List of natural horror films
Natural horror (also known as creature features) is a subgenre of horror films that features natural forces,[1] typically in the form of animals or plants, that pose a threat to human characters.
Though killer animals in film have existed since the release of The Lost World in 1925,[2] two of the first motion pictures to garner mainstream success with a "nature run amok" premise were The Birds, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1963; and Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1975. Following Jaws, numerous horror films of a similar narrative were produced, including Grizzly (1976), Piranha (1978), and Alligator (1980).[3] Today, natural horror films are still produced, with varying tones, such as Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2008) and The Shallows (2016).[4]
Amphibians
Arachnids
- Arachnophobia (1990; spiders)[6]
- Big Ass Spider! (2013; giant spider)[6]
- Kingdom of the Spiders (1977; tarantulas)[1][7]
Birds
- Beaks: The Movie (1987)[1]
- The Birds (1963; flocks of vicious gulls, crows, sparrows and other birds)[3][7]
- The Birds II: Land's End (1994)[1]
- The Food of the Gods (1976; abnormally large chickens)[7]
- KAW (2007; ravens)[1]
Fish
Piranhas
- Piranha (1978; genetically enhanced piranhas)[3][7]
- Piranha 3D (2010; prehistoric piranhas)[7]
Sharks
- Deep Blue Sea (1999; large genetically engineered shortfin mako sharks)[1]
- Jaws (1975; large great white shark)[3][8]
- The Reef (2010; great white shark)[1]
Insects
Ants
- Empire of the Ants (1977; giant ants)[7]
- The Naked Jungle (1954)[1]
- Phase IV (1974; intelligent ants)[1]
- Them! (1954; giant ants)[7][9]
Bees
- The Deadly Bees (1966)[7]
- Killer Bees (1974)[7]
- The Swarm (1978)[3][7]
Cockroaches
Mammals
Bats
- Nightwing (1979; vampire bats)[3]
Bears
- Grizzly (1976; grizzly bear)[3][7]
- Grizzly Rage (2007; grizzly bear)[1]
- Into the Grizzly Maze (2014; grizzly bear)[7]
- Prophecy (1979; mutant bear)[7][9]
Canines
Felines
Primates
Rats
- Deadly Eyes (1982; also known as The Rats)[7]
- Graveyard Shift (1990)[7]
- Of Unknown Origin (1983)[7]
Whales
- Orca (1977; killer whale)[3][9]
Other mammals
- Black Sheep (2006; genetically engineered killer sheep)[6][7]
- Night of the Lepus (1972; giant rabbits)[7]
Mollusks
- Slugs (1988; abnormally large killer black slugs)[6]
Octopuses
Reptiles
Alligators and crocodiles
Dinosaurs
- The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953; Rhedosaurus)[10]
- Godzilla (1954; irradiated Godzillasaurus)[10]
Snakes
- Silent Predators (1999)[1]
Other reptiles
- The Relic (1997)
- Reptilicus (1961)
- Zarkorr! The Invader (1996)
Plants
- Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978; killer tomatoes)[8]
- The Day of the Triffids (1962; man-eating plants)[8]
- The Ruins (2008; vines)[7]
Worms
- Blood Beach (1982; giant worm)[6]
- Squirm (1976)[7][9]
Miscellaneous
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Puckett, Terek (27 October 2013). "Revolt of Nature Horror Films: The Must-Sees". PopOptiq. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- ↑ "The Lost World (1925)". Internet Archive: The Public Domain Review. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hickman, Matt (28 October 2014). "12 horror films that reveal Mother Nature's evil side". Mother Nature Network. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ Stolworthy, Jacob (9 June 2016). "The Shallows could be the shark film all horror fans have been waiting for since Jaws". The Independent. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- 1 2 Honeybone, Nigel (21 October 2012). "Film Review: Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ann, Melissa (17 March 2016). "Man vs Nature: 10 Crazy Natural Horror Films". PopHorror. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Kaye, Don (22 June 2015). "The 20 Best Nature Runs Amok Movies". Den of Geek. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 Gregersdotter, Katarina; Höglund, Johan; Hållén, Nicklas (22 February 2016). Animal Horror Cinema: Genre, History and Criticism. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 4–5. ISBN 113749638X.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gambin, Lee (8 October 2012). Massacred by Mother Nature: Exploring the Natural Horror Film. Midnight Marquee Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1936168309.
- 1 2 3 Merchant, Brian (14 November 2012). "The Evolution of Eco-Horror, from Godzilla to Global Warming". Motherboard. Retrieved 8 September 2016.