Explore the Origins and Evolution of Horror Films, From Gothic Tales to Today’s Psychological Thrillers
Happy Spooky Season!
It's no secret—Halloween is my favorite time of year! It should come as no surprise to anyone who casually lurks on this blog that I love Halloween. Like, a lot. Maybe a little too much?
I love the eerie, the weird, and the thrill of fear on the big screen. So, as a film history enthusiast and with Halloween right around the corner, there's no better time to dive into the evolution of horror films!* From the earliest ghost stories to today's bone-chilling thrillers, horror has captivated and terrified audiences for generations. So, whether you're a fan of classic monsters or modern psychological terrors, join me as we explore horror cinema's dark, fascinating history.
*Please note that I am not an expert but a film and history geek. This is in no way a comprehensive review of the horror genre. If you want to learn more, I'd recommend checking out the additional resources below.
However, before delving into the history of horror films, let's take a closer look at the ancient origins that gave rise to this popular genre.
Ancient Origins of Horror: From Roman Ghost Stories to Gothic Literature
Throughout the history of man, we've used storytelling to entertain, educate, and explain the unknown. Every civilization has passed down oral histories to explain everything from weather phenomena to the creation of landmasses, etc. However, the most popular campfire stories were about the dark and mysterious. According to historians, the earliest examples of "ghost stories" can be traced to the ancient Romans. The earliest known recorded account comes from author and statesman Pliny the Younger. Pliny described in his letters the specter of an older man with a long beard and rattling chains haunting his house in Athens.
Scholars believe that these recounted "visitations" from the recently deceased were used to instill respect for the dead, almost like a ghost story fable. The tradition of ghost stories also helps to explain the different death rites and funeral rituals from different cultures and societies. Many believe that a person's spirit exists independently from the physical body and continues to exist even after death. Funeral rituals or ceremonies are a way of ensuring that the dead person's spirit would not return to "haunt" the living. Despite attempts to rationalize our greatest mystery—death—the ghost stories themselves became darker and more wicked. Oral histories inspired folklore, which in turn inspired urban legends.
However, horror as entertainment in the West was popularized in the late 18th century with the surge in gothic fiction. Gothic literature, and later, films, are associated with the mystery and intrigue surrounding the supernatural and the unexplained. During this period, novels like Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1847), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897), and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) were equally terrifying and engaging to readers.
Silent Films and the Birth of Hollywood Horror: Bringing Terror to the Big Screen
At the turn of the 20th century, a new technology enthralled audiences: motion pictures. Among the earliest films to capture the essence of horror was Georges Méliès' The House of the Devil [Le Manoir du diable], created in 1896. While this silent film may appear more whimsical than terrifying by today's standards, film scholars categorize it as a true horror film due to its thematic elements and portrayal of gothic characters.
The House of the Devil tells the tale of encounters with the Devil and various otherworldly phantoms, featuring eerie imagery such as cauldrons, animated skeletons, ghosts, and transforming bats. This historic film, which was rediscovered in 1988 at the New Zealand Film Archive, holds a significant place in the evolution of horror cinema.
French film pioneer Georges Méliès' The House of the Devil [Le Manoir du diable] (1896).
With the rising popularity of the motion picture as entertainment, filmmakers turned to popular literature to adapt to film. From the early 1900s to the mid-1920s, popular gothic classics-turned-films included:
Selig Polyscope Company's adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1908
Edison Studios' rendition of Frankenstein in 1910
Bison Film Company's production of The Werewolf in 1913
Unfortunately, only Frankenstein managed to survive the era, highlighting the fragile and fleeting nature of early cinematic works. Despite this, audiences' insatiable appetite for shocking stories and the exciting new technology offered by the big screen played a significant role in fueling the film industry as we know it today.
Gilded Fangs: The Golden Age of Horror
Just as Hollywood had its own "Golden Age" from the 1920s to the 1960s, the horror genre had its own moment to shine. From the 1920s to the 1930s, film studios pumped out horror films at a surprising rate. Iconic horror classics like Robert Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and Nosferatu (1922) played a pivotal role in solidifying horror as a distinct and popular film genre. These films marked a shift in how studios presented their works, moving away from marketing them as "gothic melodramas" to promoting them as "horror" films. This transition reflected the growing recognition of horror as a unique and influential genre in the fledgling filmmaking industry.
Thanks to the addition of sound in the mid-to-late 1920s, filmmakers could create a creepy atmosphere for audiences: ghostly, ethereal music, jarring sound effects, and a damsel in distress' perfectly timed screams completed the immersive experience. Continued advances in technology in the 1930s also saw the rise in "monster movies," including the first color adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) directed by Rouben Mamoulian, James Whale's Frankenstein (1931), and Karl Freund's The Mummy (1932).
Henry Jekyll's transformation into Hyde from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), directed by Rouben Mamoulian and performed by Fredric March. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, with March winning the award for Best Actor, which he shared with Wallace Beery for The Champ.
The growing popularity of the horror genre also led to the rise of its own stars, such as Lon Chaney (famous for The Phantom of the Opera), Bela Lugosi (known for Dracula), Boris Karloff (renowned for Frankenstein), and Lon Chaney Jr. (notable for The Wolf Man). It is widely recognized that Bela Lugosi was one of the first actors to capitalize on the success of his role as Dracula and specialize exclusively in the horror genre.
Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's Monster in Frankenstein (1931), Lon Chaney as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Bela Lugosi as Dracula in Dracula (1931), and Lon Chaney, Jr. as Larry Talbot/Wolf Man in The Wolf Man (1941).
Universal Studios' Influence: Dracula, Frankenstein, and More
I would be remiss in not acknowledging Universal Studios' influence on the genre. While several studios and independent filmmakers of the age dabbled in the horror genre, no one played a more pivotal role in shaping the genre and its popularity with audiences than Universal Studios. By the end of the 1930s, Universal Studios had established itself as the premiere horror studio based on its legacy of monster films. These included classics such as Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), The Wolf Man (1941), and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), all of which went on to spawn successful film franchises.
However, one of the most heartbreaking stories from Universal's Monster Madness era is the fate of artist and special effects designer Milicent Patrick, one of the first women in the industry. I'd highly recommend Mallory O'Meara's book The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick if you want to learn more about this incredible woman.
From the 1960s to 1970s, Universal aggressively pushed its monster lineup onto consumers through merchandising, including licensed Halloween costumes, Aurora model kits, paperback novelizations, makeup how-to manuals, T-shirt patches, posters, and trading cards. In 1990, Universal Studios Florida produced the live Universal's Horror Make-Up Show, featuring characters from the Universal Classic Monsters franchise. In 1991, Universal Parks & Resorts started its annual Halloween Horror Nights event; they feature characters from the Universal Classic Monsters franchise.
In the late 1990s, Universal Studios attempted to reboot several of its classic franchises, including Stephen Sommers' The Mummy (1999), Sommers' Van Helsing (2004), Joe Johnston's The Wolfman (2010), Gary Shore's Dracula Untold (2014), and Alex Kurtzman's The Mummy (2017). Each new film sought to reintroduce these iconic characters with varying degrees of success to contemporary audiences.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS' MONSTER MASH REBOOTS: Hugh Jackman in Van Helsing (2004), Benicio del Toro in The Wolfman (2010), Luke Evans in Dracula Untold (2014), John Hannah, Rachel Weisz, and Brendan Fraiser in The Mummy (1999), and Sofia Boutella in The Mummy (2017).
Gimmicky Jumpscares vs. Sophisticated Thrillers
From the 1950s onward, the genre began to struggle. It splintered into two distinct categories: cheap, campy thrills and psychologically-driven thrillers.
During the atomic race that followed World War II, the world was gripped with fear over threats ranging from nuclear fallout to the Soviet "red scare." These very real and tangible fears inspired filmmakers and were reflected on the big screen. Notable examples include Ishirō Honda's groundbreaking film Godzilla (1954), which used the metaphor of a giant monster to symbolize the destructive power of nuclear weapons and the terror of radiation.
Do you know Haruo Nakajima, the man underneath the Godzilla suit?
Similarly, Jack Arnold's The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) offered a thought-provoking exploration of the individual's vulnerability in the face of scientific experimentation and the unknown. Additionally, Irvin Yeaworth and Russell Doughten's The Blob (1958) tapped into the fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable, depicting a creeping, gelatinous mass that devoured everything in its path, reflecting the anxieties of the time. These films served as a reflection of the societal fears and concerns of the era, resonating with audiences and leaving a lasting impact on pop culture.
To boost the fear factor, studios tried 3D glasses, installed electric buzzers in theater seats, and hired actors planted among audiences to scream and pretend to faint. These scare tactics didn't last long past the 1960s due to their high costs, but studios tried just about everything to keep the scares going. American audiences didn't need the extra theatrics, however. The appetite for horror, especially among teens with expendable income, was so strong that studios could produce slashers for under $1 million and spawn dozens of B-movie sequels and crossovers.
By 1960, a new wave of horror emerged in the film industry. Filmmakers such as Mario Bava, Terence Fisher, Nobuo Nakagawa, Alfred Hitchcock, and Kim Ki-young brought a new level of sophistication to the horror genre. Their work represented a departure from the traditional "Monster Mash" style of horror films and introduced a new level of complexity. In contrast to the prevalent cheap jumpscares in popular B-movies of the time, their psychologically driven films were characterized by a slow burn, effectively building suspense and tension throughout the storytelling.
![1960 movie posters from the horror films Mario Bava's "Black Sunday," Terence Fisher's "Brides of Dracula," Nobu Nakagawa's "Jigoku" [The Sinners of Hell], Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho," and Kim Ki-young's "The Housemaid."](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4fa0cc_06f4121458ef46998383172a923a2c80~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_306,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/4fa0cc_06f4121458ef46998383172a923a2c80~mv2.jpg)
Five masters of horror all released films in 1960: Mario Bava's Black Sunday, Terence Fisher's Brides of Dracula, Nobu Nakagawa's Jigoku [The Sinners of Hell], Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and Kim Ki-young's The Housemaid.
Things That Go Bump in the Night: The Rise of Mysticism
From the 1970s to the 1980s, there was a surge in the popularity of supernatural horror films, particularly those focusing on themes of the occult. These two decades were particularly bombarded with stories revolving around eerie, haunted houses and children being possessed by demonic forces. Notable films from this era include William Friedkin's iconic The Exorcist (1973), which depicted a terrifying battle against demonic possession, Richard Donner's chilling The Omen (1976), which delved into the ominous presence of evil, and Tobe Hooper's haunting Poltergeist (1982), which explored the eerie phenomena surrounding a suburban family. These movies not only thrilled viewers but also led to their own enduring franchises, establishing the core elements of supernatural horror movies.
Similar to the early 1900s to the 1930s, filmmakers often turned to literature for adaptations. However, directors and screenwriters checked the contemporary best sellers list instead of looking to the past for inspiration. This shift led to the on-screen adaptation of works by popular authors such as Clive Barker, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Ray Bradbury, all known for their supernatural and horror-themed writing.
Some notable adaptations during this period include Clive Barker's Hellraiser (1987), Stephen King's Carrie (1976), The Shining (1980), and Pet Sematary (1989), Dean Koontz's Demon Seed (1977), as well as Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) and the television series The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985-1992). The move towards adapting contemporary literature for the screen represented a major change in the film industry's approach to source material for movie adaptations. Instead of focusing on "traditional classics," filmmakers started to follow current trends, leading to more innovative ideas and greater experimentation on screen.
While many horror fans may consider this a "fun fact," director Stanley Kubrick made actors Shelley Duvall and Jack Nicholson shoot the infamous "bat scene" from The Shining (1980), a Guinness Book of Records-setting 127 times. However, the Steadicam operator and assistant editor claim they filmed 35–45 takes of the scene. Regardless of how many takes Kubrick filmed, in the final version used in the movie, Duvall was emotionally and physically exhausted; she was dehydrated, her voice had grown hoarse from hours of screaming, and her hands were raw from gripping the bat so tightly. Allegedly, the experience was so traumatic that Duvall developed severe anxiety and struggled on sets for the rest of her career. These kinds of scenes raise questions about the ethics of eliciting a performance from an actor for the sake of a film.
Slasher Films: From Cheap Thrills to Psychological Nightmares
In the latter half of the 20th century, as the draw of the occult started to wane, a new cultural fear came into sharp focus: the slasher film subgenre. This shift was paralleled by law enforcement's increasing understanding of spree killers in the 1970s and 1980s, which brought the very real threat of "serial killers" into the public consciousness and onto the silver screen. Tobe Hooper's Chainsaw Massacre (1974) is often cited as one of the earliest examples of a modern slasher film, introducing the notorious character Leatherface, a mentally disabled member of a family of cannibals. The creation of Leatherface was loosely inspired by real-life serial killers Ed Gein and Elmer Wayne Henley.
However, it wasn't until the 1980s that the subgenre gained significant traction in Hollywood. Other notable movies from this era include John Carpenter's Halloween (1978), Sean S. Cunningham's Friday the 13th (1980), and Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), introducing the psychotic killers Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger.
The terrifying nature of these films fascinated audiences and spawned multiple sequels, contributing to the rise of the slasher film phenomenon. However, despite their widespread appeal, this subgenre came under significant scrutiny for its portrayal of gratuitous violence, especially violence against women. While horror films have historically faced criticism for their embrace of the macabre and morbid, slashers, in particular, faced backlash from advocacy groups, including second-wave feminists and pro-censorship organizations. This criticism stemmed from concerns about the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes and the potential desensitization to violence.
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis has played the character Laurie Strode in nine of the thirteen Halloween franchise films, appearing in at least one Halloween film every decade since 1978. Film scholars widely cite Laurie as one of the earliest and most influential examples of the "final girl" slasher film trope. The term "final girl" was coined by Carol J. Clover in her book Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film (1992).
Upping the Ante: Leaving the Audience Wanting More
As they say, all good things must come to an end, and for horror fans in the 1990s and early 2000s, the end seemed inevitable. The horror landscape felt stagnated and uninspired after the genre's heyday in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Hollywood, determined to capitalize on the genre's previous successes, produced a series of lackluster sequels, reboots, and creature features that failed to excite increasingly cynical audiences. The market was saturated with formulaic and predictable horror films, leaving weary moviegoers hungry for innovation but instead being served unoriginal and forgettable movies.
The horror genre's decline during this period can largely be attributed to Hollywood's reliance on spectacle rather than substance. Poorly conceptualized, CGI-heavy creature features like Anaconda (1997), Deep Rising (1998), and Deep Blue Sea (1999) suffered from inadequate storytelling and character development, making these movies feel shallow and disposable. Audiences couldn't suspend their disbelief when confronted with such unconvincing special effects, draining the tension out of what should have been terrifying moments. These creature feature bombs seemed more like cheap thrill rides than genuine horror experiences, leaving viewers disappointed.
Meanwhile, classic horror franchises were plagued with unnecessary sequels. Films like The Exorcist III (1990), Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995) failed to recapture the magic of their predecessors. These films focused more on shoddy scares and complicated plots rather than the tense atmosphere and psychological thrills that made the original movies so memorable. With each new entry, iconic villains became less scary, as the repetitive storytelling turned them into silly caricatures.
Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface in Chainsaw Massacre (1974) vs. Robert "Robbie" Jacks as Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995). To reinvent the character, Next Generation director Kim Henkel wanted an "androgynous type" for the role. According to Jacks, "[Leatherface's] androgyny was kind of inferred [sic] in the first movie, but because of the times, and because of the budget, it wasn't really brought forth."
By the mid-1990s, it was clear that the horror genre was in crisis, struggling to find new ideas that could genuinely frighten audiences. This slump was made worse by an oversaturation of straight-to-video releases and B-movies cluttering Blockbuster's shelves. Despite a few exceptions, such as Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs (1991), which delved into psychological horror and gained widespread acclaim, and Peter Jackson's gory yet humorous Braindead (1992), genuine innovation was hard to come by.
However, films like Wes Craven's Scream (1996) and Jim Gillespie's I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) brought new life to slasher films by cleverly breaking down the typical elements that had made the genre so stale and formulaic. Scream and IKWYDLS relied on the audience's knowledge of horror movie clichés to scare them while also making fun of the genre's tropes. These films' sense of self-awareness was refreshing; it showed that horror could still be exciting with such a creative approach.
Another standout was Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil (2002), which brought a new wave of zombie-centric horror to mainstream cinema. An adaptation of the popular video game series, Resident Evil capitalized on the growing popularity of the survival horror genre in gaming. It offered audiences something different from the typical slasher or supernatural movies that had dominated the previous decades.
Breathing New Life into Horror with the Undead
The popularity of Resident Evil in the early 2000s didn't just bring zombies back into mainstream cinema—it sparked a full-scale revival that echoed the work of genre-defining filmmakers like George A. Romero. Romero had perfected the zombie genre with his groundbreaking Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985), laying the groundwork for how modern filmmakers would interpret and innovate on the concept of the undead. Romero's zombies weren't just mindless monsters; they were metaphors for societal collapse, consumerism, and the human condition. This thematic depth would continue to influence future zombie films, providing more than just cheap thrills but also sociopolitical commentary wrapped up in horror.
The early 2000s saw this revival take off, with films like Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002) introducing a new kind of zombie: fast, feral, and terrifying in their unrelenting aggression. This departure from the traditional slow-moving undead reinvigorated the genre, making zombies feel fresh and more dangerous than ever before. Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead (2004) reboot brought the Romero classic to a new generation, proving that the undead had enduring appeal in a post-millennial world.
By the mid-2000s, Romero himself returned with Land of the Dead (2005), but the genre had expanded far beyond his initial vision. Films like I Am Legend (2007) adapted Richard Matheson's novel into a post-apocalyptic narrative that blurred the line between zombies and other horror subgenres, demonstrating the versatility of the zombie concept. Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland (2009) took a comedic approach, proving that even the undead could have a humorous edge without losing their inherent threat.
The international success of films like Marc Forster's World War Z (2013) and Yeon Sang-ho's Train to Busan [부산행] (2016) showcased the global reach of zombie films. In particular, Train to Busan gave the genre an emotional depth rarely seen in traditional zombie narratives, blending action, horror, and familial drama to create a fresh take on the undead apocalypse.
ZOMBIE EVOLUTION: Zombie popularity had waned since George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968) until the Resident Evil video game was released in 1996. It was quickly adapted for film in 2002, launching a franchise of its own. Zombie flicks continued to be popular throughout the 2000s and 2010s, with films like I Am Legend (2007) and Train to Busan (2016).
Due to their popularity, zombies even crawled and stumbled their way onto the small screen. The Walking Dead (2010-2022), based on Robert Kirkman's graphic novels, stands as a monumental success, exploring human survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Its numerous spin-offs, including Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, expanded the universe, delving deeper into different regions and characters while keeping the zombie threat at the forefront.
Other notable examples include the comedies Z Nation (2014-2018), iZombie (2015-2019), and Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019), as well as the dramas Sweet Home [스위트홈] (2020-2024) and The Last of Us (2023-). Together, these series have reshaped the zombie genre on television, offering a range of tones and narrative complexities that continue to captivate audiences. By blending horror with humor, drama, and even romance, these shows showcase the flexibility of the zombie trope while keeping the genre fresh for modern viewers.
The Future of Spooks and Shocks
To combat the slasher slump of the 1990s and early 2000s, a new generation of filmmakers has forced a significant shift in storytelling dynamics in Hollywood into the 2010s. Specifically, a shift in who is telling the story.
More women and filmmakers of color are now making their mark on the genre, with directors like Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)), Nia DaCosta (Candyman (2021)), Guillermo Del Toro (Crimson Peak (2015)), Rose Glass (Saint Maud (2019)), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook (2014)), Karyn Kusama (The Invitation (2015)), Andy Muschietti (It (2017)), Jordan Peele (Get Out (2017)), and James Wan (The Conjuring (2013)) leading the charge. Their fresh perspectives and unique cinematic styles are not only breathing new life into horror but also reshaping the very definition of what the genre can achieve.
Karyn Kusama on the set of Jennifer's Body (2009), Rose Glass on the set of Saint Maude (2019), Jennifer Kent and Aisling Franciosi on the set of The Nightingale (2018), Nia DaCosta and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II on the set of Candyman (2021), James Wan and Vera Farmiga on the set of The Conjuring (2013), Guillermo Del Toro and Mia Wasikowska on the set of Crimson Peak (2015), and Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya on the set of Nope (2022).
These filmmakers are telling stories that challenge traditional norms and explore deeper societal anxieties—especially those related to race, gender, and identity—while incorporating new cultural perspectives. For example, Jordan Peele's films are celebrated for using horror to confront racism, exploitation, and social inequity. In Get Out (2017), Us (2019), and Nope (2022), Peele combines psychological terror with social commentary, forcing audiences to grapple with real-world horrors while still experiencing the visceral, cinematic thrills horror fans expect.
Similarly, filmmakers like Jennifer Kent and Rose Glass use horror to explore themes of trauma, grief, and mental illness in their characters. The Babadook (2014) and Saint Maud (2019) are intimate and haunting, showcasing how horror can be as much about internal fears as external threats. These films are a departure from traditional jump scares and gore that once dominated the genre, focusing instead on thought-provoking storylines that resonate with audiences on a deeper level.
This shift also opens doors to different cultural mythologies and folkloric elements. Guillermo Del Toro, known for his passion for gothic horror and dark fairy tales, creates vivid and imaginative worlds that are both beautiful and terrifying, offering audiences a vast and visually stunning approach to horror. Del Toro's films like Crimson Peak (2015) and The Shape of Water (2017) not only delve into the supernatural but also focus on human connections, blurring the lines between horror, fantasy, and romance.
Ultimately, horror is a versatile genre that allows for continual experimentation. Directors like Ari Aster (Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019)) and Robert Eggers (The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019)) have pioneered the subgenre "elevated horror," which focuses on slowly building tension, psychological character development, cinematic style, and utilizing subtle, philosophical themes instead of relying on traditional scares. This type of horror has been praised by critics, showing that it can be as artistically and thematically rich as any other film genre.
Looking ahead, horror will likely continue to adjust as society changes and new technology develops. Social and political issues are important to audiences, and horror films will always reflect our collective anxieties, offering a platform to explore pressing topics in imaginative, yet sometimes unsettling, ways. The genre lends itself to addressing issues like fascism, prejudice, climate change, the rise of AI, and how much we rely on technology. We can already see these ideas explored in movies like Alex Garland's Ex Machina (2014) and Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man (2020).
If you're a horror fan, you can look forward to exploring new, innovative storytelling techniques that promise to keep you on the edge of your seat. Whether you're a seasoned horror enthusiast or new to the genre, there's something for everyone in this new wave of intersectional horror cinema.
Horror has come a long way since its silent film origins. It has evolved into a diverse and multifaceted genre that continues to reflect our deepest fears and cultural anxieties. From the iconic monsters of Golden Age horror to the complexities of modern psychological thrillers, it's clear that horror will always have a place in our hearts—and nightmares.
What's your favorite horror film? Leave a comment below and let me know if you're a fan of classic monster movies or more modern thrillers! And don't forget to check out my lists of must-watch Halloween television and movies for even more spooky fun! Just tap the images below to explore more.
Learn more about the history of horror here:
Horror Genre:
THE NIGHT HE CAME HOME: John Carpenter Interview with Mark Kermode (1999)
The Philosophy of Horror: Or, Paradoxes of the Heart (2003) by by Noël Carroll
The Horror Film (2004) edited by Stephen Prince
Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture (2005) by Kendall R. Phillips
Horror Film: A Critical Introduction (2018) by Murray Leeder
History of Horror:
The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror (2001) by David J. Skal
Nightmare Movies: Horror on Screen Since the 1960s (2006) by Kim Newman
Dark Dreams 2.0: A Psychological History of the Modern Horror Film from the 1950s to the 21st Century (2009) by Charles Derry
Sleeping with the Lights On: The Unsettling Story of Horror (2018) by Darryl Jones
Horror: A Thematic History in Fiction and Film (2021) by Darryl Jones
Horror, Gender & Sexuality:
Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film (1992) by Carol J. Clover
Monsters in the Closet: Homosexuality and the Horror Film (1997) by Harry M. Benshoff
The Dread of Difference: Gender and the Horror Film (2015) edited by Barry Keith Grant
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