Over the past 5 years, if you’ve been on the internet at all, you’ve probably heard the term ‘analog horror’, and you’ve probably seen that term accompanied by strange-looking fake news broadcasts. Coated with several layers of static overlay that show images of humanoid-ish figures. You’d probably assume that this is all the term refers to, freaky, weird YouTube videos that can be easily replicated in order to flood your recommended page. But you would be wrong, and I am here to tell you why.
First, we must start with the note that analog horror is NOT found footage. Yes, they share aesthetic similarities, and the latter is definitely a parent genre to the former; there are two main elements that separate them from each other:
1. Analog horror enables the viewing audience to participate in/impact the story as it progresses,
2. Found footage is made USING analog technologies, whereas analog horror is made with modern technologies to intentionally mimic analog aesthetics.
Both of these elements are needed to classify a piece of media as analog horror. For example, a film such as Late Night with the Devil wouldn’t be classified as analog horror, because, whilst it utilises the aesthetics of old late night show broadcasts the narrative is contained within the film. It functions more as a mockumentary than anything else, there are no paratextual elements that impact a viewer’s experience of the narrative and so this piece of media can NOT be classed as analog horror. On the flip side, media that has the intractability but none of the analog aesthetics would simply be classed as unfiction instead. A series that very much encapsulates this is Mr. Samuel’s Teatime Stories, a very unnerving YouTube series but one that is not outright horror and most definitely doesn’t use analog aesthetics. The note that analog horror does not outright use analog technologies is also key. Works such as The Blair Witch Project or Marble Hornets whilst having the aesthetics of analog horror were simply using—what was at the time—modern technology. These works weren’t actively trying to go for an analog look, they were just using the recording equipment available to them.
As you can see, when you get down to the technicalities, what we can classify as analog horror is a very small chunk of works. Because it isn’t really a sub-genre of horror, it’s a sub-genre of the sub-genre technological horror. And within all of this there is a ton of crossover into internet horror, video game horror, the slenderverse, creepypasta and a whole host of other sub-genres.
All this is to say, genre classification is hard. Ultimately there is no purpose to it unless you’re in the business of marketing or academia (keep your eyes peeled for my PhD in 6-10 years). So what is it that you (yes you reading this right now) need to know about analog horror?
Analog horror is a popular horror subgenre that is primarily defined by the use of or mimicked usage of analog technologies such as CRT televisions, camcorders, and tape recorders as the form of documentation. The premises of these stories typically focus on the concept of psychological horror rather than gore, body horror and jump scares. They tackle ideas of identity, lacking control, and the uncanny or cosmic horrors that can linger in the audience’s mind long after they’ve stopped watching. They mostly explore themes of distrust in self, distrust in the state, distrust in the government, and manipulation of religion. If any of this description interests you and you’re not already a fan (or looking for some new recommendations, check out my beginner’s guide to analog horror article coming to The Bog soon.
For now though, farewell bog dwellers.
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