A former Dread Central writer, Matt Serafini, once penned the idea of the “nightmare” film. The idea is a horror movie whose ethos is so psychedelic and dream-like, they both defy reality yet feel firmly planted in it, much like how a nightmare feels real, at least as long as you’re asleep. It’s a nebulous atmosphere that’s hard to explain, and I think it’s best conceptualized by the movies that achieve that feeling. Think It Follows or Carnival of Souls as two examples on opposite ends of the horror spectrum, and you’ll hopefully get an idea of what Serafini was outlining.

It’s arguably one of my favorite horror evocations. I don’t own and regularly rewatch J.S. Cardone’s The Slayer for nothing. Once you really think about it, everything from Don’t Look Now to Hour of the Wolf will make sense. Probably the...