Horror Film Sub-Genres and Hybrids

Genres are often split into sub-genres, and the horror genre is no exception. Each of the sub-genres shares many conventions which make them belong to horror, but they also have their own conventions that links them to other films within their own sub-genre. These include specific character types and themes, specific narrative patterns and structures and their own mythology.

Horror sub-genres include:

• Supernatural ('Come Play', 'Poltergeist', 'Legion') 
• Vampire ('Dracula', 'The Lost Boys', 'Nosferatu') 
• Witchcraft ('Hocus Pocus', 'The Craft', 'The Witch') 
• Gore ('Terrifier', 'Jigsaw')
• Demonic ('Smile', 'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It', 'Pray for the Devil') 
• Zombie ('Night of the Living Dead', 'Dawn of the Dead', 'World War Z') 
• Paranormal ('Malevolent', 'The Conjuring', 'Paranormal Activity') 
• Psychological ('Nope', 'It: Chapter Two', 'Old')
• Comedic ('The Menu', 'Fresh', 'Slayers') 
• Slasher ('X', 'Orphan: First Kill', 'Scream') 
• Monster ('Troll', 'The Silence', 'Prey') 

There are also lots of hybrid horror films, where horror is blended within a film with another recognisable, yet different, genre. Good examples of horror hybrids include 'Let the Right One In' (horror, fantasy, drama), 'Bone Tomahawk' (drama, horror, western), 'Shaun of the Dead' (romantic comedy, horror) and 'The Babysitter' (comedy, horror).