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Supernatural psychological horror

 A rookie with a long history at the Academy came up with the following request the other day:


I've seen the Australian Babadook 2014 and enjoyed it so much that I want to see more supernatural psychological horror films. I'm happy to receive film suggestions.


 The rookies dove into the request, and the following little list of movie tips resulted. 


Tittel År
14082007
The VVitch2015
The Wind 2018
The Innocents 1961
Grave Encounters 2011
Crimson Peak 2015
The Lighthouse 2019
Talk to me 2022
The Skeleton Key 2005
Below 2002
Sinister 2012
In the tall grass 2019




Others are checking out:

Iä! Iä! Lovecraftian horrors

  H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) was an American author best known for his influential contributions to the genre of "weird fiction," especially cosmic horror. His work is characterized by a unique blend of science fiction, horror, and the supernatural, often exploring themes such as forbidden knowledge, humanity's insignificance in the universe, and the fragility of reason. Lovecraft created a mythos—a loosely connected universe populated by ancient, powerful beings such as Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, and Azathoth. This "Cthulhu mythos" became central to his legacy, and was later expanded upon by other writers. So, to the eternal question: what does this almost etherial term "Lovecraftian" actually mean? I think Wikipedia says it well: "Lovecraftian horror, also called cosmic horror or eldritch horror, is a subgenre of horror, fantasy, and weird fiction that emphasizes the terror of the unknown and incomprehensible more than gore or other shock elements....

32 Liminal horror movies

Let's begin with the beginning: what in the world is "liminal" - and "liminal horror"? The word liminal itself is defined quite differently by different sources, but the essence is as follows: - a state/position at or on both sides of a threshold/border - a transition between states or the initial phase of a process of change As far as I understand, Liminal horror points to both this and at the same time to what is called liminal spaces , which are: - areas and architecture that lead you from something to something else, and which are not intended as anything more/other. Corridors, underpasses, aqueducts, airports, queues, waiting rooms... 'Non - destinational places', as my husband called it when I tried to explain it. Apt term! 😍 - Emotionally, liminal spaces are, for example, grief and growing up - Psychologically and socially, it's is 'nothing' between different feelings or states: the state of post partum and detox are two examp...

15 years of Academy headers!

A good header is a great thing ! Since 2011, the Horror Rookie Academy has focused quite a bit on page headers. The header constitutes the graphic profile of the Academy. It is what first meets the eye,  what gives the first impression, and it sets the tone.  Design- wise, we have kept the headers simple and symmetric -and a bit classy. We present to you: 15 years of Academy headers!         (Laget av skrekkrutt Sørbø.)                              (Artwork: Kim Holm)       

Dental Horror!

Teeth are hard, calcified structures in the mouth that are essential for breaking down food through chewing, forming words for speech, and maintaining overall oral health. They are also dreadful sources of pain, an object for torture and things that can get smashed out of your skull in a bloody instant. One starry friday night, a night of icy gusts of wind and of gerenal unrest in the populus, the Rookies at the  Horror Rookie Academy  decided to dive into the topic of dental horror: the portrayal of teeth in horror films. We decided to limit the topic to mainly human teeth, but since the sphere of horror is a transcendant and messy one, we of course welcomed other types of teeth in horror as well. Tusks, for example. Or simply messed up tooth-related stuff.  The films listed below either centers around the topic of teeth or has predominant scenes portraying teeth in them. It is a creepy collection of films, this.  Films that make your molars ice and throb just by th...

Wilderness horror!

Be it forests, moors, swamps, the open ocean or the deserts: when it comes to horror film settings, there’s not a more primal or elemental one than the lonely vastness of the great outdoors.  The seemingly empty expanses outside of civilization have been a staple of horror films for decades, a highly relatable and highly available backdrop for stories of the dangers and terrors that lurks in remote places, far from help or rescue.  The inherent fear of the wilderness is a fear that is literally hardwired into our very DNA. Below, you will find tips for some of the many many wilderness horror films that exists. This list has been carefully curated by the Rookies, being a group of people that have seen their fair share of all things horror.  Enjoy! 🙂  Title Year IMDb YellowBrickRoad 2010 4,7 Rogue 2007 6,2 Body at Brighton Rock 2019 4,7 Backcountry 2014 6,7 Ravenous 1999 6,9 Eden Lake 2008 6,7 The VVitch 2015 6,7 Southern Comfort 1981 7,1 Anaconda 1997 4,7 The Ruins ...

Masks in horror!

Masks are widely seen in horror films. But of course. Hidden identities and a visage without any visible emotions are the stuff nightmares are made of.  Or masks made of the skin of a human head... Eeew!  Leatherface, Jason Vorhees, Ghostface and Michael Myers were pioneers in the mask game. Those iconic roles have since been followed by a wide array of masked killers in horror. Increasingly cheezy, some might feel -myserlf being among them. The home invasion subgenre has in particular taken masks to its heart. The rookies at  The Horror Rookie Academy  recently endulged themselves in a Mask Saturday, shining a powerful mental light on masks in horror. Below is the list of 28 movie recommendations that followed. Enjoy!  Nr Title Year IMDb 1 Scream 1996 7,4 2 StageFright 1987 6,6 3 Christmas Cruelty 2013 4,4 4 The Collector 2009 6,3 5 My Bloody Valentine 1981 6,3 6 My Bloody Valentine 2009 5,4 7 Onibaba 1964 7,8 8 The Orphanage 2007 7,4 9 Alice, Sweet Alice 1976 ...

Alien Space Bats: når ting skeier ut

Da var det andre time og vi fortsetter med litt Begrepslære... Denne timen tar vi for oss ALIEN SPACE BATS.  Termen ble coina av Alison Brooks på en nettside ( soc.history-what.if) i 1999, men konseptet har vært brukt og kjent en stund, og siden -99 har Alien Space Bats blitt brukt og referert til ofte i sci-fi og fantasy.  Opprinnelig ble det brukt som en sarkastisk kritikk av Alternativ Historie fortellinger hvor plottet kommer ut av en temmelig usannsynlig vending som er litt vel... out there... "This shit just went into ASB country...." Begrepet brukes ofte også av konspirasjonshuer og Alienister generelt, men stammer fra film og litteratur.  ASB er gjerne motsetningen til Deus Ex Machina som gjerne er samme device, men som kommer helt mot slutten av en historie, iforhold til ASB som ofte blir innført rimelig tidlig for å sparke igang et plot.  Det finnes et par små "regler" for å kjenne igjen et ASB grep...men de er ingen fasit som sådan, og ASB ...

Science fiction LOLs!

Let's have a laugh, shall we? Here are a few tips for sci-fi comedies!🙂   Tittel År IMDb Spaceballs 1987 7.1 Evolution 2001 6.1 Space station 76 2014 4.9 Attack the block 2011 6.7 Brazil 1985 7.8 Buckaroo Banzai 1984 6.2 Gentlemen Broncos 2009 6.2 Blasted 2022 4.8 Rick and Morty 2013 - 9.1 The world's end 2013 6.9 Mars Attacks 1996 6.4 Galaxy Quest 1999 7.4 Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy 2005 6.7 Resident Alien 2021 8.1 BigBug 2022 5.5 Coneheads 1993 6.4 Re-animator 1985 7.1 Attack of the killer Tomatoes 1978 4.6 Paul 2011 6.9 Red Dwarf 1988-89 8.4 Flesh Gordon 1974 4.8 Meet the Applegates 1990 5.5 Julebukk aka Last Christmas 2015 n/r

Hillbilly vs outback horror!

Hillbilly Horror is an American subgenre, often rooted in the concept of Southern Gothic , where a group of "civilized" outsiders (often young people from the city) venture into remote, rural areas—typically the Deep South, Appalachia, or the Southwest—and encounter a family or group of violent, often inbred, degenerate locals. Key Conventions of hillbilly horror are: Setting: Remote, isolated locations like deep woods, decaying farmhouses, abandoned roads, and dilapidated small towns, usually suggesting an area "forgotten" by modern society. The Villains: The antagonists are typically a family unit , often characterized by inbreeding, physical deformities, cannibalism, and extreme violence. They represent an unhinged, "monstrous" version of the rural poor. The Conflict: It's fundamentally a Clash of Cultures —city dwellers vs. country folk. The horror stems from the characters being stripped of their modern conveniences (like cell service or relia...

Satan, demons and Hell itself in horror movies

There is a Hell of a lot of horror films revolving around the topics of Satan, demons and Hell itself. Of course.  Who is not creeped out by the thought of getting caught in Satan's claws to spend eternity in some kind of Hell? Or having a demon protrude from -or envelop- one's brittle human form?  Many of these movies are more or less classic paranormal films, like the Conjuring - franchise, while other, like Devil and Gehenna, take a less traditional approach to the topic. Not to mention Jeruzalem. Or Drag me to Hell. The Rookies have put their hellish minds together to conjure up dozens of tips for horror films where Satan, demons and Hell itself plays the main role. For your viewing convenience. Enjoy! 👹  Nr Tittel År IMDb 1 Rosemarys baby 1968 8 2 The Omen 1976 7,6 3 The Devils advocate 1997 7,4 4 Black Sunday 1960 7,3 5 The Stand (miniseries) 1994 7,2 6 The Devil rides out 1969 7 7 Hellraiser 1987 7 8 Constantine 2005 6,8 9 Hellboy 2004 6,8 10 The 9th gate 1999 6,7...