2. The History
of
Horror
Introduction
• Over the years the basis of what horror films revolve around
(i.e the plot or the character or cause of fear) has advanced
dramatically.
• The villains or subject used for the fear factor has changed
dramatically when looking at films produced today against
films produced in the 1950’s.
• Anyone's immediate repose to this would be presuming that
this is due to the development in technology. As technology
has developed the film creators have been able produce
effects that they couldn't’t previously include.
• However, this isn't the only reason horror films have changed,
it is also as the fears of society have progressed. A horror film is
designed to scare the viewer and one way to do this is to
expose them to detailed and extreme content they are already
fearful of. So as the fears of society have changed, the plots for
horror films have done the same.
3. Horror
Films in the
1930s
• Horror films in the 1930s were a gothic style and were
often set in either fictional places are far of lands.
• The main villains of 1930 horrors were monsters.This is
due to the fact that in the 1930s society received most
of their recreational entertainment via the way of
printed text.Therefore novels were popular. Many
novels in the 1930s and prior to this era involved
monsters, many novels involving monster narratives
inspired the horror films released.
• In the 1930s moving image was still relativly new and
so was the whole idea of film.The films in the 1930s
were the first films to inclide sound, prior to this films
were silent due to a lack of developed technology to
encourorate sound into films.
4. Horror in
the 1930s…
Sound
• Therefore sound was new, and people became excited
that they could now watch films with not just moving
image, but also sound.
• This could play to the advantage of film producers
especially within the horror genre.The special
effects/CGI that we have in modern day film
production was of course developed long long after the
30s, therefore the fear factor of a horror film had to be
incorporated in a different way… sound.
• As sound was new, it was what a lot of viewers focused
on, and viewers weren't used to watching films with
sound, therefore, if a film included a sinister/eerie
sound, this would have a much bigger affect back then
vs the affect it would have nowadays, due to the fact
these sounds were ne to the audience, therefore
contributing to make the film even scarier.
5. Horror Films
in the
1930s…
The Bride of
Frankenstein
• ThisAmerican science fiction horror film, released in 1935
is the first sequel to the original film ‘Frankinstein’
produced by universal pictures in 1931.
• At the time of release it was seen as one of the best horror
films made many claimed it was a batter film than its
predecessor which at its time was seen as one of the great
films.
• The film revolves around two characters that were
previously portrait to have been murdered, Dr.
Frankenstein and his monster however viewers discover
they are still alive.
• Dr Frankenstein aspires to work his way out of the
business he is in which is the evil experiment business.
However when his wife is kidnapped by mad scientist Dr.
Pretorius, Frankenstein agrees to assist Protorius in is
ambition to create a new creature, as women, in order to
be the companion of the monster.
6. Horror
Films in the
1940s.
• The start of the 1940s meant the war had begun (ww2
starts September 1939). And as a result of the war, horror
films were banned in great Britain.
• Prior to the horror film ban, both American companies
and British companies were involved in the production of
horror films however due to the ban British companies
had to stop producing horrors, therefore America took
over in the production of horror.
• Horrors in the 40s (which of course were allAmerican)
portrait an uncreative approach to production due to the
fact a lot of the new horrors releases in the 40s explored
similar narratives and conventions to those produced in
the 30s.
• However a theme that seemed to run in horror film
produced in the 40s is a narrative surrounding the idea of
people being half human and half animal. Or people
changing back and forth form human to animal due to
stimulant, that could be anything, or example an emotion.
7. Horror
Films in the
1940s…
Cat People
• Cat people is a horror film produced byVal Lewton
released in 1942.
• The narrative of the film cat people revolves around a
Serbian (Irena Dubrovna) women who moves to New
York, she meets, falls in love and gets married to the
character Oliver Reed.
• The town they live in has an old fable that suggests
ancient residents became driven into witchcraft and
evil doing.
• Irena believes the town fable and has a fear that she
will turn into the so called cat person of the towns fable
when becoming intimate with her husband.
8. Horror
Films in the
1950’s…
• In the 1950’s society's fears revolved around radiation.
People were scared about the long lasting effects of
radiation and films were made featuring disasters
caused by this fear.
• Films such asThe Attack of the Giant Leaches had a
plot around leaches becoming supersized and
attacking people. Society became terrified of
enormous insects taking over the world an killing
humans due to the radiation produced.
• The 1950’s was post war and although these films were
aimed at Britain and America and neither of these
countries were effected by nuclear weapons directly, in
terms of having them used against them. Society has
been made aware that these weapons were available
and that they could be used.
9. Horror
Films in the
1950’s…
• This lead people to think about what would happen if
these nuclear weapons that were in the possession of
some countries and were used.
• At this point in time scientist didn’t know the full
effects of radiation, and this is why film creators and
directors could produce such extravagant films such as
Tarantula because people had no idea what would
happen.And with uncertainty/ lack on knowledge,
comes fear.
• Through the 50s films in the horror genre became more
extravagant and film makers and companies
discovered that this was one of society biggest fears
leading them to produce more films with the theme of
side effects of nuclear radiation.
10. Horror in
the 1950s…
The Attack
of the Giant
Leaches
The Attack of the Giant Leeches
• The Attack of the Giant Leeches was released right at
the end of the nuclear radiation fear era in 1959.
However just because it was released later than some
of its rivals, by no means was it not as successful or
scary.
• The story line revolves around a sighting of giant
unknown creature and shortly after people start
disappearing.
• Members of the public find other people on there own
on the verge of death covered in giant sucker wounds.
• As the film progresses it becomes apparent that there
is more than one of the giants creatures that are found
to be leech's.They live caves under swaps and feed on
human flesh.
• The leeches kill four people however the bodies are
found buried and are discovered using dynamite, the
leeches are then destroyed.
11. Moving into
the 1960s
• The horror films of the previous era were based on
exploiting the biggest fears of the public being nuclear
explosions and the aftermath. However through out
the 50s there was no nuclear explosions and no
destruction caused by radiation anywhere in the world,
therefore this was not such a great fear of society
anymore.The fears that had gripped the world in the
50s, were gone.
• Pete Hutchings (Horror Critic) – “when going into the
1960s, the old horror was either dead or dying, a new
horror was about to be born”
• In the 1960s a dramatic social change was evident,
drugs, sex, new fashions and freedom were topics on
everyone's lips and people had forgotten about the old
fears that haunted society previously.
12. Society
Fears of the
1960s…
• The 160s sparked an increase in human deaths as a result of
other human actions, more specifically serial killers.
• Criminals such as Charles Manson who led a group of men
who collectively were responsible for the murders on 9
people in the USA in the 1960s.
• And serial killers such asThe Zodiac Killer who was confirmed
to be the murderer of 5 individuals however could have
possibly been the killer of 20-28 other victims although he
claimed to take the lives of 37.
• Individuals such as these played a part in terrifying society
about the potential dangers of other humans.The monsters
of the 1960s were in human form, audiences saw the
monstrous potential of others and the pure evil of some
human minds.
• This is why the majority of the horror films produced in the
1960s involved a killer that was in human form. For example
films such as Psycho, Rosemary's Baby and Repulsion are all
examples of horror films produced in the 60s where by the
main villain/ cause of death was human/ human actions.
13. Horror in
the 1960s…
Psycho
• Psycho
• This terrifying psychological horror is still one of the best
known horror films today.
• Directed by well known horror movie director and critic
Alfred Hitchcock the film released in 1960 involved a
relatively normal looking man with a hidden side to him,
which I suppose could be described as, psycho.
• The monster that featured within the film was as close to
man form as you can get. Hitchcock chose to name the
monster in man form Norman Bates, this is believed to be
because Norman sounds like normal or normal man.
However he was far from it.
• The film shocked the world as this so seeming normal
family man had an evil psychotic switch side to him, and
there was no way of detecting it, this is what was so
frightening about this movie.
• Not only this but it was the first of its kind, released just
after the turn of the decade it was the first horror film to
dive into the world of human monsters, and it certainly0
caught, as human monsters, were the basis of horror
villains through out the 1950s.
14. Horror
Films of the
1970s…
• The fears that society faced in the previous decade
regarding humans with split personalities was not so
popular in the 70s, it wasn’t new and had been done
before, therefore the fear factor was gone and directors
turned t recent social changes to manipulate and create
fear within their films.
• The 1970s was the time of depression and it was the end
of the optimism of the 60s.The 70s saw the introduction
of the pill and birth defects as a result of thalidomide
drove a society fear of children.The idealistic family of the
1950s was no longer present and the idea that an evil killer
could be a member of your own family was now in fashion,
this was reflected in the 60s but was carried through into
the 70s with a specific focus on children and more
specifically possessed children.
• Peter Hutchings – “some horror critics and historians have
come to view the 1970s as the ‘golden age’ of horror
production, as a period in which the genre acquired some
maturity and artistic integrity.”
15. Horror and
Society's
View on
Children in
the 1970s…
• Horror films in the 1970s often featured possessed
children, and as this was not only a new topic for film but
also a totally new ideaology in general to society.
• This is one of the reasons that these films were so
shocking. Until then and I suppose the view is always
present that children are harmless and the most venerable
members of society however the 70s shook up this view
with films such as the extrovert that managed to flip this
view on its head and make the most harmless society
members, a feared group by some.
• I will further discuss the following point in the forthcoming
slides however I will introduce this now.The Exorcist, a
horror film released in 1973 revolved around a plot
including a possessed child.The films caused such an
uproar as people had never witnessed horror this
disturbing and scary previously and I believe this was
because it totally flipped people view of children on its
head. It made people fear children as they had witnessed
the behavior of a possessed young individuals in a film.
16. Horror in
the 1970s...
The
Extorcist
• The Extorcist
• The exorcist was and still is often described as the
scariest film of all time two publications that regarded
it as the scariest film of all time are Entertainment
weekly in 1999 and Movies.com in 2010.
• the exorcist features a mother who begins to notice
behavior and physiological changes to her 12 year old
daughter.The changes become more and more drastic
and it because apparent that her daughter has become
possessed by a mystery identity.
• As doctors are unable to answer the mothers questions
she turns to seek help from two local priests, it seems
that the only way to save the innocent 12 year old from
the sinister spirit living within her, was an exorcism.
17. Horror
Films of the
1980s…
• Horror Films produced and released in the era of the
1980 revolve largely around the development in
technology.The 1980s saw some large technological
breakthroughs which enabled film makers and
directors to incorporate this new technology into their
films to deliver a high standard of cinema.
• The new technology that I am referring to here is more
specifically and mainly the development of SFX which
is an abbreviation of special effects are illusions or
visual tricks used in the film.
• The technological development lead audiences and
society in general to adopt the view that the showier
the better, 1980s horrors were all about show, they
featured lots of killers in full view, gruesome killings
and brighter lighting.
18. 1980s Horror
Monsters
and the
Invention of
the VCR…
• The villains/monsters/ murderous being within the 1980s
horror films were still largely human.The gruesome killer of
man was largely due to the actions of another.
• Having human monsters was still new, although it was
heavily prominent in the previous era, society and
audiences were still relatively new t the concept of human
monsters as the previous era were of human but a common
theme of possession was evident.This wasn't so evident in
the 80s, the human killers often killed due to the thrill and
excitement of it. Breaking and entering into properties
before committing a gruesome murder was often seen in
the 80s.
• And the invention of theVCR played a huge part in horror
movie success in the 1980s.The sole purpose of a horror
movie is to scare the viewer. If a viewer is able to watch a
horror film in the comfort of their own home due to the
invention of theVCR this may make the film more scary.
Due to the fact that as I previously mention, breaking
entering and gruesomely killing was a common feature of
1980s horrors, this would fill a viewer with an immediate
fear when watching in their own home.
19. Horror in the
1980s…
A Nightmare
on Elmstreet
• A Nightmare on Elmstree
• Has been seen as one of the top Horros from the 1980s
since its release, due to the shocking occurrences that
happen within the film, its fair to say, its was before its
time.
• The classic slasher directed byWes Craven's involves a
number of teenagers which all happen to live on the same
street (Elm street, hence the title) begin to become
harmed by a midnight mangler that preys on the teens
when they're dreaming, which consequently, kills them in
reality.
• The character types of the teenagers being killed is
stereotypical to past horror films.There is usually a reason
to why ten/teens have been murdered for example, being
a slutty character or being involved in drugs or something
along those lines.
• In night mare on elm street the teens that are targeted are
seen as the popular kids amongst the teenage community
within the area, an this is a punishable reason worth of
death in the eyes of the killer.
20. Horror
Films of the
1990s…
• The horror films in eras prior to the 1990s saw a lot of
guts and gore. By the 90s audiences had become bored
of this as it had been done so many times and it was all
becoming a bit repetitive. Audiences required some
more intelligent horror.
• Audiences were also able to predict the outcomes of
the horror films before the end as the same
conventions kept reoccurring and the typical
conventions became boring.
• This is why Silence of the Lambs released at the
beginning of the era in 91 was such a success. Involving
an extremely disturbing serial killer and cannibal
Hannibal Lecter.
•
21. Horror
Films of
the1990s…
Silence of
the Lambs.
• Silence of the Lambs
• Silence of the lambs in anAmerican horror thriller film
released in 1991 director by Jonathan Demme.
• The narrative of the film is inspired by a novel written by
Thomas Harris 8 years prior to the release of the film, the
novel also goes by the same name of the film.
• The film stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, an FBI
trainee tasked with the job of questioning Dr. Hannibal
Lecter, a convicted serial murderer and cannibal
incarcerated in maximum security isolation.
• Clair is able to pick apart the answers from the questions
given to her by Hannibal in order to help solve another
current serial murder case happening in eastern US.
• Clair must keep focused and ensure she is not
manipulated by the inteligent psychiatrist during the
questioning in order to help solve the gruesome murders
of women who are being skinned and downed in another
case.
22. Horror
Films of the
2000s…
• The 2000s saw a serge internet and technology use, more
specifically social media use and video sharing website
such asYouTube.As well as this, cameras are everywhere,
the development in CCVT and the availability of camera
footage due to the fact everyone has a smart phone now
mean found footage horrors are especially scary due to
the relevance they have in society today an the realistic
nature of how the film was captured.
• Paranormal activity and Grave encounters are two well
known and successful films released in this era and shot in
a found footage style.
• Films with narratives surrounding possession and
exorcism also became popular in the 2000s with films such
asThe Devi Inside andThe Last Exorcism seen as the
biggest of this subgenre of the time. Films like these can
also be shot in a found footage style.
• It became easier than ever for audiences to access horror
movies due to how transportable they are as. Result of
modern e-media.
23. Horror
Films of the
2000s…
Saw
• Saw
• Saw is anAmerican psychological horror film directed by
well known director JamesWan. It is the first film of the
very successful saw franchise, which is now one of the
leading film franchises in the horror genre.
• In the film two men Adam Faulkner-Stanheight and Dr.
Lawrence Gordon both men strangers two each other,
wake up in a location unknown to both men, locked inside
an undisclosed room containing a dead body, and neither
men have any recollection of how they got there.
• The room contains tools and hidden clues to who might
have done this (the jigsaw killer).The film is a sort of
game, the aim being for the men to escape. In order for
them to escape they must work together and figure out
what the clues mean and the answer to riddles given to
them. If they don’t get out they will die, however there is
no guarantee that they wont die trying.
24. Horror
Films in the
2010s…
• The further development in the rapidly growing
technology industry only plays to the advantage of
production companies and directors, due to the fact
SGI is able to achieve certain things that previously
seemed impossible.
• This development in film production technology has
played a huge part in what can be achieved in films,
especially films falling under the possession and
exorcism subgenre, due to the conventions featured in
these films.
• Therefore there has been a surge in the amount of
possession and exorcism based films produced in the
2010.These films are very popular with younger
audiences nowadays and have proven to be box office
hits.
25. Horror
Films of the
2010s…
It
• Popualr as its based on iconic book by famous auther
• Hybrid - Bits of comedy, psychological but also slasher
– please modern day audience as they like a bit of
everything.
