The horror genre aims to elicit negative emotions from audiences by depicting intrusions into everyday life. Some of the earliest American horror films were Dracula and Frankenstein, released in 1931, which shocked audiences who were unaccustomed to depictions of monsters assembled from dead body parts brought to life. Throughout the 1930s and beyond, numerous sequels and other films involving vampires, diseases, robots, and cannibalism were produced to exploit contemporary public fears. Over time, audiences have become more desensitized to horror film tropes.

1. By Ella Auchterlounie

2.  The horror genre is one which plays with the audiences emotion of horror in order to get a negative
reaction
 Plots within the horror genre usually include an intrusion of a person, force or event into everyday
life

3.  The American horror film was first created in the 1930’s.
 Dracula and Frankenstein were among the first horror films to be created in 1931.
 The BBFC introduced a ‘H’ rating for films labelled horrific for any films likely to frighten or horrify
children under 16.
 Frankenstein was about a guy that created a monster that sewed parts of dead bodies together and
put electricity through him which brought him to life, audiences weren’t used to things like this in this
era so it shocked audiences

4.  Numerous sequels of Dracula and Frankenstein were produced
 Many vampire films were produced which scared people because of the fear of the unknown, disease,
technology and serial killers in the news
A few horror
films released
in these
years…

5.  Many vampire films were created which scared people of diseases such a blood born diseases
including HIV due to current problems in society with spread of blood born diseases
A few horror
films released
in these
years…

6.  Cannibal films and films about robots were created as it plays on the audience’s fear of the unknown
in the present day
 Audiences have become more desensitised than they were when horror films were first introduced
A few horror
films released
in these
years…