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Horror Films That Aren’t Actually Horror Films

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The horror genre is the most diverse genre around, with tons of sub-genres and sub-sub-genres. Often times Hollywood stays away from giving new releases the “scarlet H” moniker. Labeling a film “horror” makes the mainstream uneasy, but there are a lot of big Hollywood flicks out there marketed as thrillers and psychological thrillers that are full of horror themes and elements. Here’s my list of my favorite horror films that aren’t actually horror films.

Let me know what your favorites horror films that aren’t actually horror films are.

Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream (2000) and Black Swan (2010)

Right off the bat we get a filmmaker who walks the line between thriller and horror in most of his films. Darren Aronofsky is a talented filmmaker who often times gives the audience a horrifying look into abject horror without ever presenting a demon, serial killer, or giant creature. Requiem for a Dream has so many horrifying scenes that there’s too many to list. But just tell me that Ellen Burstyn’s decent into addiction isn’t fucking horrifying (as is all the cast’s).

Horror Requiem

In Black Swan we get a different type of horror as a young dancer (Natalie Portman) is dominated and controlled by her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey) to the point where she cracks and begins to have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality. Portman gives the performance of her career as a young woman descending into madness.

Horror Black Swan

Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover (1989)

This is a hugely entertaining black comedy about a wife and her abusive husband who frequent the same fancy London restaurant for dinner every night. The wife meets a kindly customer in the restaurant and begins an affair. When hubby finds out, he’s not happy and things get pretty bad. There are more than a few scenes of brutality that will make you flinch (that damn fork through the cheek!!).

Horror Cook Thief Lover

Bryan Singer’s Apt Pupil (1998)

The first movie I can think of where the Nazi isn’t the monster. Singer presents a chilling portrait of obsession as a young man (Brad Renfro) blackmails a Nazi into telling him everything he knows. Creepy stuff.

Horror Apt Pupil

David Fincher’s Se7en (1995) and Gone Girl (2014)

You know I couldn’t leave Fincher off this list. I think I need to convince you that Se7en is largely a horror film. The film is about a serial killer that kills people according to the seven deadly sins, but of course the studio wouldn’t label this film a horror movie. Instead it is called a drama/mystery/thriller. Whatever!!

Horror Seven

Gone Girl also has many horror elements in it (especially Neil Patrick Harris’ character), but watching this film gave me an uneasy feeling from beginning to end. Amy (Rosamund Pike) is a class-A sociopath, and in the end, Affleck’s character winds up inches own Hell that there’s no way out of.

Horror Gone Girl

Neil Jordan’s The Butcher Boy (1997)

If you haven’t seen this film, I highly recommend it. When the film begins, Francie (Eamonn Owens) is a normal, playful child who has a rich fantasy life. But Francie’s environment is full of violent, alcoholic, manic-depressive, suicidal parents and other negative things which impress upon his young mind. We watch as all the elements in Francie’s life weigh upon him until he erupts into brutal violence. The Butcher Boy details the “making of” a sociopath. It’s a brilliant film.

Horror Butcher Boy2

Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (2009)

Need any convincing? Just the name “Lars von Trier” alone should be enough. Melancholia, Dogville, and even Nymphomaniac Vols. One and Two, fit this list perfectly, but there’s just something about Antichrist that is extremely unnerving. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s young son dies while they’re having sex. The couple retreats to a cabin in the woods (Trier even uses the oldest horror setting in the book) to mourn their loss, but instead each becomes consumed by their grief. Hallucinations, meeting talking animals, and sadistic and violent sexual deviancy (there’s a lot of genital mutilation here) accent this film as we watch a couple torn apart by their sorrow and guilt.

Horror Antichrist1

Special Mention:

Adrian Lyne’s Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

I’m including Jacob’s Ladder as a special mention because this film has embraced its horror label. Jacob (Tim Robbins) is a traumatized Vietnam vet who returns home to find that he sees demons everywhere. Is it PTSD? Is he going crazy? Is it connected to the trauma he experienced in Vietnam? Jacob even begins experiencing shifts in reality. He goes to sleep with one wife and wakes up with another. This film has elements of a mystery, a psychological thriller, a drama, and even has heavy conspiracy overtones in it. But don’t be fooled, this brilliant film is a horror film through and through. The visions inside the hospital will give you nightmares for days!!

Horror Jacob's Ladder

So what’s you favorite horror films that aren’t actually horror films? There’s a lot of possible flicks out there that fit this bill. Can’t wait to hear your picks.

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“Mickey Vs. Winnie”: Iconic Childhood Characters Collide in A Terrifying Versus Slasher

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iHorror is diving deep into film production with a chilling new project that’s sure to redefine your childhood memories. We’re thrilled to introduce ‘Mickey vs. Winnie,’ a groundbreaking horror slasher directed by Glenn Douglas Packard. This isn’t just any horror slasher; it’s a visceral showdown between twisted versions of childhood favorites Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh. ‘Mickey vs. Winnie’ brings together the now-public-domain characters from A. A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ books and Mickey Mouse from the 1920s ‘Steamboat Willie’ cartoon in a VS battle like never before seen.

Mickey VS Winnie
Mickey VS Winnie Poster

Set in the 1920s, the plot kicks off with a disturbing narrative about two convicts who escape into a cursed forest, only to be swallowed by its dark essence. Fast forward a hundred years, and the story picks up with a group of thrill-seeking friends whose nature getaway goes horribly wrong. They accidentally venture into the same cursed woods, finding themselves face-to-face with the now monstrous versions of Mickey and Winnie. What follows is a night filled with terror, as these beloved characters mutate into horrifying adversaries, unleashing a frenzy of violence and bloodshed.

Glenn Douglas Packard, an Emmy-nominated choreographer turned filmmaker known for his work on “Pitchfork,” brings a unique creative vision to this film. Packard describes “Mickey vs. Winnie” as a tribute to horror fans’ love for iconic crossovers, which often remain just a fantasy due to licensing restrictions. “Our film celebrates the thrill of combining legendary characters in unexpected ways, serving up a nightmarish yet exhilarating cinematic experience,” says Packard.

Produced by Packard and his creative partner Rachel Carter under the Untouchables Entertainment banner, and our very own Anthony Pernicka, founder of iHorror, “Mickey vs. Winnie” promises to deliver an entirely new take on these iconic figures. “Forget what you know about Mickey and Winnie,” Pernicka enthuses. “Our film portrays these characters not as mere masked figures but as transformed, live-action horrors that merge innocence with malevolence. The intense scenes crafted for this movie will change how you see these characters forever.”

Currently underway in Michigan, the production of “Mickey vs. Winnie” is a testament to pushing boundaries, which horror loves to do. As iHorror ventures into producing our own films, we’re excited to share this thrilling, terrifying journey with you, our loyal audience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to transform the familiar into the frightful in ways you’ve never imagined.

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Mike Flanagan Comes Aboard To Assist in Completion of ‘Shelby Oaks’

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shelby oaks

If you have been following Chris Stuckmann on YouTube you are aware of the struggles he has had getting his horror movie Shelby Oaks finished. But there’s good news about the project today. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin Of Evil, Doctor Sleep and The Haunting) is backing the film as a co-executive producer which might bring it much closer to being released. Flanagan is a part of the collective Intrepid Pictures which also includes Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka.

Shelby Oaks
Shelby Oaks

Stuckmann is a YouTube movie critic who’s been on the platform for over a decade. He came under some scrutiny for announcing on his channel two years ago that he would no longer be reviewing films negatively. However contrary to that statement, he did a non-review essay of the panned Madame Web recently saying, that studios strong-arm directors to make films just for the sake of keeping failing franchises alive. It seemed like a critique disguised as a discussion video.

But Stuckmann has his own movie to worry about. In one of Kickstarter’s most successful campaigns, he managed to raise over $1 million for his debut feature film Shelby Oaks which now sits in post-production. 

Hopefully, with Flanagan and Intrepid’s help, the road to Shelby Oak’s completion is reaching its end. 

“It’s been inspiring to watch Chris working toward his dreams over the past few years, and the tenacity and DIY spirit he displayed while bringing Shelby Oaks to life reminded me so much of my own journey over a decade ago,” Flanagan told Deadline. “It’s been an honor to walk a few steps with him on his path, and to offer support for Chris’ vision for his ambitious, unique movie. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”

Stuckmann says Intrepid Pictures has inspired him for years and, “it’s a dream come true to work with Mike and Trevor on my first feature.”

Producer Aaron B. Koontz of Paper Street Pictures has been working with Stuckmann since the beginning is also excited about the collaboration.

“For a film that had such a hard time getting going, it’s remarkable the doors that then opened to us,” said Koontz. “The success of our Kickstarter followed by the on-going leadership and guidance from Mike, Trevor, and Melinda is beyond anything I could have hoped for.”

Deadline describes the plot of Shelby Oaks as follows:

“A combination of documentary, found footage, and traditional film footage styles, Shelby Oaks centers on Mia’s (Camille Sullivan) frantic search for her sister, Riley, (Sarah Durn) who ominously disappeared in the last tape of her “Paranormal Paranoids” investigative series. As Mia’s obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley’s childhood may have been real.”

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New ‘MaXXXine’ Image is Pure 80s Costume Core

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A24 has unveiled a captivating new image of Mia Goth in her role as the titular character in “MaXXXine”. This release comes approximately a year and a half after the previous installment in Ti West’s expansive horror saga, which covers more than seven decades.

MaXXXine Official Trailer

His latest continues the story arc of freckle-faced aspiring starlet Maxine Minx from the first film X which took place in Texas in 1979. With stars in her eyes and blood on her hands, Maxine moves into a new decade and a new city, Hollywood, in pursuit of an acting career, “But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.”

The photo below is the latest snapshot released from the film and shows Maxine in full Thunderdome drag amid a crowd of teased hair and rebellious 80s fashion.

MaXXXine is set to open in theaters on July 5.

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