First off, by “Gateway Horror”, I’m referring to films that contain various aspects of the horror genre, without being a full on horror movie. These films can be a first step through the door to the genre for people who may be a bit hesitant to dive right into the carnage of Something like the Saw franchise or disturbing imagery of The Shining.
I feel like most fans of horror films come across a familiar issue, your significant other, family, friends, and/or others don’t seem to quite “get” why you love horror movies and aren’t really into them. As a horror fan, I can admit they are a bit of an acquired taste, but for those of you who want to give people a little nudge toward the genre, or expose your loved ones to something a little more macabre than they’re used to, there are a lot of non-horror “gateway” films that could spark their interest. Like these few for example:
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
The first installment of the (now Ill fated) Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is a great blend of action, romance, comedy, and yes, horror. While the film is minimal on actual scares, the zombie-like depiction of the cursed crew of the black pearl, and the darker tone throughout most of the meat of the film are a great combo to expose someone to a more horror-esque atmosphere, in an otherwise light hearted film. Aside from all that, it’s still a damn good movie.
Follow up with: Army of Darkness
Ghostbusters
This is a no brainer of a non-horror horror movie. Heavy on the laughs, and led by some of the greatest comedic actors of not only the 80’s, but all time, ghostbusters is a fun way to first introduce someone to the paranormal or horror comedies.
Follow up with: Shaun of the Dead
ParaNorman
ParaNorman is definitely a film for horror fans to first expose their kids to the genre. By far the most kid friendly on this list, ParaNorman is the story of a young boy who sees ghosts and tries to get his town to better understand people who are different, all while trying to lift the curse of a “witch” on the town. It’s quite dark for a children’s movie (same animators of Coraline for reference), and leans heavily on dark humor.
Follow up with: Casper (trying to keep it kid friendly here)
Jurassic Park
I reference JP a lot, but this truly fits in this group. Jurassic Park has the tension, tone, cutting edge sfx and Spielbergian magic that make a great film. A monster movie at its core, Jurassic Park is an animal horror classic that doesn’t push the envelope too far for younger audiences and can be a great stepping stone into a bigger monster-horror universe (it was for me).
Follow up with: Jaws
Obviously these are just a few of my selections and there are countless others you can throw in there. The Addams Family, Casper (as mentioned earlier), Labyrinth, Beetlejuice, the boat scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, really the list is endless. And in the end, if the subject of your efforts still doesn’t end up liking or appreciating horror a bit more, at least you watched some great films.
FlickFix 