While the weather may not feel like it yet, fall is officially here! This means itâs time to get into the spirit by bringing out our favorite fall sweaters, our most tasty fall treats, and watching the classic fall series and movies. One of the best parts of the fall season, in my opinion, is the month of October and all the fun traditions that it carries with it; including the spooky season! During this time of year, many people are discussing and making decisions on which spooky movies to watch or rewatch, and much of the time, this includes horror movies. Â
While contemplating which of the endless list of horror films and upcoming ones to watch (or avoid, for those who are not into the genre), have you ever stopped and wondered, âWhat is a horror movie, truly? What characteristics and requirements make a horror film a horror film, and why?âÂ
I have recently encountered these questions as I have begun to engage with the horror genre more, through both literature and film, for my own enjoyment and academic purposes. I recently ran into these questions because of a course Iâm in where we read the horror novel The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones and watch the thriller film Killers of the Flower Moon directed by Martin Scorsese. Â
My professor asked what genre we would consider Killers of the Flower Moon to be in, and she asked whether it could be considered horror. This is what sparked the debate on this topic, since some argued that the film is definitely not horror because itâs based on a true story, and others argued that it may be because what happened in it was deeply horrifying. I found it interesting to hear peopleâs differing perspectives on what qualifies a film to be classified under the horror genre. Â
What is a horror movie?Â
According to Masterclass, in their article exploring horror fiction, it is âa genre of literature, film, and television that is meant to scare, startle, shock, and even repulse audiences. The key focus of a horror novel, horror film, or horror TV show is to elicit a sense of dread in the reader through frightening images, themes, and situations.â Â
There are still specific aspects of the structure and narratives that can help people identify what is truly horror and what isnât. A common debate is whether a film may be a thriller or a horror. This is where itâs important to distinguish the difference between thriller and horror, as there are many similarities. Â
The difference between horror and thriller Â
David Young, an independent film and screenwriter with experience in film reviewing and story analysis, wrote an article titled âWhatâs The Difference Between Horror and Thriller?â In this article, he compares the two genres and determines that the point of view is the most important differentiating factor between them. He says that horror focuses on the POV of the victim âmore intimately,â creating feelings of âdread, impending doom, and terror.â On the other hand, thrillers change perspectives a lot of the time or will even shift the POV of the attackers to build a more unpredictable feeling. Â
Horror movies are more formulaic, while thrillers have a different level of unpredictability to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. According to Young, the predictability of horror does not mean that there canât be twists or unexpected events, but their narratives are âpredictably horrific.â These characteristics can help people have a clearer picture of what may count as horror vs. thriller. Â
The diversity of the horror genre and the subgenres withinÂ
Discovering the answers to these questions led me to think about the diversity of the horror genre. While many films just have the single label of âhorror,â there are horror films that end up being much more than that, exploring genres such as comedy, romance, drama, mystery, and historical fiction. Because of the label of âhorrorâ and the intensity and possible fear that comes with it, I feel that there are many good films that people end up shying away from simply because theyâre horror. Since theyâre marketed by highlighting the fearful and terrifying aspects to build up suspense, the other aspects sometimes become overshadowed.Â
Two films I discovered this year that I feel were overlooked simply because they are part of the horror genre were the 2025 film Sinners and the 2022 film Bodies Bodies Bodies. Sinners highlights topics such as racism and cultural trauma, with historical drama and musical influences within it, and Bodies Bodies Bodies showcases the harm of Gen Zâs reliance on social media and technology while blending horror with the comedy and mystery genres. Some of the sub-genres within Sinners were gothic horror, vampire horror, and afrofuturism. As for Bodies Bodies Bodies, some of the sub-genres were slasher, who-dun-it-mystery, and horror-comedy. These films having a variety of sub-genres within them is what draws people to them, and it shows the versatility and complexity of horror films. Â
Personally, I used to be a person who avoided any horror movies. If I did decide to watch one, I would always have to watch it with friends or family. I didnât like them because they were âtoo scary.â That is a very valid reason for avoiding them. But this year especially, I have gained a new appreciation for them. This is not because of the jump scares or the editing, or the gruesome or gory moments; instead, it is because of the touching stories that a lot of them tell. Horror stories, especially the ones where directors use the horror genre as a tool to portray a meaningful message about society and history, deserve more recognition for what they bring to the table within the world of film.