What determines a psychological horror film is that it has the absolute capacity to unnerve us. Quite simply; it should rattle our psyches and mess with our minds. I think that psychological horror is really the truest form of horror. It unroots us and scares us in ways that we often cannot get past. Psychology is the study of the relationships between the mind and behaviours and the primary reason we watch horror films is for that scare factor. We want to put ourselves in a state of heightened awareness, and sit on the edge of our seats. Psychological horror movies do this better than any other sub-genre can.
So, what is the difference between a psychological thriller and a horror? Usually, the narrative in a thriller is situated in the conventional world. A human intruder or a terrifying event that battles protagonist/s against some harrowing odds. Psychological horror exposes us to our internalised fears; the things we typically cannot see and control. The threat is personal because it’s subjective.
There is nothing more terrifying than our own inner turmoil, especially when it manifests into something magnified and chaotic. These films are just a handful of examples…
Jacob’s Ladder (1990): I remember the first time I saw Jacob’s Ladder. It had such an impact on me in ways that I wasn’t even quite sure how to categorize. The film is amazing. Even by today’s standards, it is a deeply disturbing, provoking experience that will keep you feeling unsettled long after you have watched it. The writer Bruce Joel Rubin wrote the script based on a dream he’d had about being trapped in a subway and Rubin actually spent 2 years in a Tibetan Monastery prior to writing it. The plot- Jacob Singer (portrayed flawlessly by Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam War veteran, working as a postman and is being plagued by nightmares and hallucinations. He attempts to uncover what deep dark psychological trauma is at the root of his PTSD. The plot twist is what makes this movie so phenomenal. It actually did quite poorly when it was released but has since gone on to become highly acclaimed and, referenced by many filmmakers as a supremely influential body of work. Though often questioned if it belongs in the horror genre, Jacob’s Ladder really does contain some pretty graphic and horrific imagery. I’ve always been puzzled why the film didn’t do well on release. I know it now has an enormous cult status but I really think this film has all the components of a great psychological narrative. If you have not seen it, I won’t ruin the twist for you. But if you have…how good is it?!!!
Se7en (1995): Seven is a horror movie! It gets labelled as a psychological thriller, a crime thriller and a psychological horror. Anybody that’s ever watched it will absolutely agree that the film is a horror film, without question. The content is dark. Very dark! It’s gruesome, gory, chilling and confronting. As a viewer, we are forced to experience what the characters emotionally withstand and this is a big reason why this film still remains one of my favourites. It’s the type of movie that makes you think you’ve figured everything out and then a colossal spanner is thrown in the works and you are left with your jaw on the floor. Kevin Spacey is ‘skin-crawlingly’ convincing in his role of John Doe and the usually ‘wooden’ Brad Pitt is quite tolerable as a ‘wet behind the ears’ homicide detective. Honestly, the film just works on every level. The plot- Two detectives who are recently partnered are on the hunt for a highly intelligent serial killer. The killer is committing his murders in accordance with the seven deadly sins. Each murder is more horrific than its prior and director David Fincher (Zodiac, Gone Girl and The Social Network) pulls no punches with the shock factor of each crime scene. They are confronting, to say the very least. The film has a noir-like aesthetic that enhances the psychological desolation for the characters and for its viewers. For anyone that has obviously been living beneath a rock and has not seen this masterpiece, please add it to your “Must View Immediately” list and watch it before anything else on said list. I insist!
Rosemary’s Baby (1968): The renowned film adaptation of Ira Levin’s novel stands alongside other acclaimed masterpieces The Omen and The Exorcist in the ‘cursed’ films category. The plot- Rosemary and her actor husband Guy move to New York and into an apartment building that has had quite a sinister reputation. They befriend an older couple ‘the Castevets’ who become incredibly ‘present’ in their lives. Rosemary becomes pregnant after dreaming she was assaulted and impregnated by a demon. As her pregnancy furthers, she becomes unwell and paranoid, believing that her neighbours are not who they say they are and that her unborn child may be something more than just that. Of course, all is revealed when Rosemary finally gives birth. Director Roman Polanski stayed particularly zealous to Levin’s manuscript which meant that those who read the book knew mostly what to expect. What audiences couldn’t really anticipate was how Polanski managed to deliver the building tension of the story with an almost insufferable command. It is ever-present and challenging but in a really beguiling way. I am extremely partial to a slow burn and Rosemary’s Baby is indeed unhurried. It’s that continuous sense of dread that drives this film, alongside Mia Farrow’s formidable performance as a woman that is driven to the brink of madness by a very real terror. The movie is the perfect example of psychological horror done authentically and, it still holds its own 54 years on.
Psycho (1960): When Psycho first hit cinemas in 1960, it left audiences divided. [Spoiler Alert] The protagonist is killed at around the halfway mark of the film and done so in a very shocking sense. Well, shocking to a 1960s filmgoer anyway. And it was shocking. Not only was the leading lady killed but done so in a frenzied, sexualised and unexpected capacity. Sure, Norman Bates was an odd individual with some definite creep-like peculiarities, but he really did not seem like the murderous type! The plot- Secretary Marion Crane is asked by her boss to take $40,000 to the bank for him before closing time. Instead of completing this simple task, she absconds with the money so that she and her boyfriend Sam can run away and make a life together. On her way to meet up with Sam, a heavy rainstorm forces her to pull off the road and take refuge at the Bates Motel. It is there she meets Norman, the seemingly shy, polite and somewhat awkward proprietor who checks her into a cosy room right next to the office. (Norman like taxidermy and has a very complicated relationship with his mother.) When Marion is suddenly and violently attacked as she showers, the viewer sees the silhouette of what appears to be a woman brandishing the knife that stabs her repeatedly. Of course, we later learn that Norman dons a wig and dress and “mother” takes possession of his mind and body. Psycho broke boundaries and redefined a genre by teaching us that the ‘monster’ could reside inside any one of us, even a seemingly mundane, unassuming hotel clerk. Gus Van Sant’s 1998 remake wasn’t a half-bad attempt but honestly, it is pretty difficult to go past the original.