Glossary of Horror Terminology
Glossary of Horror Terminology
This glossary defines key terms used throughout the Wikipedia of Horror.
A
- Analog horror
- A subgenre that uses the aesthetic of old analog media (VHS tapes, public access TV, educational films) to create horror content, primarily on platforms like YouTube.
- Atmosphere
- The mood or feeling created by a horror work through setting, cinematography, sound design, and pacing.
B
- Body count
- The number of characters killed in a horror work, particularly associated with slasher films.
- Body horror
- A subgenre focused on graphic transformation, mutilation, or destruction of the human body. See: Body Horror.
- Bookend kill
- A narrative technique where the first and last deaths in a horror film mirror each other.
C
- Cold open
- A technique where a horror film begins with a scare or kill before the title sequence.
- Cosmic horror
- Horror centered on humanity's insignificance in the universe. See: Cosmic Horror.
- Creature feature
- A horror work centered around a monster or non-human antagonist.
D
- Dread
- A sustained feeling of anxiety and impending doom, distinct from sudden shock or fear.
F
- Final girl
- The last surviving female character in a slasher film. See: The Final Girl.
- Folk horror
- Horror rooted in folklore, rural settings, and pagan traditions. See: Folk Horror.
- Found footage
- A filmmaking technique presenting the film as discovered recordings. See: Found Footage Horror.
G
- Giallo
- Italian murder mystery/horror genre known for stylish kills and whodunit plots. See: Giallo.
- Gothic
- A tradition emphasizing atmosphere, decay, and the supernatural. See: Gothic Horror.
- Grindhouse
- Low-budget exploitation films, often horror, shown in disreputable theaters.
J
- J-Horror
- Japanese horror, particularly the wave of supernatural horror films from the late 1990s–2000s. See: J-Horror.
- Jump scare
- A sudden, unexpected visual or auditory element designed to startle the audience.
M
- Monster as metaphor
- The use of horror creatures to represent social fears, anxieties, or taboo subjects.
P
- Practical effects
- Physical special effects created on-set rather than through digital means.
S
- Scream queen
- An actress known for her roles in horror films, particularly for her screaming ability.
- Slasher
- A subgenre featuring a killer systematically murdering a group of people. See: Slasher Film.
- Splatter
- Horror focused on graphic depictions of gore. See: Splatter.
- Survival horror
- A video game genre emphasizing resource management and vulnerability. See: Survival Horror.
T
- Torture porn
- A controversial term for horror works focused on extreme suffering and graphic torture.
- Trope
- A commonly recurring device or motif in horror storytelling.
U
- Uncanny valley
- The unsettling feeling produced by something that appears almost, but not quite, human. See: Uncanny Valley.
- Unreliable narrator
- A storytelling device where the narrator's account cannot be trusted.
V
- Video nasties
- Films banned or censored in the UK during the 1980s under the Video Recordings Act. See: Video Nasties.