Mother! (2017)

8. Body Horror

Body horror films focus on grotesque physical transformation rather than just injury, though there’s plenty of overlap. This subgenre blends both physical and psychological terror, often exploring the fear of losing one’s humanity, or having your very essence overtaken by something monstrous—either through accident or malicious intent. David Cronenberg is the undisputed master of body horror, with his take on The Fly standing as one of the genre’s finest examples. Expect distorted flesh, metal replacing skin, mutated sexual organs, and the grotesque nightmare that is The Human Centipede.

Must-See Films: Videodrome (1983), The Fly (1986), The Human Centipede (2009), Titane (2021)

9. Occult/Folk Horror

Folk horror is typically set in rural locations and involves elements like cults, forests, and a fear of outsiders. Known for its often grim endings and pervasive sense of nihilism, this genre is currently experiencing a resurgence, potentially due to the disconnection of modern life and our conflicted feelings about 'the old ways,' or simply because incorporating goat entrails into films is just intriguing.

Must-Watch Films: The Wicker Man (1973), The Witch (2015), Midsommar (2019), Lamb (2021), Men (2022)

10. Elevated Horror

Elevated horror is a fairly new and often debated term that blends arthouse cinema with the horror genre. It refers to works that are led by a unique, visionary direction rather than the mass-produced offerings of franchise-driven projects. A24 is frequently associated with this subgenre. The term carries an implication, which some fans take offense to, suggesting that horror films, as a whole, are of poor quality and only those with artistic merit should be considered worth watching. Many films that could be considered elevated horror today are overshadowed by the sequels they inspired, despite their original brilliance.

Must-Watch Films: It Follows (2014), Get Out (2017), Saint Maud (2019)

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