Erotic Horror

Erotic horror, alternately called horror erotica or dark erotica, is a genre of fiction in which sensual or sexual imagery are blended with horrific overtones or story elements for the purpose of sexual arousal. Horror fiction of this type is most common in literature, film and video games.

Ero guro

, also known as just ''guro'', is a Japanese genre of erotic art that focuses on a mix of eroticism with grotesque and horror elements. Originating from the '' ero guro nansensu'' subculture of the ''Shōwa'' era, it first gained prominence in the popular literature of Japan in the 1920s and 1930s, and regularly features violent scenes such as dismemberment, disembowelment, eyeball gore, and exploding wombs. Following the Sada Abe Incident of 1936, in which a woman strangled and castrated her lover for sexual pleasure, ''ero guro'' media faced censorship. Such erotica made a reemergence in the postwar period, especially in manga. Later subgenres of hentai would be influenced by ''ero guro'', including tentacle hentai. In the 21st century, ''guro'' hentai has gained popularity in the United States.

Women's erotic horror

Feminists have been hesitant to accept erotic horror, as both the erotic and horror have been primarily locations for the male gaze. Pornography and the erotic, through a non-feminist gaze, are often about the coercion of women to performing sexual acts that they do not consent to. Furthermore, erotic horror media written with rape, monstrous sex scenes, or the exchange of heterosexual power dynamics are not condoned by feminist scholars and activists; these forms of erotic horror are not deemed transgressive, empowering or feminist. Contemporary women's horror, however, celebrates the erotic and encourages combining horror with eroticism in order to express what terrifies and titillates women without penalty, while still centering self-determination and sexual choice.

Writers and readers of feminist erotic horror works use them to express themselves as both a subject and object within a fantasy context. Many feminist erotic horror pieces involve romantic relationships with a monster, such as vampires or werewolves, and/or the reworking of existing fairytales in order for female protagonists to take control of their own sexual fate. These romantic relationships act as a lens for a transgression of these different monsters and a celebration of rich difference.

Although the vampire is traditionally understood as a masculine devourer of women, modern erotic stories featuring women vampires are often transgressive in nature – women in these stories do not conform to expectations about marriage, sexual freedom, or heterosexual desire – and may be understood as altogether feminist. Several of these stories feature the lesbian vampire, a trope in which vampirism and lesbian identity are connected. In the 1970s, erotic vampire lesbian films (like '' Twins of Evil'' by John Hough, 1971) projected lesbian identity and vampirism as intertwined, and audiences viewed both as horrifying elements. Erotic vampire lesbian horror is a diverse genre, and lesbian identities are constructed in several different ways: As members of a shared sisterhood, sexually violent, sadomasochistic, or supporting butch and femme distinctions. More generally, although early works were limiting, modern lesbian erotic horror transgresses popular conceptions of what appropriate sexual desire can look like and celebrates difference.

Monster erotica

Monster erotica, also known as monster porn, is a genre of erotic art or pornography that features sexual encounters between humans and monsters. Typical monsters in the genre include dinosaurs and zombies, as well as folkloric or mythical creatures such as cryptids, vampires, or werewolves.

Monster erotica is generally depicted as different than bestiality, as the monsters present are often intelligent and sapient; that being said, rape often takes place against humans in the genre. Following media reports in 2013 that such books often contained scenes of rape, incest, and bestiality, various online retailers removed hundreds of self-published monster erotica books from their websites. Monster erotica also appears in Japanese media, with examples such as tentacle hentai being popular. Monster erotica sometimes features comedic or ironic themes, such as in the works of Chuck Tingle.

Vampires have been known to be icons of erotic horror since conception, especially Bram Stoker’s ''Dracula'' which includes overt female sexuality and voyeurism. In different iterations of vampire stories, the vampire is constantly described as attractive and sexually alluring to humans. Vampire bites and feeding are often described as pleasurable and sexual, as Violet Fenn notes in her analysis of vampire feeding within ''Dracula'': “blood and lust are as one.” Killing a vampire has also been analyzed as being sexually charged as it requires impalement or penetration by a stake to the heart. Andrew Green notes in his analysis that the language used by Stoker for the death of the vampire Lucy Westenra is reminiscent of the language used to describe orgasms.

In film

Erotic horror has had influences on Spanish, French, and American horror films. The works of Jean Rollin, such as '' Le Viol du Vampire'' and '' Fascination'', are considered quintessential erotic horror films, blending deeply sexual imagery with gore. American cinema has also featured notable erotic horror film franchises, such as '' Candyman.'' An example of a British erotic horror film series is ''Hellraiser''. '' Alien'' features heavy erotic imagery, with the design of the Xenomorph by H. R. Giger featuring both phallic and vaginal imagery, intended to symbolize patriarchal guilt as well as sex, rape, and pregnancy.

Body horror films, such as '' Crimes of the Future'' and ''Titane'', have been likened to erotic horror.

Other films in this genre include ''Dracula'' (1992), ''Dagon'' (2001), '' Splice'' (2009), '' Benedetta'' (2021), '' The Witch'' (2015), '' Saint Maud'' (2019) and '' The Exorcism of God'' (2015).

See also

* Erotic thriller
* LGBTQ themes in horror fiction
* Paranormal romance
* Teratophilia

References

Further reading

*
*

{{Horror fiction

Horror
Horror genres
Obscenity controversies in literature