Grand guignol

/ɡɹˈand ɡɪɡnˈɒl/

/ɡɹˈænd ɡɪɡnˈɑːl/

Grand guignol

a style of French theater that originated in the late 19th century and is known for its use of graphic horror, violence, and gore, often combined with humor and satire

Examples

1. It was a Grand Guignol of horror.

2. The end twist might work in one of Dinesh Pandit’s pulpy novels, but here it comes off as Grand Guignol, which undermines everything that's gone before.

3. Fronted by singer Vincent Furnier, Alice Cooper was a fusion of vaudeville, Grand Guignol, and rock 'n' roll.

4. So I'm a big fan of anyone who gets a little morally ambiguous because villainy is great, and it's wonderful to have a big, over-the-top, campy arch, even Grand Guignol kind of like exciting villain.