This document summarizes several influential supernatural/psychological films from 1963 to 2007, including The Haunted Place, The Exorcist, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Paranormal Activity. It provides details on the directors, plot synopses, and underlying themes or subtexts for each film. Key events in the genre are traced, from early films showing gore rarely seen at the time, to more recent films attempting to appear realistic and make audiences believe such events could truly happen.

1. The history of
supernatural/psychol
ogical films.

2. The haunted place (1963)
 Director- Roger Corman
 Synopsis- A male called Charles Ward goes to a village where his
ancestors use to live who died there 100 years ago.
 The film contained scenes of gore which was rarely seen in films at
the time.

3. The exorcist (1873)
 Director- William Friedkin
 Synopsis: A teenage girl is possessed by spirit. The mother struggles to
find an answer so seeks help from a doctor.
 Sub-text: Divorce. A single mother and the priest comes in to
compensate for the absence of a male figure which takes a bad
effect on the girl.

4. Nightmare on Elm Street. (1984)
 Director: Wes Craven.
 Synopsis: A murdered serial killer kills people in there dreams. The
teenage victims try to uncover why he is targeting them.
 Sub-text: Punishing teens. The teens in the film are punished for acts
they commit which are seen as being sins.
 As supernatural/psychological films become more realistic people
start to believe that these events could happen to them.

5. Paranormal activity (2007)
 Director: Oren Peli
 Synopsis: A couple more into a suburban home. Shortly after they
start to realise that the house is also home to a demon who
constantly disturbs there life.
 Sub-text: Abuse- The wife is left with bruises and marks on her body
whilst the man is left untouched.