starter horror Archives - The Void of Celluloid

Starter Horror: Tamer R-Rated Horror Films to Start Off

First came PG horror. Next came the PG-13 films. Now, the final part focuses on the transition into R-rated horror. The horror genre is a diverse one. As we take this next step into the typical R-rated horror part of it, know that there is so much range that resides in this section. Some are only a notch above a PG-13 horror movie and others should require eye bleach. Therefore, this is the trickiest step into horror.

Because you cleared Insidious and are feeling ready for something more intense doesn’t mean you should go jumping into Terrifier. There tamer R-rated gems are the building blocks to go back to the classics and move forward with the latest releases. There will be three subgenres on display: psychological, slasher and supernatural. Note that more subgenres exist–obviously–but these are the three that are the most recognizable. Let’s get started.

You’ve gotten this far, but still not into it

These three films I’ve picked are definitely a bit more intense than the ones mentioned previously. However, in my personal opinion, these are essential watches in the grand scheme of film, not just horror film. These are significant films from legendary filmmakers that should be viewed and appreciated–even if you’re not into the horror thing after all of this.

Stephen King's Christine Remake: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know — A flick about an evil car also might be a great choice for a starter film…

Another side note: these are R-rated movies. I am not recommending these films are for children. They are age restricted for a reason. That being said, the power is in the hands of the parents and whether or not their child is mentally ready for these films. I know that I watched them at a point that I was ready to see them which was definitely before seventeen, and some of these films (especially the first one) are seemingly important to watch as kids reach high school. A great rule of thumb if you can’t quite remember what happens in these movies is to check the IMDb Parents Guide, which is moderated by the people for the people. Keep that in mind, and let’s go over three movies that I think are great starting points for R-rated horror.

Everyone’s Favorite Period Piece: Carrie

Yes, I nabbed that heading from Fleabag. Carrie remains as one of the top supernatural horror films out there. Yes, there is a ripple of psychological horror in there, but due to Carrie and her seemingly omnipotent telekinetic powers, I am categorizing this as supernatural. Carrie is a Stephen King adaptation that carries a heavy message. It is tamer in its on-screen violence but does have moments of nudity and on-screen abuse that might make it a cautious watch. Albeit it is an important watch.

Carrie: five films that influenced Brian De Palma's teen-horror classic | BFI

Honestly, it’s one of the best films that discusses the horror of puberty and how femininity isn’t always pretty. It might be too relatable of a tale to a high school girl who is trying to figure it all out as well. Carrie teaches the lesson of being kind to your fellow woman which some forget in the teenage years. The film also toes the line on arthouse horror–another subgenre worth looking into if you’re one for metaphors and symbolism.

Oh, the psyche: The Shining

Speaking of Stephen King adaptations, here is another that is our proud representation of psychological horror. Yes, the source material of this book makes it very clear something supernatural is at play, but Stanley Kubrick ditched that concept. The Shining is a domestic psychological horror through and through. We watch as isolation, paranoia and previous traumas and addiction take over a family in the snowed-in Overlook Hotel. With phenomenal performances from Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duvall (fight me on this one, I dare you), it is a surreal watch.

This film is mild in violence other than the last twenty minutes of the film and other than some sexual implications and some nudity, this film is tame compared to the other two picks. However, the mental gymnastics are the rough part of this movie. It remains one of the most rewatched films in all of cinema history and has spawned countless conspiracy theories about its meaning and what is real and not real. If this is your kind of thing, I must direct you to American Psycho next if you’re ready for a harder R-rated horror flick.

The king of all Slashers: Halloween

Now you might think me wacko to consider this one a starter horror. However, it is the horror film. It’s less intense than the films it inspired as in what we see on screen. The scares are impactful without the on-screen gore. This film created the slasher genre we all know as it manufactured the tropes of said subgenre. John Carpenter is a brilliant filmmaker that specializes in the genre that everyone needs to know and respect. That is a threat.

Halloween is a brilliant film with stellar cinematography and amazing performances from Jamie Lee Curtis (her first flick) and Donald Pleasence. It also has an interesting story, which I wrote about right here on TVOC. There is nudity, there is implied sex and minor drug use–and a lot of death. It is a slasher film after all. This is the most intense of the three on here. Therefore, the enjoyment of this film will determine if one would like to continue their horror journey and their next step into the R-rated horror realm.

What’s Next?

That wraps the Starter Horror series on The Void of Celluloid. As I can’t stress it enough, horror should be respected and appreciated by all, but one does not need to indulge in it if they are not into the feeling of getting scared. Horror movies function off adrenaline rushes. Some people aren’t into that sort of thing. Others might want to take a stab at it but haven’t had the priming of becoming a horror appreciator: acknowledging that it is all fake and all in good fun. Much like roller coasters, horror induces a shock that should follow with a flabbergasted chuckle.

You can now check out TVOC’s TIkTok. Go ahead and check it out. I post daily to that thing so join the horror discussion and join me on our daily spelunking adventures. Next Monday, we’re going to be going over what is coming out this month both in theaters and streaming and discussing what’s worth seeing. January is always a rough month for horror but there are a few promising flicks if you dig through it all.

Thanks for spelunking this void with me. If you’re new to the Void of Celluloid, welcome. Feel free to spelunk some other voids while you’re here and follow me on other platforms by clicking the buttons below. We post regularly and stay up to date about what’s going on in horror today, reflect on what went on yesterday, and plan for a better, horror filled tomorrow. See ya next time.

Starter Horror: Kicking it Up a Notch with PG-13 Horror

on January 4, 2023January 2, 2023 By thevoidofcelluloid 1 Comment

The transition from PG to PG-13 horror can seem like quite a leap if not done properly. There are some good PG-13 movies out there. Those ones will scare the pants off you and might cause someone to step away from the genre just as they were getting into it. Here at The Void of Celluloid, we want to level the playing field so that everyone can learn about and appreciate the genre. This is part two of our Starter Horror series, you can find part one here.

With the step to the greater beyond comes a jump in time as well. PG-13 didn’t exist until Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which released in the mid-eighties. Funnily enough, the aforementioned Gremlins kind of led the charge on that one due to some traumatized kiddos. Have no fear though, there are some gems in the genre that are perfect for ramping up to the classics that we’ll discuss in the final part of the series. You can check out my commentary about PG-13 horror here.

Things to take note of: The big step

PG horror bans a lot of things so the transition may seem a little intense. PG-13 horror contains blood and more violence than eyes may be used to–hence the discretionary warning that comes with the genre. Therefore, please be advised that while you might want to make the horror loving buddy out of your eight-year-old kid, some of this content is too intense for them. Let your kid be a kid for a while longer–then you can expose them to the darkness and make them into cool young adults once they come of age.

The Sixth Sense: PG-13 Horror — The Sixth Sense is also a great pick for a PG-13 horror film.

As for the adult audience coming to this for guidance, PG-13 horror films are ripe for the taking when it comes to scary movie nights with friends or Halloween parties. Don’t go in alone if you think it might be too intense for you. Have a scream and a laugh with a buddy and note that these movies are meant to scare you. Don’t be embarrassed if one of them riles you up a bit too much. You’ll learn what subgenres you like and don’t like on this journey.

Horror COmedy anyone? Tremors

This is a prime example to introduce people to the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Tremors is one of those movies that many consider to be a comfort film. It’s funny, ridiculous and has an impressive monster that everyone should be familiar with: the Graboid. It is definitely funnier than it is scary, but there is quite a bit of blood, guts and carnage that edges this into this category. On top of some on screen kills that are pretty brutal, this film is a perfect mix of comedy and horror that will test the waters gently if one is ready for more intense films.

This film spawned several sequels, but we can ignore that if we don’t desire campiness–all of them don’t live up to this one. Therefore, this is a perfect film to show the potential of franchises and see how one feels about the cheesiness the genre can provide. Not all horror sequels are equal, though–we can get into that another time. This film has the constant intensity of a typical horror movie with bits of comic relief thrown in. A perfect soiree for a newcomer after they’ve taken their baby steps.

An Introduction to Atmospheric Horror: The Others

There are two paths a horror movie can take: short term scare or long term. The long-term scare is what usually garners horror films critical acclaim. Enter another modern classic, The Others starring Nicole Kidman. Atmospheric horror plays primarily in the suspense genre, much like the classic Hitchcock movies. When atmospheric horror is mild, it is the most accessible form of horror movies and deserves appreciation even from non-horror fans.

The Others is simply a ghost story with killer twists and turns. It has its mild scares, but its atmosphere it creates and the pit of dread it plants in its viewers are what makes it a horror movie. Much like movies such as The Haunting (1960) or The Sixth Sense, the story is rich around the scares. If you prefer the slow build up to a major twist rather than the traditional horror movie rollercoaster, then make atmospheric horror movies your go to. Trust me, though, there are strictly atmospheric horror that are not for the faint of heart, so make sure you tread lightly and prepare yourself.

Insidious: The top Tier PG-13 Horror Movie

As I’ve stated before in previous articles, Insidious is the pinnacle of PG-13 horror. It will scare the daylights out of you. With little to no blood but effective jump scares, James Wan knocks it out of the park. This film sparked the PG-13 horror craze of the early 2010s. The ghosts in here are nightmarish. Also, there is something incredibly atmospheric about the Further. This purgatory-like dimension adds something to the film that makes it stand out amongst other films of its kind.

Insidious (2010) directed by James Wan • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Insidious remains one of the more intense starter horror movies, but it is a sure sign that someone is ready for the next step if they genuinely enjoyed it and found the scares exciting rather than traumatizing. This film has sequels–the third one is a really solid prequel–and will have a new installment out this year, so if one wants to stay in the tamer category, go on with the franchise and support the new one in theaters when it comes out. Nothing beats a good theater experience, especially for a horror movie.

What’s next?

That wraps up my three picks for starter PG-13 horror movies. As I can’t stress it enough, horror should be respected and appreciated by all, but one does not need to indulge in it if they are not into the feeling of getting scared. Horror movies function off adrenaline rushes. Some people aren’t into that sort of thing. Others might want to take a stab at it but haven’t had the priming of becoming a horror appreciator: acknowledging that it is all fake and all in good fun. Much like roller coasters, horror induces a shock that should follow with a flabbergasted chuckle.

The final part will focus on three classics that are good for starters–not necessarily going to throw them in the deep end with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That will be the final part of this series. I hope this is a good guide to those who are curious or to parents who aren’t sure how to introduce their kids. Nobody wants nightmares.