The Four (Main) Types of Horror

Now that we’ve discussed the differences between the Horror, Thriller, and Mystery genres, it’s time to go a little more in-depth and talk about the ways in which Horror can be subdivided: the different types of horror, the typical elements of each, the types of scares each utilizes. And, of course, I’ll pepper each with a few examples.

Personally, I tend to break down horror into one of four categories. Keep in mind, these labels and definitions are partially my own, but should – at least hopefully – more or less follow the general consensus on the matter. And, it should go without saying that even though we may generally assign a book (or movie or video game) to one category, of course it’s entirely possible that it may share elements of another category.

So then…

Monster Horror

Likely the most obvious/easily identifiable type of horror is Monster Horror – and it is precisely what it sounds like: vampires, werewolves, golems, demons, etc. Usually the monster is evil (though not 100% of the time), and the story will ultimately revolve around a battle against it. Ghosts can qualify as monsters in this case, but usually only if they’re malicious, antagonistic, and/or must be confronted or battled. (If they don't fit this description, they're more likely to be found in Psychological Horror.)

Typically, the thrills and scares of Monster Horror come from the evil acts the monster performs, as well as from the seemingly underdog status of the heroes. Where did the monster come from? How can it be defeated? Are the heroes strong/capable enough to get the job done?

The main types of scares that Monster Horror utilizes are suspense and action.

A few examples from literature and film:

• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (a rare example of the monster not actually being particularly evil)
• The Resident Evil movies (which are zombie movies, but much too action-y to count as Body Horror)
• The Alien franchise of movies, books, and video games

Grind Horror

Grind Horror seems occasionally to go in and out of style. It’s not actually too terribly common in literature – typically, the visual element is simply too vital to its execution, and so is more often found in film.

The thing that separates Grind Horror from the other types is that it is over-the-top grotesque, visceral, revolting, obscene, etc. Very commonly, Grind Horror involves either a serial killer or a monster which butchers its victims in absolutely repulsive ways, and which is shown/described in explicit detail. These are the gruesome stories that often make you feel more nauseated than scared. In fact, Grind Horror often doesn’t bother that much trying to put together a meaningful story – the so-called “plot” is often just an excuse for trying to shock/disgust its consumer.

The main types of scares that Grind Horror utilizes are being shocking and disturbing.

A few examples from literature and film:

• The Saw movies (likely the most intellectual of the category - but still Grind)
• Anything Rob Zombie lays his fingers on
• Select parts of the Hannibal Lecter series by Thomas Harris (On the whole, I actually classify the Hannibal series as Thriller, not Horror. That said, though, there are definitely a few scenes – especially in the third book, Hannibal – that were of the Grind persuasion. If more parts of the books had been written along these lines, they could have feasibly ended up in Grind territory.)

(A personal note: Grind Horror is easily my least favorite type of horror. Too often it substitutes actual intelligent thrills for the mere shock value of the grotesque. Grind is sort of the “low-brow” of the Horror genre.)

Body Horror

Though I most often refer to this category as Body Horror, I admit the name could be slightly misleading. Body Horror focuses on science/medicine, abnormalities – and possibly exploitation of – anatomy, etc. There’s a lot of room for overlap between Body and Grind, but usually Body Horror won’t take things to quite as obscene of a level – and is, ideally, more story-driven. In fact, one of the elements that particularly sets Body Horror apart from the others is that it often goes out of its way to attempt to explain the science/medicine/abnormalities at the core of the story.

Stories about zombies tend to fall into this category. Most zombie stories give us an explanation for – or at least a glimpse into the beginning of – the story’s zombism: in Brooks' World War Z, it’s a variation of rabies; in Jones' Zombie Apocalypse it’s a mutation of the Black Plague that’s been lying dormant underground for several centuries; etc.

The main types of scares that Body Horror utilizes are being macabre and maybe even believable.

A few examples from literature and film:

• World War Z by Max Brooks (the book more than the film)
• Spiral by Koji Suzuki (the sequel to The Ring – which, interestingly, is more Psychological than Body Horror)
• Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena (as well as the video game of the same name)

Psychological Horror

And, of course, I’ve saved the best for last – my personal favorite: Psychological Horror.

These are the stories that don’t bother as much with the shocks, the monsters, or the grotesque, and instead focus on the cerebral side of things. These stories often unfold more slowly than other types of horror – but the unfolding itself is highly important to the overall tone and evolution.  Psychological Horror is generally more mysterious than the other categories, and works the hardest to bring you into its world.

Psychological Horror tends to be the most focused on setting. In other types of horror, it is the elements inside of the world that create the scares. In Psychological Horror, though, the world is often one of the key sources of the story’s eeriness. Houses and buildings that may or may not be haunted; rural villages where all the villagers seem to share some sinister secret; boarding schools in which the students go missing one by one - these are all settings ripe for Psychological Horror. 

The main types of scares that Psychological Horror utilizes are emphasis on an unsettling mood, tension, and mystery.

A few examples from literature and film:

• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (likely the very best Psychological Horror novel in existence)
• Most of the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe
• Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky movie)
• A Tale of Two Sisters (a fantastic Korean horror movie)

Tell me, friends: of these four categories, which is your favorite?

What are some examples of books or movies that you like in one of these particular branches of horror?

Let me know!

(Oh, and also: is there a book or movie you're having trouble assigning to one of these categories? Ask away, and I'll try to help you sort it out if I'm familiar enough with it.)