Horror Film History

For many years now, horror films have been used in an attempt to frighten and scare others. We all feel a desire to watch horror films, as they give us an adrenaline rush when we feel fear.


The 1920's and 1930's:
The 1920's and 1930's were the first years to create horror films, that were intended to frighten the audeince. Typically in these years, we saw classic  stories being turned into films with a horror twist. The first of this type was Bram Stoker's Dracula. This was then followed by Nosferatu, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy.

 The 1940's:
Unfortunately, the 1940's saw a huge decline in the horror film industry, mainly due to World War 2 taking place, which meant horror films were not as popular as they formerly were. Another factor that distrupted the popularity of horror films, was the fact that Universal decided to develop comedy-horror films. However, there were some horror films that made it out of the decade, these include, Wolf Man, Cat People, House of Dracula, House of Frankenstein.

The 1950's:
Once the war had finished, and people returned to their daily life, people began to enjoy luxuries such as going to the cinema. However, the horror films being produced in the 50's hugely contrased to that of the 20's, 30's and 40's. The 50's bought "Mutants," to our cinema sceens . They featured gross, oversized Mutants, that would destroy cities. Some of the horror films from the 50's include, Wasp Women, It came from Beneath the Sea and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.

The 1960's:

The 60's bought a much needed change to the world of horror films. In the 60's we witnessed the word, "thriller," being used. The world of thrillers came from Alfred Hitchcock's "Pyscho." Other films produced in the 50's include, The Birds, Carnival of Souls, Blood Feast and Night of the Living Dead.

The 1970's
The 1970's witnessed a huge intrest in horror films. Horror films were extremely popular in this time period. Several people believe it was due to the films reflecting people at that time. The 70's was famously known for being the depressing decade. Many classic films were produced, The Exorcist, Jaws, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Carrie, The Omen and Halloween.

The 1980's:
The use of technology in horror films dramatically increased in the 80's. The new technology being used nought about better graphics, costumes. Films such as, Hellraiser, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Fly, The Thing and The Shining were all produced.

The 1990's:
By the 1990's the "Monster," cliché had been worn out, and people no longer found then scary. There was a new craze flying round the world of horror films. The idea of "psychopaths," now seemed far more exciting and scary. These films would include brutal murders of normal humans, fixated on killing. Films from the 90's include, Se7ev, Misery, Silence of the Lambs, Candyman and Sixth Sense.

2000's:
The 2000's also saw a new genre of horror films being introduced, known as, "Teen Horror," or  "Slasher." These films would follow a group of teenagers, involving monsters or killers. Films from the 2000's include, The Ring, The Grudge, The Descent and The Final Destination Saga. 

In summary, through researching the history of horror films, I realised that these films actually reflected the society of that time period. However throughout the years of horror films, paranormal films continue to be the most popular and is still leading in the cinemas.