Horror Hub: Camp Horror vs. Serious Horror

Hey y'all let's see what's up today! For this week's Horror Hub, I wanted to discuss Camp vs. Serious horror and how the two kind of balance one another out. I happen to genuinely like both, and I think to fully understand the horror genre you have to be open to consuming both types of media. This post is going to be a little on the lengthy side, as we're going to be discussing the way that the two differ, as well as films that sort of blur the lines between the two. 

Camp

There is a very good chance that you're familiar with camp horror and don't even realize it. Films like Killer Klowns From Outer Space, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Little Shop of Horrors hide the frights behind clever comical gags, catchy songs, and an exaggerated performance from the cast. With camp horror, it's easy to forget you're watching a horror movie at all which is what makes it appealing to casual fans and newcomers. 

Camp films often don't do well at the box office, however they quickly earn their spot among the cult classics afterward. These films are where we find a lot of budding stars, newer directors, and the most outrageous special effects. From my research, these films also seem to be a good place for experimenting with techniques, such as with Little Shop of Horrors.

Camp is also where we see some of the more daring moves by film makers. Taking The Rocky Horror Picture Show for example, this movie came out in 1975 and featured Tim Curry in toned down drag makeup throughout all of his appearances in the film. Steps like these were huge for the era, and called attention to drag artists like Divine, who starred in films such as Female Trouble and inspired characters like Ursula in Disney's Little Mermaid. 

Serious

Sliding over to the other end of the spectrum, serious horror is just that, it's serious and seriously scary. Films like The Exorcist, Martyrs, and Us all fit into this category. These films are more intense, they really play with your mind, and are known to make the audience genuinely uncomfortable. There's just something about the way that they play with your mind that often makes them a difficult watch even for the most seasoned horror fanatics.

Serious horror often does incredibly well in the box office, and is usually used to share a message of some sort. Films like Martyrs use shocking special effects and revelations to show a, in light of recent events, not so exaggerated portrayal of the suffering women and girls experience at the hands of a system that exists only to serve the rich and powerful. The film Us focuses on the privilege that certain people are granted that they exploit at the detriment of others, creating a wonderful psychological thrill for viewers.

The Gray Area

The list of films that fall in this gray area between camp and horror is honestly about a mile long. Films like the Chucky franchise, Terrifier, and A Nightmare on Elm Street most closely fit this category, While there are some real scares layered in, there's also a wise cracking antagonist that brings a lot of fun into the film as well. These films tend to become popular really quickly, however I've only seen dedicated fans stick around after the hype is over. 

While these films are mostly for fun, they have actually covered serious topics such as gender identity with Glen/Glenda in the Chucky series and disabilities as shown by Nica Pierce in the same franchise. Terrifier, despite its gore and inimitable antagonist cover more serious topics like the struggles of mental health as displayed by both Victoria Heyes and final girl Sienna Shaw. 

Closing

That's all that I have for you guys right now, I am still working on this week's Chatterbox but it may come this weekend instead of today like usually planned. That being said, what do you guys prefer? Camp? Serious? A bit of both? I personally like them all but I would love to hear from you guys!  If you want to see more from me feel free to click the link below where you can find my other socials. Y'all take care, and thanks for stopping by! 

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