#NewsBytesExplainer: Dissecting sub-genres of horror with mainstream examples
Horror is a genre we both love and are scared of, a film genre that both invites and terrifies us. It is perfectly capable of snatching away our sleep for days and making the hair on the back of our neck stand up. Teeming with a lot of spine-chilling moments, gore, and jaw-dropping sequences, horror has various sub-genres. Let's look at some of them.
Paranormal movies
Paranormal movies might as well be the most common type of movies, something we all have watched (willingly or just as a dare!) while growing up. They feature spirits stuck in limbo and souls who are neither here nor there and possess humans to send their messages across. Movies that fit into this category are Prey for the Devil, The Exorcist, and The Conjuring.
Slasher movies
Yes, slasher movies represent exactly what they sound like. Bereft of any ounce of humanity or mercy in them, "monsters" in slasher horror thrillers are usually on a killing spree and generally increase their body count by brutally murdering their helpless victims in eerie, abandoned locations. X, Wrong Turn, Candyman, the Scream franchise, Red Dragon, and There's Someone Inside Your House are some examples.
Psychological horror
Psychological horror movies play less with people dressed up in scary, hideous costumes and more with the anticipation of what could go wrong. In such movies, we usually see the protagonist losing grip over their sanity and becoming disconnected from reality as a result of the mysterious proceedings going on in their surroundings. Some examples are The Shining, Orphan: First Kill, and Ma.
Zombie movies
As per The Los Angeles Film School, "One part monster movie, one part possession, zombie thrillers make a perfect cocktail of terror. Somehow they are the most difficult villain to kill off and just keep coming back for more." Some zombie horror movies you can explore are Go Goa Gone, Hood of the Living Dead, The Dead Don't Die, and Train to Busan.
