The Best Gory Horror For People Who Hate Gore 

An introduction to cinematic carnage for the splatter-shy. 

johnny depp, sleepy hollow
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  • Photo Credit: Featured still from 'Sleepy Hollow' via Paramount Pictures

For horror movie lovers, the topic of gore is surprisingly fraught: While some people can’t get enough of the red stuff, others avoid it at all costs.

Gore lovers argue that blood and guts are the main course when it comes to scary movies—or, at the very least, the seasoning that makes the whole dish delectable.

Detractors, on the other hand, may feel that too much goop distracts from a genuinely good spooky story…or maybe they’re just sensitive souls tired of watching their screens through splayed fingers. 

Either way, to gore or not to gore is a question that’s been plaguing the genre at least since Alfred Hitchcock sent chocolate syrup swirling down the shower drain in Psycho.

By modern standards, Psycho hardly has any gore to speak of, but at the time of its release in 1960, it heralded a new era in screen horror. By 1963, the intentionally gross and gloopy Blood Feast was unleashed onto the world, and the “splatter” subgenre was officially born. 

With the emergence of Fangoria magazine in 1979 and the box office dominance of slashers throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, the importance of gore to the horror genre was cemented forever—and after a brief lull in gore ushered in by understated found footage hits like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, ultra-gross horror movies that leave little to the imagination are de rigueur once again. 

If you’re a horror lover who happens to be a little splatter-shy, you’re not alone—and there is hope if you’re looking to dip your toes into those bloody waters.

Here are eight gory horror films that even haters might enjoy. 

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

It’s not exactly a slasher movie, but this Tim Burton favorite does feature on-screen beheadings courtesy of Christopher Walken’s headless Hessian Horseman, plus plenty of shots of Johnny Depp’s Ichabod Crane getting positively drenched in blood.

What makes it ideal for a gore novice is that said blood is an artificial-looking bright red, and the fact that there’s plenty of comedy—along with touches of Burton’s trademark whimsy—to balance out the scares. 

Hausu (1977)

This Japanese cult classic about a group of schoolgirls in a haunted house will leave you so disoriented with its wild, over-the-top visuals that you won’t have time to get grossed out.

Reanimated severed heads, a piano that eats fingers, and a cat portrait that spurts out oceans of blood are just a few of the bizarre set pieces you have to look forward to in this deeply surreal horror-comedy.

Suspiria (1977)

Dario Argento is one of the most revered masters of Italian horror, and Suspiria—his most famous film, about a German ballet academy that is actually a cover for a coven of witches—definitely contains some deeply disturbing kills.

However, like Sleepy Hollow, the unnaturally red blood combined with the film’s fairy tale vibes (Argento and co-screenwriter Daria Nicolodi cite Snow White and Alice in Wonderland as inspiration) may be enough for some gore haters to become converts. 

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Many people who dislike gore make exceptions for horror comedies, and this zom-com from Edgar Wright is one of the best examples of the subgenre.

When the zombie apocalypse hits London, slacker Shaun (Simon Pegg) might be able to leverage the situation to get his life back on track…or not.

But he’ll certainly have more than his share of gory shenanigans as he navigates through the hordes of shambling undead to reach his favorite pub. 

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Another horror-comedy with a self-aware, meta twist, this movie deftly skewers the tropes of the genre while still delivering gallons of on-screen red stuff—especially in that ultra-chaotic finale.

If you don’t already know the plot, it’s best to go in blind and just surrender to the madness.

Renfield (2023)

While there are much gorier recent movies—ahem, Terrifier —I wouldn’t foist a maniac like Art the Clown on anyone who wasn’t ready to be subjected to that level of unhinged violence.

I might, however, subject them to Nicolas Cage as Dracula.

Here, the Count is portrayed as the world’s most narcissistic nightmare of a boss to Nicholas Hoult’s hapless Renfield, and while it’s as bloody as you might expect a modern vampire movie to be, it’s also silly and fun—all ingredients for good gateway gore.

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

A group of ‘80s punk rockers contend with brain-eating zombies in this practical effects masterpiece.

Yes, it’s gross, and a little disturbing—just wait for the scene where a twitching, limbless zombie explains exactly why she craves brains—but the fantastic cast, killer soundtrack, and quotable lines (“Send more cops!”) make it worth your while.

Dead Alive (1992)

Also known as Braindead, a pre-Middle Earth Peter Jackson directed this zom-com that is widely considered to be one of the goriest movies of all time.

The gore really kicks into high gear when a woman’s ear falls off and into her bowl of soup, and culminates in a spectacularly disgusting and improbably hilarious scene involving a lawnmower and what one can only assume is every last drop of fake blood in New Zealand.

If you manage to watch and enjoy Dead Alive, congratulations, and welcome to the club—you’re officially a gorehound!

Featured photo: Still from Sleepy Hollow via Paramount Pictures