A History of Horror
On BBC Four
A scholarly, affectionate survey of horror cinema's evolution, balancing critical analysis with reverence for the genre's visual and thematic traditions.
Mark Gatiss examines the history of the horror film, from classic Hollywood monsters to Hammer's glory days and beyond.
Clusters
Genres
Keywords
Questions people ask
Does A History of Horror leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 73% of series.
Is A History of Horror violent? Not especially. Less violent than 59% of series.
Is A History of Horror easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is A History of Horror sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is A History of Horror scary? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Distinctly its own thing.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like A History of Horror
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as A History of Horror
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like A History of Horror, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like A History of Horror, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like A History of Horror, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
