The combination of religion and horror might seem unusual for some, but for others, it feels natural. Although it may sound niche, the Catholic horror aesthetic is very prevalent in modern media, particularly in movies.
The specific aesthetic of Catholic horror includes many of the aspects of a Catholic aesthetic, but with a “haunted” twist. This includes cathedrals, priests and nuns, crosses, rosaries, and baroque art and music. These pieces of the Catholic aesthetic are combined with a devil/haunting aesthetic with symbols of death, ghosts, demons, and danger to form the Catholic horror aesthetic.
A great example of the Catholic horror aesthetic in films is The Conjuring.
This movie (series) primarily focuses on demonic possession, which is a Catholic ideology. In Catholicism, the threat of a demon is a terrible notion, making its inclusion in a horror film fitting. In the film, Ed and Lorraine Warren are tasked to get rid of a demon torturing a family. To combat the demon, they rely on a combination of latin prayers, holy water, and the blessing of a priest among other things like crucifixes, which Ed always wears around his neck, for his protection, and exorcisms.
This still is from The Conjuring 2, where the family being haunted has hung up crucifixes around the room with the most activity, but something has flipped them over, instead mocking Christ.
Another prime example of a Catholic horror film is The Nun (1 and 2), which is within the conjuring cinematic universe. The movie centers around a priest and a novitiate investigating a haunting from the demon Valak. The heavy Catholic themes of this film spur questions about the meaning of life and death.
Gavin F. Hurley explores his experience with religious horror in an article for Horror Homeroom. He argues that religious horror has been around for centuries, citing works like Dante’s Inferno, where the devil plays a role in influencing people’s actions to encourage moral behavior in life. The book can be frightening, especially for those who believe in the potential consequences depicted in the afterlife, making it a form of horror in its own right.
Hurley also mentions the influence of religious horror in modern horror, including The Conjuring and The Exorcist. He emphasizes the threats and consequences presented by these evils, along with the good side that battles them. These films allow people to explore moral and existential questions through a unique perspective.
Some of the earliest Catholic Horror films include Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, but other religious horror media existed before them. The genre has a unique blend of faith in religion, danger, moral questions, and the supernatural that form a powerful atmosphere. Catholic horror stories may include religious, faithful redemption, or the unfortunate presence of demons, but either way, Catholic horror continues to hold a space in modern media because of its power as a genre of horror. It offers an interesting perspective on humanity and the meaning of religion and life. We may reflect on our own lives through this aesthetic and genre to understand ourselves and our lives a little more.
https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Catholic_Horror
https://markelayat.com/religious-horror/
2 Comments. Leave new
I never thought I would be reading something like this, as I am easily scared and therefore hate horror movies, but I though this post was really insightful! I liked how you combined the history of the genre with the aesthetic of catholic horror. I particularly liked how you discussed that catholic ideology and iconography can be twisted in this aesthetic to bring it a completely different meaning. I also thought the images and movies really captured the aesthetic as they were very creepy. But, I was wondering why you think this aesthetic can bring out such fear and affects the horror movie genre so much compared to a regular horror movie? I know it brings a particular kind of meaning to some people but is there a particular thing about this aesthetic you think strikes such fear? I loved the post and I am jealous of your bravery to watch such things.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment! I think the impressive impact of catholic horror comes from fact that it is rooted in a thing that is so real to so many people. Personally, I’m not religious but I can still see how terrifying certain themes are because I know many people believe them to be true. Also, religion is often thought to be the most pure, hopeful, and safe thing in the world, so the thought that it may not be can be scary in and of itself. Compared to an average horror movie that is not rooted in religion, like Crimson Peak, catholic horror films focus more on the religious aspect to emphasize the realistic threat (to many people) of the devil. If The Conjuring was about a ghost haunting that they beat with the power of love instead of God, it would not have felt so real to many people who believe in God, and even though I don’t, I can still immerse myself in those ideas when watching a movie like that.