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.