‘Tis the season for horror! With Halloween right around the corner, horror is making its annual comeback. New horror movies are hitting theaters, scary books are being checked out of libraries, and ghost-hunting videos are taking over YouTube. Everyone loves a good jump scare, especially when it gives you an excuse to hold onto that special someone because you’re “scared.”
But I think horror is one of the most misunderstood genres out there.
When most people think of horror, they think of masked killers, creepy dolls, jump scares, and lots (and I mean LOTS) of blood. And while those things definitely have their place, horror can be so much more than that. Some of the most meaningful stories I’ve come across have been hidden behind terrifying movies and books.
Take Hereditary, for example. Released in 2018, the movie follows the Graham family after the death of their mother and grandmother, Ellen. Now, I can confidently say that Hereditary is one of the scariest movies I’ve ever watched. Seriously, I don’t think I’ll ever look at a dark corner of my room the same way again.
But what makes this movie so terrifying isn’t just the supernatural stuff. It’s the way it portrays grief.
Throughout the movie, we watch a family slowly fall apart as they deal with loss, guilt, anger, and distrust. Instead of coming together, they begin turning against one another. And honestly, that’s part of what makes it so unsettling. Most of us will never experience the supernatural events in Hereditary, but almost everyone knows what it’s like to lose someone or struggle with complicated emotions.
The movie takes something very real and turns it into something horrifying. And to me, that’s what makes it so powerful.
Another great example is Stephen King’s Carrie. Whether you’ve read the book or watched one of the movie adaptations, you probably know the story of Carrie White, a teenage girl with telekinetic powers who eventually reaches her breaking point.
But Carrie is about so much more than a girl with supernatural abilities.
It’s about bullying, abuse, isolation, and the desperate need to fit in. Carrie is constantly mistreated by her classmates and her mother, leaving her with very little support or acceptance. As the story progresses, we see just how much that treatment affects her.
And here’s something I find especially interesting: Who is actually the monster in Carrie?
Obviously, Carrie’s actions are horrific, but the people around her aren’t exactly innocent either. The story makes us question how people treat one another and what can happen when someone is pushed too far.
I think that’s what makes horror such an interesting genre. It can take everyday struggles and turn them into something supernatural or terrifying. Grief becomes a haunting presence. Bullying becomes a nightmare. Fear and trauma become actual monsters.
And sure, sometimes a horror movie is just a horror movie. Sometimes I want to watch a masked killer chase people around for two hours without having to analyze the deeper meaning behind it. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying horror simply because it’s scary!
But I also think it’s unfair to dismiss an entire genre as meaningless when so many horror stories have something important to say.
So, this Halloween season, whether you’re watching a classic slasher, picking up a Stephen King novel, or scrolling through creepy YouTube videos at 2 a.m., I encourage you to look a little deeper.
Because sometimes, the scariest thing about horror isn’t the monster itself. It’s how much of our own world we can see in it.