While it’s easy to find horror subgenre films that don’t show tons of gore, there’s this expectation that a horror film should/will bring viscera, often by the bucketload. And, to be fair, this is not an unrealistic expectation in the slightest. Horror, for decades now, has always pushed the boundaries in terms of seeing just how much an audience could stomach without going too far, although there are times when, in my opinion, they blew past that line and never looked back.
We’ve gone through a great many subgenres in my How To Start Getting Into Horror series but this is one that many of you were waiting for, wondering how I’d tackle such a topic. I’ll admit that it’s not easy, not because of the wide variety of offerings but rather because I’m always thinking how to introduce someone who is just getting started with the concept. If it’s too much, it’ll just push them away, which is the last thing I want to do. I want them to love what they see, I want them to appreciate it, and I want them to ask for more.
That’s always been the goal here, to foster and nurture a newfound passion. And from the conversations I’ve had with people about their distaste of horror, it’s almost certain that the blood and gore is going to have a strong impact on their reasoning.
So let’s try and change that, shall we? Let’s submit a few movie ideas that bring the gore but don’t make it the focus.
Okay, so I know that I already mentioned Se7en in the “Psychological“, but it was brief and, let’s be honest, this film deserves a lot more attention than it was given.
Yes, Se7en is a psychological thriller. That is undeniable. But if you want to tell me that it’s not a horror film, I’m going to argue that with you until I’m blue in the face. You simply can’t convince me otherwise. And when it comes to gore, this is a perfect entry point for many people.
Firstly, the film has several really acclaimed stars, which makes it appealing for non-horror fans to enjoy. You’ve got Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Each of those stars have fans from their diverse filmography, so viewers can immediately feel a connection to these familiar faces.
Secondly, it’s not a film that bases itself off of the gore. Rather, the gore is meant to amplify the terror of the situation. Just think of the film and how it plays out. Yes, there are dead bodies but the majority of the gore is hidden, obscured, or out of focus, leaving it to the imagination (which, incidentally, makes it far, far worse). By avoiding showing the gore, the viewer doesn’t have to feel physically squeamish, just emotionally affected, which makes it all the more powerful .
Thirdly, it’s simply a great movie. It’s well written, wonderfully directed, beautifully shot, and it stays with you. And once that last shot goes into the credits, it haunts you for the rest of your life, the world having broken Detective Mills and, in a way, our own belief.
After that, it’s easy to get into something like Dead Alive, which is COMPLETELY over-the-top in the gore department. But that’s what makes it so entertaining! You go from the subtlety of Se7en to the sheer carnage of this film and it makes sense. It’s a transition from seriousness to humor, from sadness to levity. In fact, as weird of a pairing as this is, it’d make a great double feature if you want to get someone interested in the gorier films that horror has to offer.
After those, we all know that there are several great horror films that have a ton of gore and are extremely enjoyable. Think of titles like 30 Days Of Night and the Evil Dead sequel/remake/reboot/whatever and the vast amount of fake blood that’s used throughout. Plus, the latter is such an exciting film with TONS of gory moments.
Once you make it through films that are fun and exciting, then you can move onto ones that test the stomachs of viewers, movies like Hostel, Cannibal Holocaust, Martyrs, Videodrome, etc… These are still great movies but they have a certain…perverse approach to them. These aren’t truly meant to be films to pop on for entertainment. These are meant to assault the senses, to leave you feeling changed and different once the credits roll. And while that certainly has a place in our genre, it shouldn’t be the way to get people started.
Alright readers, that’s a quick recommendation on how to get into gory horror movies. If you have some movies or recommendations yourself, let me know in the comments!
Check out the rest of our How To Start Getting Into Horror series.
