19 Horror movies that are not horror movies 

Every year a number of horror films are made and released. Although distributed under the genre of being a horror film, most of these were not what a conventional horror film should be like. They portray the element of horror, quite subtly with other themes like - psychological issues, self-discovery, mystery, action, and most of the time - comedy, overpowering it. Here is a list of 19 horror movies that are not horror movies. Please note that this entire article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

19) Green Room (2015)

The 2015 film – Green Room might feel like a horror film, but in the true sense, it is not one. This movie is about a punk band who witnesses a murder in the green room of the venue they are performing in and is actually a film about crime and survival. More than focusing on supernatural and paranormal forces like conventional horror films do, this film has more emphasis on realism and psychological threats. The movie also includes political and social themes and would fit the niche of a thriller more.

18) Rebecca ( 2020)

Starring Lily James and Archie Hammer, the film Rebecca is about a young woman who marries a wealthy widower and moves to his estate in the countryside. But as she starts living there, she finds the lavish mansion, gatekeeping a lot of secrets, especially about the death of the first wife of her husband. While some people may think of this movie to be a supernatural horror film, the ghostly presences are merrily memories and psychological recollections, rather than actual spirits or ghosts, making this movie more of a Gothic Mystery.

17) Twilight Zone (1983)

The 1983 film – The Twilight Zone is an anthology of four films directed by famous filmmakers – John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and George Miller. While all four films in the anthology are filled with an eerie vibe and scary plot twists, the movie would rather fit the genre of sci-fi and fantasy films, rather than a traditional horror one. All the movies have comedy and also include a playful tone with hardly any gore or violence.

16) The Corpse Bride (2005)

The movie – The Corpse Bride, is about Emily who is dragged into the underworld when Victor proposes to her. While this movie is practically set in a Victorian era -World of the Dead, this film is more of a love story than a story of horror and fear. It is somewhat of a dark fantasy with a playful depiction of villainous creatures through the usage of comedy and family-friendly tone and is enjoyed by adults and kids alike.

15) Cabin in the Woods (2012)

The Cabin in the Woods is a 2012 film starring Chris Hemsworth. This film is about a group of students who go to enjoy in a remote cabin for a weekend. Soon, this group realizes that they can summon supernatural horrors, and also become entangled with a a creepy organization that is manipulating them. While this movie has subtle elements of horror, it is balanced with comedy, absurdity, sci-fi, and even conspiracy-thrilling tropes.

14) Hocus Pocus (1993)

Hocus-Pocus is a 1993 film about a Halloween night in the town of Salem. On this day, three wicked witches are resurrected by a group of kids and now as these witches are trying to seek power, the children have to stop them before they try to do something sinister. Although about witchcraft and wizardry, the spookiness of the movie is overpowered by the slapstick comedy and quirky scenes that make this movie fun and hardly frightening. It is one of the most loved films to watch on Halloween night.

13) Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko starring Jake Gyllenhaal is about a young man, who, after having visions of a rabbit, starts seeing the end of the world in the coming 28 days. This leads him into a time-traveling race intertwined with fate and other existential elements. This film, although sometimes perceived as a horror film, is more about the psychological state of mind and the fear of the unknown every human possesses. Moreover, the film also utilized a lot of scientific elements like – parallel universe and philosophy.

12) Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer's Body is about a satanic group that sacrifices a high school cheerleader. This ritual turns the cheerleader into a Demon who feeds on her classmates to maintain her beauty and keep her secret. Now it is up to her best friend to realize what is happening and stop it. While the film uses tropes of a traditional horror film, it is also a satire on teen comedy about high school stereotypes and friendships. The movie is filled with pop culture references and is a stand on female empowerment driven more by emotion than fear.

11) Zombieland (2009)

The 2009 film – Zombieland is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a group of survivors have to cross a lot of hurdles to survive in this zombie-ridden world. Featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin, this film has an adventurous tone to it. Filled with slapstick humor and absurdity, there is no real horror in the film and it ends up making zombies more of a nuisance rather than something to be afraid of.

10) A Quiet Place (2018)

A Quiet Place, released in 2018 is set in the future and is about an alien that hunts through sounds. This has forced people to live in total silence and communicate through sign language if they want to survive. Rather than being a traditional horror film, even though it includes the theme of surviving, this film is more of a thriller. Utilising elements of sci-fi and dystopia, this film is about predators, rather than monsters and leaves the audience with hope and resilience.

9) Midsommar (2019)

Featuring the iconic actress – Florence Pugh, the 2019 film – Midsommer is about a girl called Dani, who, after the loss of her family, travels to Sweden with her friends to enjoy a summer festival, but finds herself in the middle of a ritualistic cult. This film with its theme of folk horror, transpires more on psychological terror and emotional distress rate than typical horror elements. There are no jump scares, but a cathartic underpinning which is very rare to find in a horror film.

8) Carrie (1976)

The film - Carrie is usually marketed and perceived as a horror film about a shy girl called Carrie White, who is controlled by her religious mother. She develops telekinetic powers and exacts revenge on everyone who wronged her. While the movie is filled with horrific elements, this film is more of a coming-of-age story focusing on bullying and social rejection rather than a pure horror film. There is no suspenseful mystery, mostly a young girl trying to overcome the cruelty, society has imposed on her.

7) Beetlejuice (1988)

The 1988 film - Beetlejuice, is about a couple who after dying find themselves trapped as ghosts in their house. This film uses elements of dark humor, combined with over-the-top comedy to showcase the afterlife as something fun and ridiculous rather than something frightening. Even with its Gothic aesthetic and scary-looking creatures, the film fails to be a horror story and ends up becoming a fantasy adventure with a feel-good ending.

6) Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out is a murder mystery film with an ensemble cast. The film consists of actors – Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Katherine Langford, and so many others. This movie is about a dysfunctional family who are all framed for the murder of their patriarch, who is also a successful mystery book writer. Although the film exudes terror, it is because of a thrilling suspense. Moreover, this film has hardly used any dark cinematography and has no jump scares or supernatural elements.

5) Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters is a very popular film about a group of scientists who catch ghosts as a means of living in New York City. The film has all the elements of a horror story with paranormal activities, supernatural creatures, and an eerie environment. But still, this film comes out more as a comedy than a horror film because of the absurdity and humor of the characters and the light-hearted tone it is conveyed in. It seems like an action-adventure, with no real stakes, and ends on an optimistic note.

4) The Sixth Sense (1999)

This line from the 1999 film – The Sixth Sense - “I see dead people”, has become a pop culture movement. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Bruce Willis, the film is about a young boy who can see ghosts. With a devastating plot twist at the end, this film supersedes horrific elements with psychological trauma. The film humanizes ghosts and is rooted, quiet emotionally rather than in terror and fear. The movie also has elements of self-discovery and demands sympathy from the audience.

3) Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The Silence of the Lambs is a psychological thriller sometimes marketed as horror about an FBI trainee who is assigned to interview a cannibalistic serial killer in order to capture another serial killer. The film perfectly creates an eerie environment, but instead of gore and jump scares, the film focuses more on the psyche in which horror is rooted. The villain is charismatic and manipulative instead of being violent and terrifying. The film is more of a crime drama, rather than a traditional horror film.

2) Jaws (1975)

Released in 1975, Jaws is a film about a sinister shark who starts attacking people on the coast of Amity Island. Police partner up with marine biologists to capture this shark and a fight ensues between nature and humans. Although this film is thrilling and filled with suspense and violence, it is not a traditional horror story as it has a real-world threat rather than a supernatural horror. There is no psychological underpinning only the tale of hunting a deadly predator.

1) Psycho (1960)

The 1960 film – Psycho feels a lot like a horror film but in reality, it is a psychological thriller. It is about Marion Crane who is a secretary and after stealing 40,000 dollars, she is murdered by an unknown culprit. Although this movie is famous for one of the most terrifying scenes in cinema with the murder in the shower, this film branches more towards crime and mystery and is a story of investigation rather than a survival horror film.