Hi all!

Today I ranking the 10 sub-genres of horror films! This will be based on my own personal taste in scary movies. I am using the list sourced from The Los Angeles Film School. I will also throw in some recommendations/examples per genre. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) Paranormal

My favourite horror sub-genre is paranormal. These are your ghosts, spirits and hauntings. My types of films tend to feature a haunted setting, thing or person. Some great examples are: The Conjuring, Insidious, Paranormal Activity, Poltergeist and The Haunting of Hill House. I never tire of this category. In my opinion, it never gets old.

2.) Demonic 

In second place, we have Demonic. Similar to paranormal, with more of a focus on religious horror, possessions and agents of Satan. It used to be a sub-genre I stayed far away from. Now, I cannot get enough. Give me all the scares! Some recommendations are: The Exorcist, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, Rosemary’s Baby and of course, IT. If you want more examples, check out this post.

3.) Psychological 

In third place, we have psychological horror. These films tend to focus on mental, emotional and psychological states of mind. They usually come with epic twists, that stay with you. I’m such a fan of this sub-genre; gravitating to it often. Some examples are: Triangle, Orphan, The Invisible Man, The Babadook and Get Out. You can get more recommendations here.

4.) Slasher

In fourth place, we have slashers. This is probably the most popular horror sub-genre. It typically focuses on a killer (sometimes supernatural), picking off characters one by one. Typically, the end with a Final Girl. I think slashers are great to watch with a group of friends. My top picks are: Halloween, Scream, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Child’s Play and House of 1,000 Corpses.

5.) Gore 

Gore certainly isn’t for everyone, but it is for me! You might also hear this sub-genre referred to as splatter. We are talking violence, blood and guts. If done correctly, you’ll feel it internally. Some of my favourite horror movies of all time stem from this category. If you haven’t already, check out: Saw, Final Destination, Terrifier, Cube and Wrong Turn.

6.) Comedic 

In sixth place, we have horror comedies. These are dark films that will make you laugh. Check out my top five movies from this category here. Other examples include: Spree, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Ready or Not, Hocus Pocus and An American Werewolf in London. 

7.) Witchcraft 

Now we are getting into my least favourite sub-genres. I like witches, but I prefer to read about them. I don’t find them particularly scary or interesting. Some I would recommend are: Drag Me to Hell, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, The Ritual, The Blair Witch Project and Hereditary.

8.) Vampire 

I was a massive vampire fan, until it became oversaturated. Having said that, here are some of my favourite movies from that particular sub-genre: Doctor Sleep, The Invitation, Let The Right One In, Queen of the Damned and Interview with the Vampire. 

9.) Monster

In second last place, we have monster movies. This is a broad term. You could attribute monsters to creature features. Check out my five favourite ones here. Again, I don’t dislike this category, I just don’t actively seek these films out. My top picks are: Alien, Predator, A Quiet Place, The Thing and The Fly. 

10.) Zombie

In last place, we have zombie films. I honestly don’t care about this sub-genre. There is only one movie I recommend. It is one of my favourites of all time and that is: Train to Busan. I feel it is the best take on zombies I have ever seen. You won’t catch me dipping into this category. Sorry!

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank the sub-genres?

Peace & Love xoxo