Why Mormonism works as horror genre, historian explains
September 11, 2026 at 3:34 AM MT · via YouTube / Benjamin Park, Historian · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting
Historian Benjamin Park examines why Mormonism translates surprisingly well to horror film and fiction in a new video analysis. The 44-hour-old video has drawn over 9,000 views and 73 comments on his YouTube channel.
Park explores how Mormon themes—obedience, guilt, uncertainty, embodiment, and religious identity—create natural horror elements. He discusses recent Mormon horror including the film *Heretic* and emerging LDS short films that use the genre to explore faith and fear.
The video argues that Mormon culture's emphasis on hidden knowledge, ritual, and the boundary between sacred and profane provides rich material for horror storytelling. Park, a historian of American religion, has written extensively on Mormonism and American culture.
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