Art horror or arthouse horror (sometimes called elevated horror) is a sub-genre of both horror films and art-films. It explores and experiments with the artistic uses of horror.
Characteristics
Art-horror films tend to rely on atmosphere building, psychological character development, cinematic style and philosophical themes for effect – rather than straightforward scares.
Art-horror films have been described as "a fascinating byproduct of the collision of art and commerce, of genre convention and personal vision". Historically, the genre was loosely related to J-horror and Italian Giallo. In the 2000s, a movement of transgressive films in France known as "New French Extremity" has been described as an arthouse horror film movement.
Although commentators have suggested some horror films have exemplified qualities applicable to "art horror" for many decades, the term became more widely used during the 2010s, with independent film company A24 credited with popularising the genre. The term "elevated horror" was first used in the early 2010s, and subsequently has been the subject of criticism and debate among film critics as it became more widely used.
In his book Art-Horror (2023) Adrian Gmelch identifies 4 aspects that can be an orientation for the definition of art-horror (no claim to present a universal definition): (1) Film historical and artistic imprinting, (2) horror as a message vehicle, (3) recurring motifs and stylistic elements as well as (4) unique visual identity and aesthetics.
Notable art horror films
20th century
21st century
Notable directors
See also
- Arthouse animation
- Social thriller
- New Hollywood
- New French Extremity
- Arthouse musical
- Arthouse science fiction film
- Arthouse action film
- Vulgar auteurism
- Extreme cinema
- Postmodern horror
References
Further reading
- David Church (2021). Post-Horror: Art, Genre, and Cultural Elevation. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-1474475891.
- Adrian Gmelch (2023). Art-Horror: The Films of Ari Aster and Robert Eggers. Create Space. ISBN 979-8364720719.
- Joan Hawkins (2000). Cutting Edge: Art-Horror and the Horrific Avant-Garde. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0816634149.
- Stuart Hanscomb (2010). "Existentialism and Art-Horror", Sartre Studies International 16:1, pp. 1–23.
External links
- List of art-horror films – Taste of Cinema blog
- "The Ultimate List of Art-house Horror" – IMDB
