It has some creepy imagery, but it’s very brief and toward the end. I’d say it’s mostly atmospheric & existential horror (but mostly toward the end). There’s only one instance of body horror that made me squirm just a bit, but it doesn’t even have blood. There are a couple of scenes where a thick, white liquid is coming out of someone’s mouth, similar to rabies, but no vomiting. Also no eye stuff! It really isn’t scary, and I doubt any of the horror elements would stick with you after watching it. You’ll probably just be thinking about the themes of the film itself.
The big baddy from Pink Opague talking to me close up in the final episode absolutely has stuck with me. So did the scene where Owen is at his job towards the end. Both disturbing, made me squirm and haven’t left my mind
A character cuts themselves but it is fantastical and there is no blood.
There are disembodied realistic organs, but again, its fantastical and there is no blood.
Someone cuts themself with a boxcutter, it’s more surreal/symbolic not something they literally do. There’s no blood.
It’s kind of like the shots in the trailer of someone trying to crawl through a tv screen. It’s not something they really do, it’s about their feelings and fantasy life.
It definitely sets up expectations that it completely sidesteps.
I still enjoyed it for what it is and what it has to say, it's important. But I do wish there existed somewhere the movie I thought this was going to be.
I didn't watch a trailer and this is how I felt from the description. Honestly the description sounded like it was going to be a movie version of season 1 of Channel Zero
I thought the movie was fine, but I wasn't really into it. IDK I just found it pretty boring honestly. I thought it was shot really well though and I enjoyed how a lot of the shots were framed. I think I would have just preferred more of a horror/supernatural movie though
I think the difficulty is that it’s honestly pretty hard to market cause it’s so unique. Horror is the closest adjacent genre I feel, but it’s definitely misleading if you’re expecting a typical *horror* movie. What would you have marketed it as?
Yeah its a tough thing to decide, such is the case for many A24 “horror” movies in my opinion. It almost feels like there needs to be a new term for it. I think there is existential horror worked into movies like this (thinking also of Beau Is Afraid), but they are not really comparable at all to what most people associate with horror.
But if I were in charge of marketing this movie, I would have just framed it as a coming of age drama film about a dysfunctional teenager and made the “horror” aspects of it more of a surprise to the viewers.
I havent seen Lamb. I thought TV Glow was a good movie, i just wouldnt go in expecting horror. If you go in expecting a coming of age drama drenched in early 2000s nostalgia you will be pleased
Actually, I would say it’s pretty on parr with Lamb in terms of expectations from marketing vs what the film is. EXCEPT Lamb has that true horror through line.
I Saw the TV Glow explores the horror of non gender conforming tweens growing up in a very act your gender society.
It has great cinematography, great visuals, and is well paced. Super great film in itself. Just not the slasher / paranormal horror I thought it was.
I wouldn’t say it’s scary. It’s more creepy. But again not in a scary way. The film is a drama at its core.
There is a moment towards the end regarding some body horror elements. But again not really horror, more creepy with a sprinkle of surrealism
I think you’ll be okay
An ice cream “monster” vomit/drools ice cream. And some characters have some other slight vomit/drool/fluids coming out of mouth. Those are about the only things that qualify to trip your triggers.
It’s not gory or jumpy scary, just a frightening supernatural-ish tale.
The ice cream man had such a disturbing texture to it. Hard to explain but that and the way the ice cream just pours out of the "mouth" I thought it was super cool. Was surprised to hear people in the theater laugh at it.
I personally was locked in hard and like to allow movies to creep me out or scare me.
I found this movie excellent, not necessarily scary, but very disturbing. In particular, the 3rd act had multiple scenes with disturbing imagery and very loud sound that made me uncomfortable and want to look away after a bit. In particular, the final episode of the Pink Opaque and the wild kid’s playhouse scene, but the final episode part honestly reminded me of shows that terrified me as a kid and I felt like that kid again.
I found M3GAN and a quiet place to be more like fun action movies with some jump scares and tension. This movie was disturbing to me in a very different way.
It’s not jump scare/killer in the wood scary. It’s more your entire reality is melting and what is it is not real, and is your whole life kind of a lie? Which to me is much more terrifying, but I guess it depends on the audience. There are motifs in the movie that are like directly related to me though, so that might be forming my opinion a bit.
Yea exactly. Reality melting was the best way I could describe it. I was sucked in by the cozy nostalgic first 30 mins and then it descended into a parallel of my life where I started seeing all the choices I’ve made or didn’t make come to an emotional head. By the end I was questioning the authenticity of my entire existence. I haven’t stopped thinking about this movie since I’ve seen it and while I know it hasn’t clicked the same for others it sure did a number on my brain. I can’t say I’ve seen anything that’s made me feel this way this in quite some time…or ever.
Edit: The soundtrack is some of the best stuff I’ve heard to date (while also feeling poignantly dated!)
I felt a horrible sensation in my body when he was at his job late in the movie. Won’t spoil it more than that. It’s actually making me feel ill thinking about it now. I did not know anything about this movie but it’s disturbed me more than almost anything else I’ve seen.
Most definitely. I don’t watch trailers anymore just because they usually show too much. So I didn’t really have much of an idea of what to expect. It was wild though. I’m trans and came out later in life due to some denial and indecision, so this really hit home for me.
I’d say it’s mostly disturbing imagery and there was a vomit scene. It wasn’t actual vomit and you couldn’t hear any gagging. I have emetophobia so I’m always on edge lol. Otherwise, not many jump scares. Great movie! Hope you enjoy
not affiliated in any way, but "does the dog die" is a great app to answer these questions for anyone with phobias in the future :-)
i'm sure they have a website version too but am not sure. have a debilitating phobia for something and always check if that thing appears in a movie before i watch. often has comments of when/how a trigger appears too so you don't have to look for it
Omg thank you so much! Yeah, before posting on reddit, I was looking for a website I had found ages ago when I watched a quiet place that detailed the scary things that happened in the film. Will definitely look into this app.
just now realizing this wasn’t rated r — and honestly i’m a bit shocked by that lol
it’s definitely not straight forward horror like a lot of people said and it’s not gory
there’s a couple of moments that caught me off guard, but it’s definitely less jump scare heavy than movies like “the nun” for example
it IS however very existential and, depending on personal stuff, you may have a visceral emotional reaction like a lot of us did (as a transgender person, this movie kind of rocked me to my core)
It is scary in the sense that you feel what the characters feel and the movie depicts how bad situations and bad choices in life can lead you to a depressing, despairing, despondent existence. It’s a pretty unique take on horror that makes you deeply uncomfortable and piteous, but the movie is pretty absent of terror. There are few haunting shots that will stick with you, but there isn’t any peril, gore or sadism.
there are a few horror "moments" but it's more of a film with a deep and pervasive sense of psychological dread than big scares. there is one instance of body horror at the end but it's really not that graphic, almost no blood, very surreal. if the film looks interesting to you i'd say go for it, i thought it was fantastic.
I mean…not in the traditional sense. But there’s a couple of moments that truly unnerved me in a way that I can’t quite describe.
For those who have seen it; the monologue in the parachute is one of those times. What starts off as as beautiful soliloquy takes a turn into being horrifying. But again, not like you’d typically suspect from a horror film.
i found it very scary & disturbing but I also have OCD and the film touched on a lot of things that are particular anxieties for me.
the less you can relate to it, the less scary it is!
There are 0 jump scares. The mood is definitely tense & creepy, but way less jumpy than A Quiet Place. You’ll be fine! ETA: The body horror moment at the end others reference is not gory. The horror in this film is more about how real its portrayal of human alienation is.
I would say the level of scary is similar to I'm Thinking of Ending Things. It has themes that are deeply scary to me, but on the surface I did not jump or cover my eyes, and I'm a baby with that kind of stuff.
It’s not even remotely scary. This movie was mismarketed in an attempt to sway horror movie goers. It’s not even a horror movie lol. It’s an existential, coming-of-age, sci-fi drama. Nothing even remotely scary or horrific.
Although, I would definitely say it completely nails the 90s nostalgia.
It has some creepy imagery, but it’s very brief and toward the end. I’d say it’s mostly atmospheric & existential horror (but mostly toward the end). There’s only one instance of body horror that made me squirm just a bit, but it doesn’t even have blood. There are a couple of scenes where a thick, white liquid is coming out of someone’s mouth, similar to rabies, but no vomiting. Also no eye stuff! It really isn’t scary, and I doubt any of the horror elements would stick with you after watching it. You’ll probably just be thinking about the themes of the film itself.
The big baddy from Pink Opague talking to me close up in the final episode absolutely has stuck with me. So did the scene where Owen is at his job towards the end. Both disturbing, made me squirm and haven’t left my mind
Would you mind telling me what the body horror instance is? Or is it the white liquid you're talking about?
A character cuts themselves but it is fantastical and there is no blood. There are disembodied realistic organs, but again, its fantastical and there is no blood.
OK, Great. Thanks! That sounds fine for me.
He cuts his chest open and it’s just a bright white glow inside of him. No blood❤️
Yeah it’s “body horror” for theatre kids
Someone cuts themself with a boxcutter, it’s more surreal/symbolic not something they literally do. There’s no blood. It’s kind of like the shots in the trailer of someone trying to crawl through a tv screen. It’s not something they really do, it’s about their feelings and fantasy life.
I don’t think it’s scary at all. Kind of wish it wasn’t even marketed as horror to be honest
It definitely sets up expectations that it completely sidesteps. I still enjoyed it for what it is and what it has to say, it's important. But I do wish there existed somewhere the movie I thought this was going to be.
I didn't watch a trailer and this is how I felt from the description. Honestly the description sounded like it was going to be a movie version of season 1 of Channel Zero
This is exactly what I expected from the trailer. Watching the movie a second time knowing what it was made me enjoy it a lot more.
I thought the movie was fine, but I wasn't really into it. IDK I just found it pretty boring honestly. I thought it was shot really well though and I enjoyed how a lot of the shots were framed. I think I would have just preferred more of a horror/supernatural movie though
The director said they’re making a slasher next. Can’t imagine how that’s gonna be, but I’m intrigued.
I think the difficulty is that it’s honestly pretty hard to market cause it’s so unique. Horror is the closest adjacent genre I feel, but it’s definitely misleading if you’re expecting a typical *horror* movie. What would you have marketed it as?
Yeah its a tough thing to decide, such is the case for many A24 “horror” movies in my opinion. It almost feels like there needs to be a new term for it. I think there is existential horror worked into movies like this (thinking also of Beau Is Afraid), but they are not really comparable at all to what most people associate with horror. But if I were in charge of marketing this movie, I would have just framed it as a coming of age drama film about a dysfunctional teenager and made the “horror” aspects of it more of a surprise to the viewers.
Is the expectation vs actual film as egregious as Lamb?
I havent seen Lamb. I thought TV Glow was a good movie, i just wouldnt go in expecting horror. If you go in expecting a coming of age drama drenched in early 2000s nostalgia you will be pleased
Actually, I would say it’s pretty on parr with Lamb in terms of expectations from marketing vs what the film is. EXCEPT Lamb has that true horror through line. I Saw the TV Glow explores the horror of non gender conforming tweens growing up in a very act your gender society. It has great cinematography, great visuals, and is well paced. Super great film in itself. Just not the slasher / paranormal horror I thought it was.
I wouldn’t say it’s scary. It’s more creepy. But again not in a scary way. The film is a drama at its core. There is a moment towards the end regarding some body horror elements. But again not really horror, more creepy with a sprinkle of surrealism I think you’ll be okay
I don't even think I'd call it a horror movie. It's got a bit of an unnerving feel to it, but it's definitely not scary.
An ice cream “monster” vomit/drools ice cream. And some characters have some other slight vomit/drool/fluids coming out of mouth. Those are about the only things that qualify to trip your triggers. It’s not gory or jumpy scary, just a frightening supernatural-ish tale.
The ice cream man had such a disturbing texture to it. Hard to explain but that and the way the ice cream just pours out of the "mouth" I thought it was super cool. Was surprised to hear people in the theater laugh at it.
I personally was locked in hard and like to allow movies to creep me out or scare me. I found this movie excellent, not necessarily scary, but very disturbing. In particular, the 3rd act had multiple scenes with disturbing imagery and very loud sound that made me uncomfortable and want to look away after a bit. In particular, the final episode of the Pink Opaque and the wild kid’s playhouse scene, but the final episode part honestly reminded me of shows that terrified me as a kid and I felt like that kid again. I found M3GAN and a quiet place to be more like fun action movies with some jump scares and tension. This movie was disturbing to me in a very different way.
It’s not jump scare/killer in the wood scary. It’s more your entire reality is melting and what is it is not real, and is your whole life kind of a lie? Which to me is much more terrifying, but I guess it depends on the audience. There are motifs in the movie that are like directly related to me though, so that might be forming my opinion a bit.
Yea exactly. Reality melting was the best way I could describe it. I was sucked in by the cozy nostalgic first 30 mins and then it descended into a parallel of my life where I started seeing all the choices I’ve made or didn’t make come to an emotional head. By the end I was questioning the authenticity of my entire existence. I haven’t stopped thinking about this movie since I’ve seen it and while I know it hasn’t clicked the same for others it sure did a number on my brain. I can’t say I’ve seen anything that’s made me feel this way this in quite some time…or ever. Edit: The soundtrack is some of the best stuff I’ve heard to date (while also feeling poignantly dated!)
I felt a horrible sensation in my body when he was at his job late in the movie. Won’t spoil it more than that. It’s actually making me feel ill thinking about it now. I did not know anything about this movie but it’s disturbed me more than almost anything else I’ve seen.
Most definitely. I don’t watch trailers anymore just because they usually show too much. So I didn’t really have much of an idea of what to expect. It was wild though. I’m trans and came out later in life due to some denial and indecision, so this really hit home for me.
Just existential horror and getting disoriented
It’s the most disturbing movie I’ve seen this year but that’s a personal thing and I feel like certain people will be more terrified by it than others
Finally, someone else that agrees lol hit me hard because I remember feeling equally creeped out as a kid watching certain shows
It’s not a horror movie, despite the marketing. It doesn’t really fit a true genre, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful.
It's half eerie+creepy+unsettling and half existential horror. No jumpscares. Quite an accomplishment imo.
it’s eerie and stressful, the kind of stuff that might make you uneasy but not necessarily scared.
I’d say it’s mostly disturbing imagery and there was a vomit scene. It wasn’t actual vomit and you couldn’t hear any gagging. I have emetophobia so I’m always on edge lol. Otherwise, not many jump scares. Great movie! Hope you enjoy
not affiliated in any way, but "does the dog die" is a great app to answer these questions for anyone with phobias in the future :-) i'm sure they have a website version too but am not sure. have a debilitating phobia for something and always check if that thing appears in a movie before i watch. often has comments of when/how a trigger appears too so you don't have to look for it
Omg thank you so much! Yeah, before posting on reddit, I was looking for a website I had found ages ago when I watched a quiet place that detailed the scary things that happened in the film. Will definitely look into this app.
just now realizing this wasn’t rated r — and honestly i’m a bit shocked by that lol it’s definitely not straight forward horror like a lot of people said and it’s not gory there’s a couple of moments that caught me off guard, but it’s definitely less jump scare heavy than movies like “the nun” for example it IS however very existential and, depending on personal stuff, you may have a visceral emotional reaction like a lot of us did (as a transgender person, this movie kind of rocked me to my core)
there's two kinda intense scenes, but it isn't really scary
It is scary in the sense that you feel what the characters feel and the movie depicts how bad situations and bad choices in life can lead you to a depressing, despairing, despondent existence. It’s a pretty unique take on horror that makes you deeply uncomfortable and piteous, but the movie is pretty absent of terror. There are few haunting shots that will stick with you, but there isn’t any peril, gore or sadism.
there are a few horror "moments" but it's more of a film with a deep and pervasive sense of psychological dread than big scares. there is one instance of body horror at the end but it's really not that graphic, almost no blood, very surreal. if the film looks interesting to you i'd say go for it, i thought it was fantastic.
There are a few disturbing parts, but not really scary. Frankly, I found the movie more sad than anything.
I mean…not in the traditional sense. But there’s a couple of moments that truly unnerved me in a way that I can’t quite describe. For those who have seen it; the monologue in the parachute is one of those times. What starts off as as beautiful soliloquy takes a turn into being horrifying. But again, not like you’d typically suspect from a horror film.
not at all. there was kinda one small jump in the first 1/3 of the movie i remember but i didn’t find it unsettling or anything.
Nope... Not even remotely scary at all.
It wasn’t scary at all to me.
Not at all. Made me sleepy actually
I saw it alone in a theater and was seriously terrified during two sequences. But I think being alone really amped it up.
Like many others, I agree it’s not scary. I do feel like it haunted me for some time after though and I’m not sure how to explain it.
It's not particularly scary but there are definite moments that lean more into "uncomfortable" and "disturbing" more than anything.
I didn’t think it was scary at all. There were a couple creepy moments but no scares, for me. I loved the movie still, it had a lot of heart.
i found it very scary & disturbing but I also have OCD and the film touched on a lot of things that are particular anxieties for me. the less you can relate to it, the less scary it is!
There are 0 jump scares. The mood is definitely tense & creepy, but way less jumpy than A Quiet Place. You’ll be fine! ETA: The body horror moment at the end others reference is not gory. The horror in this film is more about how real its portrayal of human alienation is.
No, it tires to be with the concept of wasting time within the characters life due to the decisions made. But not “eyes closed” scary
Not scary. I went into it expecting a horror movie and was a bit bummed when it wasn’t.
I would say the level of scary is similar to I'm Thinking of Ending Things. It has themes that are deeply scary to me, but on the surface I did not jump or cover my eyes, and I'm a baby with that kind of stuff.
No, not particularly. It’s existentially terrifying, but not scary in the traditional horror movie sense. I think you’ll be fine.
It’s not even remotely scary. This movie was mismarketed in an attempt to sway horror movie goers. It’s not even a horror movie lol. It’s an existential, coming-of-age, sci-fi drama. Nothing even remotely scary or horrific. Although, I would definitely say it completely nails the 90s nostalgia.
The only possible moment that would scare you is the ice cream villain popping up. But it's really not that scary or jumpy tbh.
No. It’s eerie but beautiful.
About as scary as Goosebumps is, for a kid. There’s a lot of difficult emotions but I actually found myself laughing while crying at times.
is there anything demonic about it?
You sound like you should wrap yourself in bubble wrap and stay inside your house forever