Techno-horror
Techno-horror is a subgenre of horror fiction where the major source of horror is modern technology. It may be seen as a subgenre of techno-thriller.
The genre heavily relies on elements of science fiction or fantasy. This subgenre notably belongs to Western civilization and Japan and does not exist in China, India, Egypt, etc.[1]
The earliest techno-horror films were produced in big numbers in 1950s, mostly low quality and undeserving of critical notice with some exceptions, such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) or Forbidden Planet (1956). [1]
Techno-horror focuses on how technology can be a force of evil, either in their own right or as pawns of mad scientists/engineers. Another form of techno-horror is inclusion of technology into otherwise classical horror narratives. An example is the evolving J-horror genre: classical "scares", such as ghosts, spirits, curses, etc., propagate via hi-tech media: computer networks, cell phones, etc. Here, modern technology is not a threat per se, but rather a new conduit for various dark forces.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b Tony Magistrale, Abject Terrors: Surveying the Modern and Postmodern Horror Film, 2005 p. 82
- ^ Sonny Bunch, "Techno-Horror in Hollywood. Japanese Anxieties, American Style", The New Atlantis, Number 14, Fall 2006, pp. 137-140.
Further reading
- Clarke, Julie (2009). The Paradox of the Posthuman: Science Fiction/Techno-Horror Films and Visual Media. VDM Verlag. ISBN 3639143795.
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