Horror films seek to elicit negative emotions in audiences by playing on primal fears involving themes like the supernatural and macabre. Common horror roles include ghosts, aliens, vampires, and more. The earliest horror shorts date back to the late 1890s and included supernatural events, helping to establish the genre. Directors like Alfred Hitchcock developed unique styles for representing horror through techniques like cameo appearances and allowing the camera to take on human qualities that drew audiences into the mystery. Hitchcock also tended to use opposing gender stereotypes in his films by portraying female characters as dangerous and risk-taking, while males were more caring and risk-averse.