gorehound

A gorehound is a colloquial term used to describe a person with a pronounced interest in graphic horror, especially on-screen depictions of blood, guts, and extreme violence. In fan circles and some film criticism, the label signals an emphasis on the design of gore, practical effects, makeup, and the choreography of kill scenes, rather than on mood or atmosphere alone.

The term is closely tied to splatter cinema and horror subcultures that celebrate practical effects. Gorehounds often seek out obscure titles, attend genre festivals, and discuss the techniques behind gore makeup, blood effects, and stunt work, evaluating films for impact, craft, and audacity rather than conventional suspense or scares alone.

Usage and connotation vary. Some use gorehound descriptively and neutrally to identify a specific interest, while others apply it pejoratively to imply gratuitous violence. It is not a formal category and does not define a viewer's entire taste in film.

Etymology and history: The compound of gore and hound likely emerged in late 20th-century fan culture alongside the rise of splatter films; the term appears in horror zines, bulletin boards, and later online communities to describe a devoted subset of fans.