Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about how The Horror Codex works.
Getting Started
What is The Horror Codex?
The Horror Codex is a free, searchable database of over 64,000 horror films — from the silent era to today. It lets you search by title, director, actor, decade, country, streaming service, and more, with a detailed horror genre taxonomy that goes far beyond a single “Horror” label.
Do I need an account to use the site?
No. Search, browse, and all editorial pages are open to everyone. You only need an account to rate films, build a watchlist, create lists, comment, or contribute tags.
How do I sign in?
Sign in with Google from the top-right menu. We plan to add email-based sign-in soon so you don't need a Google account.
Search & Discovery
How do I search by director, actor, or keyword?
Use search operators directly in the search bar. Supported operators include director:"Dario Argento", actor:"Bruce Campbell", writer:"Stephen King", composer:"John Carpenter", studio:"Hammer", keyword:"slasher", collection:"Halloween", and year:1978. Combine operators with free text for precise results.
What is the horror genre taxonomy?
Rather than tagging films with a single “Horror” label, every film is classified using a detailed taxonomy of horror genres and subgenres — slashers, folk horror, cosmic horror, giallo, J-horror, body horror, found footage, and many more. Browse by genre or combine multiple genre filters on the search page.
Can I filter by what’s currently streaming?
Yes. Use the streaming filter on the search page to limit results to films currently available on Netflix, Shudder, Hulu, Max, Prime, and other major services. Streaming data is refreshed regularly and reflects US availability.
Lists, Ratings & Comments
How do I create a list?
Sign in, then go to the Lists page and create a new list. Give it a title, description, and cover photo, then add films by searching or from any film's detail page. Lists can be public or kept as drafts while you work on them.
Can I rate films and keep a watchlist?
Yes. Signed-in users can rate films on a 5-star scale, mark what they've seen, and add films to a watchlist. Your ratings, seen list, and watchlist all live on your profile page.
Contributing
Can I contribute genre tags or fix bad data?
Yes. Signed-in users can add or remove genre tags, add keywords, suggest related films, upload film stills (with optional spoiler tags), and suggest editorial reference links. Edits go through a lightweight moderation queue before going live.
A film is missing. Can I request it?
Yes. Signed-in users can submit film requests via the request film form. An admin will review and add approved requests.
Data
Where does the film data come from?
Core film metadata (titles, cast, crew, release dates, posters, streaming availability) comes from TMDB. Genre tags, editorial descriptions, essential film lists, and community contributions are original to The Horror Codex. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
How often is the database updated?
New films are ingested weekly. Streaming availability and ratings are refreshed on a tiered schedule — recent films weekly, older films monthly.
How are films tagged with genres?
Genre classification uses a hybrid of AI (Claude) scoring films against our detailed horror taxonomy and human moderation. Community-submitted tags always override automated ones, and you can see and edit a film's genre tags on its detail page.
Account & Privacy
How do I delete my account?
Go to the Settings page to delete your account. Deletion removes your profile, ratings, lists, and comments.
What data do you collect?
We store your email, display name, profile photo, and the content you create (ratings, lists, comments, film tags, uploaded photos). We use Fathom for privacy-first analytics — no tracking cookies and no data sold to advertisers.
Beta & Feedback
What does “beta” mean?
The Horror Codex is in open beta. The core features — search, ratings, lists, comments, and the genre taxonomy — are live and functional, but we're still building. You may encounter rough edges, missing data, or the occasional bug.
How do I report a bug or suggest a feature?
Use the bug report button in the user menu (or mobile nav) to report issues. For feature requests and general feedback, reach out on X / Twitter at @livingdeadco.
Who built this?
The Horror Codex is a Living Dead Co. project, built by a horror fan who wanted a better way to search, discover, and catalog horror films.
Still have a question?
Check the about page, or reach out on X / Twitter.
How do comments work?
Every film page has a comment section with threaded replies, upvoting, and spoiler tags. Click the spoiler button when commenting to hide spoilery text behind a click-to-reveal. You can edit comments after posting.