logo
Menu
logo
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Stories
  • Games
  • Lifestyle
  • News

Topic: Losing Your Sanity is Crazy

Stories and Movies About Someone Going Crazy… That’s Crazy, Man

The popular conception of horror is generally centered around physical harm being dealt to someone. Slashers filled with torture and murder certainly abound, but there’s also an entire subsection of the genre concerned with harm being dealt to the mind instead. When someone’s entire sanity is at stake, the intensity of the movie, book, or story is ratcheted up considerably.

Horror shows us that there are multiple reasons why someone might lose their mind. Isolation is a big contributor: films like The Shining and The Lighthouse demonstrate the terrifyingly real effects of cabin fever. Someone also might be driven to insanity through the actions of another person. They also might just be made to feel insane through manipulation and gaslighting.

Insanity can also be used as a compelling storytelling tool. If we are led to believe that the narrator or protagonist has lost their mind, it makes them unreliable. This creates narrative ambiguity, something that leads to a variety of interesting and experimental techniques.


The Lighthouse (2019)

Part of the FOUNDATIONS OF HORROR more>>

    Related Topics: Psychological horror
Men movie explained
Scary Movies

The MEN Movie Explained: The Death of Subtext in Horror Cinema?

Horror cinema is my go-to. Like horror literature, I gobble up everything horror cinema has to offer, from the campy and cheesy to ...
By Conner McAleeseJuly 9, 20221
Screamin Jay Hawkins songs
Scary Art

The Horrors Found in Screamin Jay Hawkins Songs

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins songs are undoubtedly the harbinger of shock rock. He first introduced theatrical provocation to rock ‘n roll in 1956 following ...
By Krystle RatticusMay 29, 20221
Shining bear suit
Scary Movies

The Shining Bear Suit and Kubrick’s Endless Conspiracies

The Shining is a film infamous for its puzzles. Rather than sticking to the plan laid out in Stephen King’s 1977 novel, Stanley ...
By Ben MangelsdorfMay 8, 20221
Hell Toupee
Horror TV

Treehouse Tropes: Mind Control and Evil Hair in “Hell Toupee”

“Treehouse of Horror” loves to introduce unexpected elements into The Simpsons. The Halloween-themed series of episodes always takes the most familiar aspects of ...
By Ben MangelsdorfApril 29, 20220
hereditary analysis
Scary Movies

Hereditary Analysis: Humanized Horror and the Shadows in Your Bedroom

Modern horror fans can be split into two camps: those who like Ari Aster and those who don’t. Okay, that might be a ...
By Ben MangelsdorfDecember 6, 20212
pin movie
Scary Movies

Anatomy of a Monster: History of the Movie Pin

In 1981 horror novelist Andrew Neiderman published the book Pin. The book is described as a waspy gothic drama with incestuous possibilities, dark ...
By Krystle RatticusSeptember 7, 20210

Recent Stuff

  • soft and quiet movie explained

    Soft and Quiet: Explaining a Movie Like No “Other”

    June 20, 2023
  • eyeless jack

    Eyeless Jack: All About the Creepypasta’s Origin, Stories, Fanart, Costumes, Masks

    June 9, 2023
  • what is a lamia

    What Is A Lamia, The Child Devouring Sea Monster Of Greek Mythology

    June 7, 2023
  • movies like cabin in the woods

    Movies Like Cabin in the Woods: Let’s Get This Meta Party Started!

    May 22, 2023
  • case 39 ending explained

    Case 39: Explaining the Monstrous Child and THAT Ending

    May 19, 2023

Follow Us

  • Facebook
    9.6K+ likes
  • Twitter
    15.8K+ followers

PLAY SCAREDLE

A horror-themed word game

Join our newsletter!

Enter your email to receive our newsletter.

Don't worry, we don't spam

This website contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission. Privacy Policy »

  • Foundations
  • Documentary
  • About
Giant Thumb LLC © 2023.
logo
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Stories
  • Games
  • Lifestyle
  • News

logo

✕
  • About

Popular Posts

  1. the girl with the green ribbon

    The Girl with the Green Ribbon – The Story Behind the Tale

    May 12, 202172430 views
  2. audition movie explained

    The Audition Movie Explained – A Masterpiece of Contrasts in Horror

    June 6, 202120042 views
  3. liminal space

    Uncomfortable Liminal Spaces and the Horror Films that Influence Them

    November 4, 202117440 views
  4. human centipede explained, human centipede true story

    The True Stories Behind the Human Centipede – The Most Misunderstood Horror Film?

    July 14, 202116020 views

Gifts & Ideas

  • goth stores san francisco, punk san francisco

    Goth and Punk in San Francisco: The Best Stores, Clubs, Bars

    April 7, 2023
  • hereditary dvd, hereditary bluray

    Buy Hereditary DVD/Blu-Ray: Best Places to Find Deals

    February 14, 2023
  • goth and punk in los angeles

    Goth and Punk in Los Angeles: The Best Stores, Bars, Clubs, Events

    January 3, 2023
  • Goth and Punk in NYC: The Best Stores, Bars, Clubs, Events

    September 5, 2022
  • chicago goth punk bars clubs and stores

    Goth and Punk in Chicago: The Best Stores, Clubs, and Bars

    August 31, 2022

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
    9.6K+ likes
  • Twitter
    15.8K+ followers

logo

✕
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Stories
  • Games
  • Lifestyle
  • News

Popular Stuff

  • the girl with the green ribbon

    The Girl with the Green Ribbon – The Story Behind the Tale

    May 12, 202172430 views
  • audition movie explained

    The Audition Movie Explained – A Masterpiece of Contrasts in Horror

    June 6, 202120042 views
  • liminal space

    Uncomfortable Liminal Spaces and the Horror Films that Influence Them

    November 4, 202117440 views
  • human centipede explained, human centipede true story

    The True Stories Behind the Human Centipede – The Most Misunderstood Horror Film?

    July 14, 202116020 views
  • possum movie explained, possum movie

    Possum Explained: The Movie’s Uncanny Origins

    April 9, 202115130 views

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
    9.6K+ likes
  • Twitter
    15.8K+ followers

Join Our List: Be One Of Us

Subscribing to the Scary Studies newsletter means you'll know when we have the best new original stuff. Horror is fascinating. Join us in dissecting it all!




You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit the About section of our website.