quiet horror

English

Etymology

Either named after Stanley Ellin's book of same name or coined by Charles L. Grant.

Noun

quiet horror (plural not attested)

  1. (literature, film) A subgenre of horror and psychological horror that doesn't rely on explicit, graphic elements or cheap thrills (e.g. jumpscares, gore, shock tactics etc.); but relies on atmosphere, subtlety, uncanniness and slow-burning tension.
    • 2023 January 10, K. Austin Collins, “Inside 'Skinamarink': The $15,000 Horror Movie That's Captivated TikTok”, in Rolling Stone‎[1], archived from the original on 28 June 2023:
      […] Instead, we’re given an ending that tears the threadbare fabric of the movie apart even more — quiet horror at its finest. […]

Usage notes

  • Not to be confused with silent horror.

References

  • Connor McGrath (29 December 2023), “I Want More Quiet Horror”, in YouTube‎[2], archived from the original on 5 January 2024
  • Kelly Martin (29 September 2019), “WHAT IS QUIET HORROR?”, in YouTube‎[3]
  • Paula Cappa (13 September 2013), “Quiet Horror, Still the Darling of the Horror Genre”, in Paula Cappa‎[4], archived from the original on 16 December 2014
  • David Costello (2 July 2023), “Whispered Fears: The Art of Writing Quiet Horror”, in ServiceScape‎[5], archived from the original on 5 June 2023
  • Vanessa K. Eccles (3 September 2019), “What is Quiet Horror and Where to Find It”, in Vanessa K. Eccles‎[6], archived from the original on 15 October 2019
  • Nick Freeman (29 October 2024), “From a scream to a whisper – ‘quiet horror’ novels are making a comeback”, in The Conversation‎[7], archived from the original on 29 October 2024


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