Here, there be dragons! The deep ocean conjures up deep-seated fears. They call that Thalassophobia. It’s real, and it translates to the movies. The Scariest Things enters the life raft and examines ocean-born horror in Episode 182!
Humans need the oceans, but we do not belong in them (unless you come from Micronesia). Where humans and oceans converge, humans are at the mercy of the ocean’s power. In ye olden times, maps were scribed at the edge of the known world with “Here there be dragons” and illustrated with Leviathans, Kraken, and sea serpents. And yet, the seas give us so much of what we need. It’s a beautiful and potentially dreadful dichotomy.
Horror on the High Seas is a chowder full of fun themes to capitalize on. It provides a slew of different sub-tropes: sea monsters and “Lifeboat” horror, sea zombies, fishmen, piracy/sea-borne serial killers, cosmic horror, and, of course… sharks. Much like spacefaring horror themes and the cabin in the woods trope, the great equalizer in this trope is isolation. The ocean is a tremendous way to contain a horror story. The vast majority of these stories use the sea as a separator. You might be able to see the shore, but you are more likely adrift with no land in sight, or you are deep in the abyss.
The Scariest Things has written a dead list that contains the full range of Oceanic Horror, for better and worse. If you want a comprehensive description of sea monsters and their thriller ilk, that’s your ticket! We dove deep to find you everything from the blockbusters to the obscure indie titles. Yes, this is one of Eric’s favorite sub-genres, and he lovingly watched all these sea-faring horror films for you!
PODCAST LINK: Episode 182: Horror on the High Seas
So, get off that sinking ship, get on board the good lifeboat S.S. Scariest Things, and listen to our high seas salty tales in Episode 182: Horror on the High Seas!
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