Analog Horror

Synonyms:
See also:	Horror, Epistolary Fic
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Analog horror is a subgenre of horror media which utilizes the aesthetic of analog technologies, such as VHS tapes, to present its story.

History

Analog horror has roots in the found footage subgenre of horror films, where the story is told via footage shot by its lead characters. While that subgenre experienced waves of popularity in the 2000s thanks to The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity respectively, analog horror would not emerge as a distinct aesthetic until the late 2010s, and it is almost entirely confined to the internet. Perhaps the most influential analog horror series is Kris Straub’s Local 58, which also gave the subgenre its name.

While some analog horror series, such as Local 58, utilize moving images à la found footage, others play more like slideshows, deriving terror from manipulated still images. Many series present themselves as PSAs from authorities (here there is overlap with the trend of "EAS Scenarios").

It has been argued that the 2022 film Skinamarink is an example of feature-length analog horror.

Examples

• Local 58 - an anthology series showcasing recordings of the eponymous TV station as it broadcasts several unusual and unnerving events.
• Gemini Home Entertainment - a series of videotapes documenting the emergence of alien shapeshifters on Earth.
• Vita Carnis - a series documenting several species of meat-based life of varying levels of hostility.
• The Monument Mythos - a series set in an alternate history where several U.S. monuments are secretly home to monsters.
• The Mandela Catalogue - a series documenting the emergence of hostile dopplegangers in a Wisconsin county.
• FNAF VHS - the name given to works by several fans which showcase characters and events from the FNAF series in the form of tape recordings.