Does a horror movie have to have supernatural elements?
I was reading another Stack Exchange post that was trying to suss out the difference between the horror and thriller genres.
Some people were saying that horror movies typically have supernatural elements that are scary. But for example Silence of the Lambs, according to Wikipedia, is a horror-thriller without any supernatural elements.
Does a horror movie have to have supernatural elements? What makes a horror movie then?
Best Answer
No
Horror does not require supernatural elements. The Horror genre is defined by the deliberate attempt to invoke a phychological reaction of terror, fear, shock and revulsion in the audience. It is not a requirement that it has a supernatural element.
It does overlap with the Thriller genre, which is more intended to impart excitement through the use of suspense and menace rather than outright attempt to impart fear or shock.
There are many sub-genres of Horror including:
- Slasher. Films like Psycho and Scream
- Psychological. Silence of the Lambs, The Shining
- Religious / Supernatural. The Exorcist, The Omen
- Science Fiction. Alien, A Quiet Place.
- Splatter. Saw, Hostel
There's all sort of ways of categorizing these movies, for example The Shining has some supernatural themes, but many do not have any supernatural elements at all.
Pictures about "Does a horror movie have to have supernatural elements?"
What elements do horror movies have?
10 Elements Every Horror Film Needs- A Memorable, But Frightening Menace. ...
- Clear Rules to Live By. ...
- Plenty of Characters Who Could Disappear at Any Moment. ...
- The Element of Surprise. ...
- A Backstory That's Key to the Monster/Villain's Purpose. ...
- Proper Theme Music. ...
- The Possibility for a Sequel.
What makes a supernatural horror movie?
Supernatural horror film is a film genre that combines aspects of horror film and supernatural film. Supernatural occurrences in such films often include ghosts and demons, and many supernatural horror films have elements of religion. Common themes in the genre are the afterlife, the Devil, and demonic possession.What does the horror genre require?
Horror is a genre of literature, film, and television that is meant to scare, startle, shock, and even repulse audiences. The key focus of a horror novel, horror film, or horror TV show is to elicit a sense of dread in the reader through frightening images, themes, and situations.What are the 4 elements that make a horror film scary?
But that's what the horror genre is all about, isn't it? The buildup of suspense....But if a writer wants to craft a successful scary story, he or she can do so with a:- frightening setting.
- relatable protagonist who makes dreadful decisions.
- villain single-mindedly focused on devastation.
- suspense-driven pace.
Interested in Supernatural Thrillers? I Recommend These 8 horror Movies
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Charles Parker, Charles Parker