Surreal Horror: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

[[File:Eraserhead2.jpg|link=Eraserhead|frame| ...the hell?]]

 

As much as they might scare some people, at least monsters, serial killers, and [[Primal Fear]]s are scary in a ''comprehensible'' way. [[Eraserhead|Menstruating chickens, giant spermatazoa, and a crying baby that looks like a cross between a giant penis and a cow fetus]], on the other hand...

 

See also [[Surreal Humor]], [[Nothing Is Scarier]].

 

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[End of Evangelion]]'': The second half, especially when {{spoiler|the mass-production Evas become covered in bubbling, multiplying Rei-faces.}} The spectacle will likely leave you with the same look on your face as Shinji. There is a taste of it as early in the second episode, when Shinji sees the reflection of his Eva after a battle, half its skull showing through broken armor. A giant eyeball regenerates in the socket while he's watching, then it focuses on him. He passes out screaming. The reaction is understandable.

* Tsukishima of ''[[Bleach]]'' has abilities where he can {{spoiler|manipulate the memories of anyone he wants. He does this to by inserting himself into Ichigo's life and brainwashing his sisters and friends to think he is their cousin/long-time friend. When Ichigo freaks out and attacks Tsukishima, they think '''Ichigo''' is the one who's the bad guy.}} He does this all without [[Mind Rape|physically attacking or raising a hand]] against Ichigo.

* [http://youtu.be/loetcOWYfvA The Midnight Parasites], a 1972 Japanese animated short based on the paintings of [[Hieronymus Bosch]] with a weird psychedelic rock soundtrack.

* The works of [[Junji Ito]]. ''[[Uzumaki]]'' and ''[[Gyo]]'' are what happens when he crosses it with [[Body Horror]].

* The Witches' labyrinths in ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]''. Most of which look like getting attacked by a cross between a Salvador Dali painting and the opening theme song to [[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei]].

 

 

* ''[[Sandman]]'': The Corinthian has shades of this, where this trope meets the more reasonable horror trope of the [[Serial Killer]]. Guy who strips teenage boys to their underwear, ties them up, then cuts out their eyes to eat them? Freaky but not too out of place in a realistic setting. Immortal ''literal'' nightmare who's been doing this for about forty years running for his own amusement? Freakier. (And, of course, he has [[More Teeth Than the Osmond Family]] in his eye sockets in lieu of eyes. Yet he can still see. And he can eat things with them, like people's fingers if they try to take his shades. And if he eats someone's eyes that way he can see things they've seen.)

* ''The Grave-Robber's Daughter.'', and many of Richard Sala's other works.

 

 

* ''[[Un Chien Andalou]]''. Watch out for [[Eye Scream|razors]]. It also contains elements of [[Surreal Humour]], which arguably makes the atmosphere even more unsettling.

** The content of the video tape in [[The Ring]] is clearly a homage to this.

 

 

* The game ''[[Normality]]'' embodies this trope, as it lacks a dice mechanic and largely consists of furious ranting at a world gone wrong.

* In ''[[Deadlands]]'', players may have to run through a session or two of this if they {{spoiler|die and come back harrowed}} or {{spoiler|travel through the Hunting Grounds}}.