Horror films have evolved from superficial, jump scare-riddled movies to more visual and artistic pieces. This is not to say that horror is no longer made to fit traditional structures and conventions, but rather explored through different styles. Directors are taking more creative liberties and investing more into a story, resulting in experimental films that can sometimes be confusing, but incredibly visual and profound; this subgenre is known as arthouse horror.
The genre's popularity has only increased with time, providing a mixture of horror void of jump scares, artistic aesthetics, meaningful stories, and layered characters.
This article covers sensitive subject matter pertaining to mental wellbeing, torture, and other topics covered within these films. Please proceed with caution.
10 The Witch Evokes Fear Through Christianity And Witchcraft
The A24 hit film takes place during the 1600s, before the Salem witch trials. The Witch follows the story of a devout Christian family trying to start anew after being exiled. As the family settles into their home, the daughter (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) is accused of witchcraft, all while the satanic form of a goat named “Black Phillip” torments the family.
The film is a slow burn that explores the paranoia surrounding witchcraft before the infamous Salem witch trials, a time in which Christianity ruled. Aside from the commentary on strict Christian values, it artistically parallels Taylor-Joy’s character tribulations through the eerie atmospheric visual elements and the depiction of paganism in the film.
9 Lamb Is A Visually Stunning Nature Piece
Taking place in the farmlands of Iceland, a married couple, Maria and Ingvar, own and work at a farm where they keep sheep in their barn. The couple discovers a sheep that births a strange lamb and human hybrid, and they decide to raise the child as their own. The film ventures into the life of this new family and shows just how far Maria will go to hold on to the child.
Lamb is a slow-paced, eerie film focused on the stunning visuals of nature and the animal hybrid child, but the symbolism behind the movie isn't the only thing that defines it as an arthouse horror. The film depicts a message of family love, selfishness, and grief.
8 Raw Has An Incredibly Raw Depiction Of Self Discovery
The French film Raw tells the story of Justine, a vegetarian who enters her first year of veterinary school. There she is subjected to a hazing ritual that has her try raw meat for the first time, something that awakens a new craving for human flesh in her. Justine struggles in her journey, trying to satiate her hunger and needs as she discovers this new part of herself.
This film is very much void of horror tropes and instead focuses on the search for identity through Justine’s cravings and sexual urges. It ties in nicely with her journey of self-discovery through her cannibalistic behavior and exploration of herself.
7 Midsommar Is A Colorful But Disturbing Film
Ari Aster’s disturbing film, Midsommar, centers around Danny, who goes on a trip with her emotionally unavailable boyfriend to a Swedish midsummer festival after a horrible family tragedy. There the grief-stricken woman engages in the celebrations and rituals of the community relative to a cult.
Midsommar takes place during the midsummer in Sweden, a time in which the summer solstice begins creating endless daylight. The film’s horror comes from the uneasiness of the environment. Visually it's beautiful, having bright colors and non-diegetic elements that are not commonly associated with horror. Additionally, it harbors themes of indoctrination, grief, and white supremacy throughout the film's visual elements and story.
6 Black Swan Tells a Story Through The Ballet
A ballerina, Nina, has worked her whole life to get a lead role in the company she works for, and succeeds in achieving the lead role in the ballet Swan Lake. But, as the show approaches, the pressures of her home life and career manifest themselves through the obsession she develops over newcomer Lily, who threatens to take the role Nina worked so hard to get.
Black Swan is a horror that deeply focuses on the main character's psyche succumbing to a darker side of herself. As the film is producing a rendition of Swan Lake, Black Swan plays out artistically in the form of a ballet, paralleling the production events.
5 The Babadook Is More Than Just A Kid's Storybook
The Babadook follows Amelia, who still mourns the loss of her husband seven years after the accident that took his life. Amelia tries to navigate motherhood when a kid-like book appears and pledges through rhymes that "Mister Babadook" will kill the family.
The film’s tone is creepy but delivered artistically. The babadook’s sinister appearance and the theatrics of his persona reveal the grief Amelia harbors and the growing resentment she feels towards her son. As her depression worsens, the more the apparition wreaks havoc in her home. Anyone watching will wonder if the Babadook is even real or just a manifestation of Amelia’s internal struggles.
4 The Lighthouse Explores Bleak Existentialism
The Robert Eggers film stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two lighthouse keepers working in New England during the 1890s. Both men attempt to preserve their sanity as they spend more time together on a remote, lonely island where strange happenings surrounding the lighthouse begin.
The Lighthouse is completely shot in black and white and has imagery relating to sailors and sea folklore, both heavy indicators of the experimental film. This film's overall artistic drive is its meaning, which borders on loneliness and existential dread. The story is a bleak representation of searching for purpose and losing oneself in the process.
3 Martyrs Depicts A Revenge Story With A Profound Twist
The 2008 French film Martyrs sees characters Lucie and Anna embark on a journey of revenge towards a cult after the abuse suffered by Lucie at the hands of this community. The women succeed in getting their revenge. However, the demons Lucie faces run much deeper, and Anna is forced into a depraved situation by the community they sought to get revenge on.
While gory, the film focuses more on the philosophical aspects. The cult’s goal is to torture their victims to the brink of death, having them reach a state between life and death in order to know about the afterlife. Themes of guilt are also explored visually in an artistic way, along with philosophical rhetoric.
2 Perfect Blue Takes A Stalker Story To Another Level
Perfect Blue is a 1997 anime film about a young pop idol, Mima, who leaves her group in order to shed her innocent persona and pursue an acting career. However, as Mima breaks into the industry that sees her take on more adult roles, she notices someone may be stalking her.
The film is a psychological horror that depicts, through a visual aspect, the shift between what is reality and fantasy. Lines are blurred between Mima’s movie scenes and her own life, causing her to slowly lose grip on reality. The film's tone also shows through the maturity and sophistication of the anime style during the 90s, which mirrors the character's transition in her career.
1 The Lodge Shows The Effects Of Trauma In A Terrifying Way
Grace spends Christmas with her boyfriend and his family, and agrees to watch his two children after he is called into work. On her own in the lodge, she struggles to build a connection with the distant kids, and matters are made worse when past events of her life are brought to light, forcing the woman to deal with her trauma.
The Lodge focuses on the psyche of a severely abused Grace, who was formerly a cult member. The Film portrays severe mental disorders and visualizes her past trauma, but focuses more on the toll traumatic events can take, especially when she is pushed to the edge by the mind games the kids play on her.