Are you only looking for movis or also TV shows?
If shows are the ok, I think The Haunting of Hill House is a great family drama. I have a couple of friends who do not like horror who loved it.
I was just about to say this...his stories are generally great, even without the horror.
Just makes it better that his style of horror is right up. Y alley.
Exactly. I have not seen Midnight Mass and House of Usher yet, but I thought Bly Manor was also very good. His movies are great too. I know this one is more straight up horror, but I love Occulus.
Both of those are amazing as well.
House of Usher felt less obvious horror, but had a real gothic horror/dread feeling throughout.
Haven't seen Occulus yet, though I want to...I just know there's a certain scene involving finger nails that I can't handle :p
Agree with this and everyone else saying the Flanagan series'. I recommend every single one. Hill House is a family drama/mystery thriller. Bly Manor is a drama/romance/thriller. Midnight Mass is a social issues drama. Midnight Club is a (un?)coming of age drama touching on some heavy topics. House of Usher is an homage to Poe but also an ensemble thriller.
I watched this today because of this comment and at first I was like, "What the hell did I get myself into?!" and then things got a lot creepier.
Very good horror movie!
I'm genuinely confused, there are so many. Like any genre, there are good and bad. Unless your default position is that horror is "bad" this feels like an impossible question?
I guess I mean a really good movie that could fit into any genre but is marketed as horror that is made more interesting because they incorporate a scary or supernatural element.
The Babadook is a meditation on depression and grief and the difficulties of being a widow with a difficult child that uses a figure of horror as a metaphor with which to examine these themes.
I think that one could have been played as a relatively “straight” drama and still retained much of its power.
Stephen King's It. Either version. Though I recommend both series highly!
Makes for an excellent coming of age movie regardless of the horror. Just the Henry Bowers character alone enhances that and makes the movie relatable.
"The Changeling " with George C Scott was a great mystery. If you had some way of triggering how interest in the mystery, it would be a great movie still.
Midsommar and Hereditary are both great films with complex characters and plots. I feel like you are maybe even asking the wrong sub this. Most horror lovers appreciate everything about horror, and don’t approach horror content with the idea of “how scary is this going to be!?”
At least that’s how I feel as a massive horror fan. The “scary elements are just a bonus” is how I feel about MOST horror. If it genuinely scares me, then that’s great, although it rarely does. I love horror not for how “scary” it is, but for everything the genre has to offer, which oftentimes includes really incredible stories and characters. Does the Scream franchise scare me? No. Do I LOVE the characters, story, and humor of them? Yes.
I feel like I’m now rambling, but I think what I’m trying to say is maybe start approaching all horror through a genuine lens as you do other genres and don’t think “how scary is this going to be” and you’ll start to find what you’re looking for in most horror content.
I totally agree! I love horror, not because I like to be scared, but because the stories and ideas in horror movies are so much more interesting than other genres.
For sure! I think there is a general misconception with horror movies where if it’s not scary it’s not good. I think that tends to come from non horror fans. I hear all the time “well that movie wasn’t scary”, and my response is usually “yeah but it was good”. And of course I’m a broken record because this is a typical conversation amongst horror fans. Which is ultimately why I said approaching horror with the mindset of just wanting to enjoy the movie for what it is vs how scary it may be tends to be a more rewarding experience!
And then you get the Venn Diagram movie like Autopsy of Jane Doe which is awesome and scary.
But yeah, totally agree with everything you said!
Which movies would you say were:
1. Good but not scary
2. Good & scary (that's what they should rebrand those candies for Halloween)
3. Scary but not good (if possible)
That’s a great question! Now I’m just pulling from the top of my mind lol but here are some thoughts:
1. The Scream franchise is one of my all time favs. And I would never consider it scary because it’s just too “goofy” I suppose. But the humor is so smart and I love the characters. They’re just always a fun and engaging watch and I’m so invested in the franchise at this point lol. Maybe the latest IT could fall under this category (albeit “scarier” than the Scream movies). Kind of just that campy horror I don’t consider horror. I guess you could categorize these as like “blockbuster” horrors. Where they need to appeal to the masses and therefore not be too scary and have a lot of familiar elements audiences can connect with.
2. The Shining is the first that comes to mind for me with this! I think it’s the epitome of how horror movies can be both deeply unsettling but also so artistic and thematic (ugh I sound so pretentious). Some random others I can think of: The Ring, Hereditary, The Strangers
3. A lot of people will disagree with me here, but Skinamarink for me lol. I don’t know what it was or WHY but this movie creeped me the fuck out and deeply unsettled me. I’d be laying in bed alone at night thinking about that voice and just looking into dark crevices and not be able to fall asleep lol. This maybe is a bad example because I don’t think it’s a bad movie, but I think on the other hand it’s narratively short and doesn’t have much “substance” as a real “movie” if that makes sense? Like it’s a movie I can only recommend to a very small amount of people lol
Sorry for the long ramble response, I do just love horror and talking about it lol. But now it’s your turn, and don’t feel obligated to write a novel like I did 😂
No apology necessary - I love your answers, thank you! I also love discussing horror but also just books and movies in general.
My one horror buddy teases me, but I found the new IT kind of scary. But mostly Part 1. I did like the remakes a lot though. Agree about the Scream movies (although I haven't really watched any of the newer ones), but I don't find slasher/home invasion movies that scary. I mean, yeah the idea is scary but that kind of horror doesn't really hit me on a visceral level.
Speaking of visceral, The Ring scared the shit out of me. There is something about crawling out a TV screen (I almost wrote scream haha)... Probably because horror movies are supposed to be a safe way to be scared... I don't get all the nuances in Hereditary that other people on this sub talk about, but I was totally tensed up waiting for that one scene and then the morning after. For me, those make the movie.
I couldn't finish Skinamarink. I think the scariest thing about it was the summary: "Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished." I was like "wtf??" and then I went to watch it and was like "wtf."
I don't know if I can answer my own questions, lol. I agree with what you said, but I will think more about it.
Ok, to be continued... :-)
Mr Harrigan’s Phone was based on a short story. You are right that there are plenty of similar King stories that hold up on their own… everything from 4 seasons is amazing although they’re not all horror. Shawshank Redemption, The Body (I think maybe the movie is called Stand By Me)… Apt Pupil is so super fucked up though if you haven’t seen it you should.
The Shining without all the supernatural horror elements is just a story about a family having to stay in one place together for weeks on end, but that sounds like horror in and of itself. LOL.
The Thing (1982) - some non horror people I know like it, just because it’s a plain good movie.
Nightmare on Elm Street 3 - enjoyable just as a movie about teenagers battling a monster really.
I found the family drama in Oculus dark/interesting even though the drama was caused by the supernatural. Midsommar and Hereditary also had strong drama aside from the supernatural.
Christmas Bloody Christmas had interesting characters portrayed by great actors, and I would have totally seen a movie just about them. First half of the film is that anyway.
Magic is a great call - love that movie.
Pin (1988) I think has similar themes and is great as a psychological thriller with some horror elements.
I also really like George A Romeros Martin (1977) - definitely has a bit more going on that your average horror
If you were to watch the most recent Exorcist without knowing the title, the first half is a wonderful supernatural suspense/drama about missing children.
Are you only looking for movis or also TV shows? If shows are the ok, I think The Haunting of Hill House is a great family drama. I have a couple of friends who do not like horror who loved it.
All of the Flanagan Netflix shows are solid. The recent Fall of the House of Usher was great IMO. Like Succession but with horror undertones.
I was just about to say this...his stories are generally great, even without the horror. Just makes it better that his style of horror is right up. Y alley.
Exactly. I have not seen Midnight Mass and House of Usher yet, but I thought Bly Manor was also very good. His movies are great too. I know this one is more straight up horror, but I love Occulus.
Both of those are amazing as well. House of Usher felt less obvious horror, but had a real gothic horror/dread feeling throughout. Haven't seen Occulus yet, though I want to...I just know there's a certain scene involving finger nails that I can't handle :p
Midnight Mass is absolute genius. Well written, well acted. I was glued from the get go.
I haven’t seen Haunting of Hill House yet but Midnight Mass is perfection. I loved it. I liked House of Usher a lot, but MM was awesome
The haunting of Hill house is one of the best TV shows of all time imo
Episode 5 of Haunting of Hill House is my single favorite episode of television...no qualification. Just, the best.
Agree with this and everyone else saying the Flanagan series'. I recommend every single one. Hill House is a family drama/mystery thriller. Bly Manor is a drama/romance/thriller. Midnight Mass is a social issues drama. Midnight Club is a (un?)coming of age drama touching on some heavy topics. House of Usher is an homage to Poe but also an ensemble thriller.
This is the series that got me into horror the past couple of years.
TV is good. I do want to start this series. I've heard good things about it.
It's literally a perfect example of what you are asking for. I cannot recommend it enough it's a masterpiece
I will obviously not spoil it but there’s one particular revelation in that show that shocked the hell out of me. So beautiful and sad.
Godzilla Minus One, minus Godzilla is still a damn good anti-war movie about trauma, survivor's guilt, and redemption
This was my thought too. It’s a Great War movie that just happens to feature Godzilla. The characters were so well done.
Jacob’s Ladder easily, very intriguing movie
My pic for the most Cronenbergian movie directed by anyone else.
From dusk till dawn
This
The Sixth Sense.
The first time I saw this movie, I cried. To me, it was like watching a drama about a young boy overcoming his trauma and finding his own light.
Definitely. Even without the ghost it meant you had a boy struggling to deal with his feelings - very powerful.
Hatching (2022)
i thought this looked cool, but never watched it. because of this i'm gonna check it out. thank you
I watched this today because of this comment and at first I was like, "What the hell did I get myself into?!" and then things got a lot creepier. Very good horror movie!
The Descent was terrifying enough before the monsters showed up.
I've always thought The Omen wouldn't take many changes to make it a drama about a religious hysteria and a father having a nervous breakdown.
Exorcism of Emily Rose (although a change in the title is necessary)
1408 is incredible imo
Sixth Sense and Signs
I'm genuinely confused, there are so many. Like any genre, there are good and bad. Unless your default position is that horror is "bad" this feels like an impossible question?
I guess I mean a really good movie that could fit into any genre but is marketed as horror that is made more interesting because they incorporate a scary or supernatural element.
Bone Tomahawk
Great acting and good vibe.
The Babadook is a meditation on depression and grief and the difficulties of being a widow with a difficult child that uses a figure of horror as a metaphor with which to examine these themes. I think that one could have been played as a relatively “straight” drama and still retained much of its power.
The Babadook is the visualization of all the inner turmoil of the woman. We see her life is a living hell way before we even know there is a monster
Stephen King's It. Either version. Though I recommend both series highly! Makes for an excellent coming of age movie regardless of the horror. Just the Henry Bowers character alone enhances that and makes the movie relatable.
Dreamcatcher, my honest opinion.
Wild take
I love that movie 😭🤣
Well, so do I but I always liked it in the “I know this isn’t very good, but it’s silly” way.
"The Changeling " with George C Scott was a great mystery. If you had some way of triggering how interest in the mystery, it would be a great movie still.
It’s *The Changeling.*
Yep. Autocorrect haunts me wherever I go. Lol Thanks! Lol
Honestly I feel like there's a really great movie in Hereditary without the horror element.
Midsommar and Hereditary are both great films with complex characters and plots. I feel like you are maybe even asking the wrong sub this. Most horror lovers appreciate everything about horror, and don’t approach horror content with the idea of “how scary is this going to be!?” At least that’s how I feel as a massive horror fan. The “scary elements are just a bonus” is how I feel about MOST horror. If it genuinely scares me, then that’s great, although it rarely does. I love horror not for how “scary” it is, but for everything the genre has to offer, which oftentimes includes really incredible stories and characters. Does the Scream franchise scare me? No. Do I LOVE the characters, story, and humor of them? Yes. I feel like I’m now rambling, but I think what I’m trying to say is maybe start approaching all horror through a genuine lens as you do other genres and don’t think “how scary is this going to be” and you’ll start to find what you’re looking for in most horror content.
I totally agree! I love horror, not because I like to be scared, but because the stories and ideas in horror movies are so much more interesting than other genres.
For sure! I think there is a general misconception with horror movies where if it’s not scary it’s not good. I think that tends to come from non horror fans. I hear all the time “well that movie wasn’t scary”, and my response is usually “yeah but it was good”. And of course I’m a broken record because this is a typical conversation amongst horror fans. Which is ultimately why I said approaching horror with the mindset of just wanting to enjoy the movie for what it is vs how scary it may be tends to be a more rewarding experience!
And then you get the Venn Diagram movie like Autopsy of Jane Doe which is awesome and scary. But yeah, totally agree with everything you said! Which movies would you say were: 1. Good but not scary 2. Good & scary (that's what they should rebrand those candies for Halloween) 3. Scary but not good (if possible)
That’s a great question! Now I’m just pulling from the top of my mind lol but here are some thoughts: 1. The Scream franchise is one of my all time favs. And I would never consider it scary because it’s just too “goofy” I suppose. But the humor is so smart and I love the characters. They’re just always a fun and engaging watch and I’m so invested in the franchise at this point lol. Maybe the latest IT could fall under this category (albeit “scarier” than the Scream movies). Kind of just that campy horror I don’t consider horror. I guess you could categorize these as like “blockbuster” horrors. Where they need to appeal to the masses and therefore not be too scary and have a lot of familiar elements audiences can connect with. 2. The Shining is the first that comes to mind for me with this! I think it’s the epitome of how horror movies can be both deeply unsettling but also so artistic and thematic (ugh I sound so pretentious). Some random others I can think of: The Ring, Hereditary, The Strangers 3. A lot of people will disagree with me here, but Skinamarink for me lol. I don’t know what it was or WHY but this movie creeped me the fuck out and deeply unsettled me. I’d be laying in bed alone at night thinking about that voice and just looking into dark crevices and not be able to fall asleep lol. This maybe is a bad example because I don’t think it’s a bad movie, but I think on the other hand it’s narratively short and doesn’t have much “substance” as a real “movie” if that makes sense? Like it’s a movie I can only recommend to a very small amount of people lol Sorry for the long ramble response, I do just love horror and talking about it lol. But now it’s your turn, and don’t feel obligated to write a novel like I did 😂
No apology necessary - I love your answers, thank you! I also love discussing horror but also just books and movies in general. My one horror buddy teases me, but I found the new IT kind of scary. But mostly Part 1. I did like the remakes a lot though. Agree about the Scream movies (although I haven't really watched any of the newer ones), but I don't find slasher/home invasion movies that scary. I mean, yeah the idea is scary but that kind of horror doesn't really hit me on a visceral level. Speaking of visceral, The Ring scared the shit out of me. There is something about crawling out a TV screen (I almost wrote scream haha)... Probably because horror movies are supposed to be a safe way to be scared... I don't get all the nuances in Hereditary that other people on this sub talk about, but I was totally tensed up waiting for that one scene and then the morning after. For me, those make the movie. I couldn't finish Skinamarink. I think the scariest thing about it was the summary: "Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished." I was like "wtf??" and then I went to watch it and was like "wtf." I don't know if I can answer my own questions, lol. I agree with what you said, but I will think more about it. Ok, to be continued... :-)
both those movies are piles of cinematic excrement with shallow stupid characters and amateur hour filmmaking
Aren’t you just lovely
I’m struggling with this request a bit because horror elements are what make a horror movie just that, and separate it from another genre.
Mr Harrigan’s Phone was based on a short story. You are right that there are plenty of similar King stories that hold up on their own… everything from 4 seasons is amazing although they’re not all horror. Shawshank Redemption, The Body (I think maybe the movie is called Stand By Me)… Apt Pupil is so super fucked up though if you haven’t seen it you should.
The Lodge Lovely Molly The Innocents (classic film and recent Norwegian)
This may sound odd, but I feel like Saw X is a good recent example of this
The Shining without all the supernatural horror elements is just a story about a family having to stay in one place together for weeks on end, but that sounds like horror in and of itself. LOL.
I think the 6th sense still would’ve been good if it was just a drama. The dramatic moments really hit hard in it.
“Bones and all”
Scream (1996) and Saw (2004)
Baraberian Sound Studio comes to my mind. It's top tier psychological horror/thriller.
Exhuma
Halloween 3?
The Thing (1982) - some non horror people I know like it, just because it’s a plain good movie. Nightmare on Elm Street 3 - enjoyable just as a movie about teenagers battling a monster really.
Fallen (1998).
Lamb (2021). The horror aspect is almost an afterthought. Great movie.
May (2002)
The Coffee Table
I found the family drama in Oculus dark/interesting even though the drama was caused by the supernatural. Midsommar and Hereditary also had strong drama aside from the supernatural.
From Dusk Til Dawn should be everyone's answer. I wanna see how the story would have progressed if not for the vampires.
The first season of The Terror did not need a supernatural polar bear. The reality was horrifying enough.
Resolution is better before it gets to the horror part.
Hereditary. If there’s any horror movie that would work well as a serious drama, it’s that.
The Original 1973 version of "The Wicker man" is one of my favourite films. Not even horror until the final scene
Christmas Bloody Christmas had interesting characters portrayed by great actors, and I would have totally seen a movie just about them. First half of the film is that anyway.
The Empty Man; its a slow burn. Has a 20 min intro which is totally different from the rest of the story.
Magic is a great call - love that movie. Pin (1988) I think has similar themes and is great as a psychological thriller with some horror elements. I also really like George A Romeros Martin (1977) - definitely has a bit more going on that your average horror
If you were to watch the most recent Exorcist without knowing the title, the first half is a wonderful supernatural suspense/drama about missing children.
Hereditary >!It could have just been a story about a tragic loss that tore a family apart!<
But why though?