Splatter film
A
splatter film or
gore film is a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, through the use of special effects, tend to display an overt interest in the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation. The term "splatter cinema" was coined by George A. Romero to describe his film
Dawn of the Dead, though
Dawn of the Dead is generally considered by critics to have higher aspirations, such as social commentary, than to be simply exploitative for its own sake. The combination of graphic violence and sexually suggestive imagery in some films has been labeled "
torture porn" or "
gorno". By contrast, films such as
Braindead, and to some extent
Dawn of the Dead, both of which feature over-the-top gore, can be construed as comedic, and fall into the category of
splatstick.