| Decline | Late 1970s due to popular demand for campier horror |
| Emphasis on | Characters' psychological fears and inner struggles |
| Main themes | Madness • identity • alienation • perception |
| Peak period | Late-1960s, 'Psychological Horror Boom' |
| Subgenre of | |
| Influence in | Popular culture • fashion • music |
| Landmark creators | Roman Polanski • Peter Straub • Hiroshi Teshigahara |
Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror that emphasizes the internal, mental states of characters, often depicting their psychological fears and inner struggles as metaphors for societal issues and preoccupations. This subgenre experienced a surge of popularity in the late 1960s, colloquially known as the "Psychological Horror Boom." During this era, the genre manifested in various artistic expressions, from groundbreaking horror films to influential novels and subgenres like folk horror, surreal horror, and philosophical horror.
The emergence and popularity of psychological horror can be attributed to a confluence of societal fears, cultural factors, and artistic innovations. The turbulent 1960s were marked by political unrest, social upheaval, and rapid technological advancement, all of which generated a pervasive sense of anxiety and uncertainty. As a result, many people became preoccupied with the darker aspects of human nature and the subjectivity of reality.
The horror genre proved to be a suitable medium for exploring these societal concerns and manifesting the collective unease, pain, and fear. Meanwhile, artists and filmmakers drew inspiration from psychological literature, European art cinema, and the emerging New Wave movements to create a more introspective and thematically complex form of horror.
The psychological horror movement was marked by a number of groundbreaking directors and authors, whose work catapulted the genre into the mainstream:
Roman Polanski, known for films such as Rosemary's Baby (1968)#Roman Polanski, Repulsion (1965)#Roman Polanski, and The Tenant (1976)#Roman Polanski, explored themes of madness, alienation, and existential despair, creating a pervasive atmosphere of dread and suspense.
Peter Straub, a celebrated author of horror fiction, gained prominence with novels like Ghost Story, Julia, and Shadowland, which delved into the inner lives of his characters, often set against the backdrop of old, moldering New England towns.
Hiroshi Teshigahara, a Japanese director whose films such as Woman in the Dunes (1964)#Hiroshi Teshigahara and The Face of Another (1966)#Hiroshi Teshigahara offered cerebral, intellectual explorations of perception, reality, and the unknown.
The Psychological Horror Boom had lasting effects on art, music, and popular culture. The genre's focus on the terrors of the mind coincided with broader cultural trends, such as the growing interest in psychoanalysis, the development of the counterculture, and the rise of conceptual art.
The subgenre of folk horror emerged from a combination of psychological horror's preoccupation with the unknown and cultural anxieties surrounding the fading rural traditions and superstitions. Folk horror films such as Witchfinder General, The Wicker Man, and Penda's Fen employed these themes to create a unique fusion of history, folklore, and psychological terror.
Music also felt the influence of psychological horror, with gothic rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic rock bands delving into dark, introspective themes and creating music that reflected the eerie, unsettling atmosphere of the genre's films and literature.
In fashion, designers drew inspiration from the psychological terror's shadowy mood and subverted conventional styles to create a more morbid, subversive aesthetic. This was especially evident in the punk and goth subcultures, which favored dark, intentionally disconcerting apparel.
By the late 1970s, the horror genre began to shift towards more overtly gruesome and visceral fare. A growing desire for campier, over-the-top horror films and theatrical visuals marked the end of the Psychological Horror Boom, as audiences began to develop a taste for a different brand of horror that was softer, more fantastical, and less grounded in real-life anxieties.
Still, the legacy of psychological horror lives on in many ways, with its impact evident in the work of contemporary directors like David Lynch, Jordan Peele, and Jennifer Kent - all of whom use elements of psychological terror to explore the darker aspects of human nature and question the nature of reality itself.
Psychological horror remains a potent force in the horror genre, revealing the deep-seated fears and anxieties of its audience, and offering both grappling escapism and introspective insight.
