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]
- Eight Legged Freaks (2002; giant spiders)[7]
- Kingdom of the Spiders (1977; tarantulas)[1][8]
Birds
- Beaks: The Movie (1987)[1]
- The Birds (1963; flocks of vicious gulls, crows, sparrows and other birds)[3][8]
- The Birds II: Land's End (1994)[1]
- KAW (2007; ravens)[1]
Fish
Piranhas
- Piranha (1978; genetically enhanced piranhas)[3][8]
- Piranha 3D (2010; prehistoric piranhas)[8]
Sharks
- Deep Blood (1989)[9] aka Sangue negli abissi
- Deep Blue Sea (1999; large genetically engineered shortfin mako sharks)[1]
- Jaws (1975; large great white shark)[3][10]
- The Reef (2010; great white shark)[1]
Insects
Ants
- Empire of the Ants (1977; large ants)[8]
- The Naked Jungle (1954)[1]
- Phase IV (1974; intelligent ants)[1]
- Them! (1954; giant ants)[8][11]
Bees
- The Deadly Bees (1966)[8]
- Killer Bees (1974)[8]
- The Swarm (1978)[3][8]
- Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare (1995)[12]
Cockroaches
Mammals
Bats
- Nightwing (1979; vampire bats)[3]
- Bats (1999; genetically altered bats)[14]
Bears
- Grizzly (1976; grizzly bear)[3][8]
- Grizzly Rage (2007; grizzly bear)[1]
- Into the Grizzly Maze (2014; grizzly bear)[8]
- Prophecy (1979; mutant bear)[8][11]
Canines
- The Breed (2006; feral mutated dogs)[8]
- Cujo (1983; St. Bernard with rabies)[8]
- Dogs (1976)[15]
- Frozen (2010; gray wolves)[1]
- The Pack (1977; feral dogs)[8][11]
Felines
- Maneater (2007; Bengal tiger)[1]
Primates
- King Kong (1933; abnormally large gorilla-like ape)[5]
- In The Shadow Of Kilimanjaro (1986 film involving 90,000 thirst-crazed baboons during an African drought)
Rats
- Deadly Eyes (1982; also known as The Rats)[8]
- Graveyard Shift (1990)[8]
- Of Unknown Origin (1983)[8]
- Willard (2003)[6]
Whales
- Orca (1977; killer whale)[3][11]
Other mammals
- Black Sheep (2006; genetically engineered killer sheep)[6][8]
- Night of the Lepus (1972; giant rabbits)[8]
- Razorback (1984; giant wild boar)[16]
Mollusks
- Slugs (1988; abnormally large killer black slugs)[6]
Octopuses
- Bride of the Monster (1955; killer octopus)[17][18]
- Tentacles (1977; giant octopus)[11]
Reptiles
Alligators and crocodiles
- Alligator (1980; giant alligator)[3][8]
- Croc (2007; saltwater crocodile)[1]
- Lake Placid (1999; abnormally large saltwater crocodile)[6]
- Primeval (2007; Gustave the crocodile)[8]
- Rogue (2007; giant crocodile)[8]
Dinosaurs
- Godzilla (1954; irradiated Godzillasaurus)[19]
Snakes
- Silent Predators (1999)[1]
Plants
- Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978; killer tomatoes)[10]
- The Day of the Triffids (1962; man-eating plants)[10]
- The Ruins (2008; vines)[8]
Worms
- Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959, giant leeches)[20]
- Blood Beach (1982; giant worm)[6]
- Squirm (1976)[8][11]
Miscellaneous
- Day of the Animals (1977; various animals)[3][11]
- The Food of the Gods (1976; various animals)[8]
- Frogs (1972; various animals)[3][6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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.
- ^ a b Honeybone, Nigel (21 October 2012). "Film Review: Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ann, Melissa (17 March 2016). "Man vs Nature: 10 Crazy Natural Horror Films". PopHorror. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ "Eight Legged Freaks (2002)". AllMovie. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Kaye, Don (22 June 2015). "The 20 Best Nature Runs Amok Movies". Den of Geek. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ Palmerini, Luca M.; Mistretta, Gaetano (1996). Spaghetti Nightmares: Italian Fantasy-horrors as Seen Through the Eyes of Their Protagonists. Fantasma Books. ISBN 9780963498274.
- ^ a b c Gregersdotter, Katarina; Höglund, Johan; Hållén, Nicklas (22 February 2016). Animal Horror Cinema: Genre, History and Criticism. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 4–5. ISBN 113749638X.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gambin, Lee (8 October 2012). Massacred by Mother Nature: Exploring the Natural Horror Film. Midnight Marquee Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1936168309.
- ^ "Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare (1995)". AllMovie. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ "Mimic (1997)". AllMovie. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Bats (1999)". AllMovie. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ "Dogs (1976)". AllMovie. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ "Razorback (1984)". AllMovie. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Weldon, Michael (1983). "The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film". Ballantine Books. ISBN 345-34345-5. Page 89
- ^ Rhodes, Gary; Weaver, Tom (2015). Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster. BearManor Media. ISBN 1593938578.
- ^ "Gojira (1954)". AllMovie. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ https://www.allmovie.com/movie/attack-of-the-giant-leeches-v3265
