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Originally Posted by Roderick Usher

how about "was it all a dream" subgenre - Haute Tension, Jacob's Ladder, Invaders from Mars

Just to broaden the view, Sean...this is how American Gothic is defined :-

"Almost as old as Traditional horror is Gothic Horror. Sometimes, the term “gothic” is used to define any horror story, but not every horror tale is gothic in nature. This type of horror is characterized by gloomy settings and sinister events (Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, The Dark Country by Dennis Etchison, Edgar Allen Poe). Another characteristic is the character being trapped in some way, be it location, family destiny, etc.

There are two types of gothic story: English and American.

English Gothic has the basic theme of a dark past shadowing the present. These stories are abundant in enclosed or haunted settings, such as castles, crypts, dungeons, and mansions. There are also gloomy images of ruin, decay, imprisonment, cruelty, and persecution.

American gothic takes a more psychological setting. It focuses more on psychological breakdown than gloomy setting. Charles Brockden Brown is credited for starting this trend."


This is the source material link...I would suggest everyone to read it...

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/view...e.asp?id=27376