A2 Media Research and Planning

1. The History of Horror
Films
Ashlee-Rose Brisley

2. 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)

3. 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.

4. The 70’s
Some 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).

5. The Start of Modern Horror:
The 90’s-2000’s
Fictional 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.