The History of Horror

Films

Ashlee-Rose Brisley

The Early Days 1890‟s – First descriptions of Supernatural events

1910‟s – First film version of Frankenstein, character

„Quasimodo‟ is considered a monster (yet in 1996

became a children‟s Disney film)

1930‟s – Universal began making a series of successful

Gothic Horror films. 1931 „Frankenstein „ &

„Dracula‟, 1932 „The Mummy‟ which introduced

Egyptology as a horror theme.

1950‟s – Gothic Horror turned into contemporary

concerns „demonic‟ and „Armageddon‟ . Low budget

productions made films about outside attacks

threatening humanity , such as aliens or mutations

(people, plants, insects („Godzillia‟ 1954)) and

nuclear reactions which lead into a sci-fi

influence. Great Britain became the makers of

Horror with „Frankenstein‟ (1957) & „Dracula‟ (1958)

The Sixties

The „Slasher‟ Era became popular, with killers and

gore („Peeping Tom‟ & „Physco‟, both 1960)

Low budget gore (Saw) was used to shock and start

films using the devil cult (modern concept now

to be controversial to religions). In 1968,

American Horror „Night of the Living Dead‟ had

a budget of $14,000 and made $12,000,000 in the

US and $30,000,000 internationally.

The start of the physiological insight in horror

films began to lead a heavy influence of the

1960‟s in the 1970‟s horror period. Such as

reoccurring mad scientists.

The 70’sSome of the most talked about horror films ever made

were released in the 70‟s („Texas Chainsaw Massaccre‟, 1974, „The Rocky Horror Picture Show‟, 1975, „The Hills Have Eyes‟, 1977 and „Dawn of the Dead‟, 1978)

„B-Movie Cult Classics‟ were fashioned from the birth of the blockbuster in 1975 „Jaws‟. This started killer animal stories and naturalistic acting with graphic violence. Alien was deemed the same in 1979 as “Jaws in Space”.

Stephen King was the biggest part of the late 1970‟s horror years with „Carrie‟ in 1976 and „The Shining‟ in 1980.

Slashers were still popular at the end of the 70‟s with „Halloween‟ (1978), and the start of the 80‟s with „Friday the 13th‟ (1980) and „Nightmare on Elm Street‟ (1984).

The Start of Modern Horror:

The 90’s-2000’sFictional stories met the „real world‟ to combat the

dying genre of non-stop Slasher-gore. 1991‟s

„Silence of the Lambs‟ and 1992‟s „Candyman‟ were

targeting those bored of the repetitive horror films

with self-relexive and metafictional horror, which

struck a miniature movement in the genre.

The „Scream‟ Series started in 1996 and is still going

today, with the 2011 release and a 2013 film due.

2000 was a quiet time with „The Exorcist‟, „Final

Destination‟ and „Hellboy‟ in 2004. After this came

„torture porn‟ which started the most successful and

highest grossing horror franchise in history with

„Saw‟.

After this became a series of remakes and adaptations,

in 2009 with „Paranormal Activity‟ which was spun

from „The Blair Witch Project‟

2010 had 10 successful horror film releases.