Lovecraftian Horror

Lovecraftian Horror is a subgenre named after the prominent American author H.P. Lovecraft. He has contributed to this genre with such stories that they have become the cornerstones of this subgenre and have influenced many writers and filmmakers over time.

So, what is this genre? Why and how does it hold such importance?

Rather than using gory, bloody, or tangible elements, the Lovecraftian genre emphasizes the horror of the unknown, the horror comes from the beyond and incomprehensible existence of life and humanity.

The dread of cosmic horror also draws the lines between sanity and madness; which is also a recurring theme in Lovecraftian books and films. Therefore you may come across characters who are descending into madness after being blown away by the fact that humans, in the face of these cosmic horrors, are insignificant to the celestial realm.

What about the setting and the tone? As you can guess, the tone is dark and gloomy, and the atmosphere is filled with a sense of decay and unease. To emphasize the loneliness and insignificance of humans in the face of the cosmos, the settings are isolated places with haunting images or vast jungles or oceans where one can lose its senses to madness.

Ancient entities and ancient texts are also visible in this subgenre. In the search for the unknown and forbidden knowledge, the characters uncover the remnants of ancient civilizations, and god-like figures, and lose their senses after facing their inferiority and insignificance towards these unreal, extraterrestrial, and eldritch beings that drive them into madness.