Timeline for the history of the horror genreBy Alessia Carofalo

Horror films effect individuals in a range of ways, from an unsettling feeling to frightened feeling, panicking and alarming feelings. Moreover these feeling vary with what conventions and micro elements that are used. Horror films are able to bring out individuals worst fears, in addition it often effects the audience when something terrifying but captivating takes place by the use of sound, editing and more. Film of the horror genre deal with individuals fears such as nightmares, vulnerability, terror of the unknown, fear of death , loss of identity, as well as fear of sexuality.

The Horror Genre:

Horror should be able to frighten the audience, scare as well as startle individuals by producing elements that will cause feelings of horror and terror. Furthermore it creates an eerie as well as frightening atmosphere, for example graveyard are associated with dead therefore it was set an unsettling tone. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural dependant on what sub genre it is.

Different sub genres: • Action horror• Comedy horror• Gothic horror • Psychological horror • Science fiction horror • Slasher films • Zombie film • Monster film

Origins

Horror had to start from some where…. But where?

One of the first supernatural novels to be released was ‘The Castle of Otranto’ by Horace Walpole – 1764. By this novel being written the title of horror came around, moreover it became fashionable to create novels of the horror genre that many other writers began to adopt the idea of horror.

1796 – Matthew Gregory Lewis also adopted the horror genre and published a book called ‘The Monk’. This novel that consisted of the gothic horrific conventions took the horror genre to the next stage.

Over time the horror genre became extremely popular and well liked , therefore many individuals took Horace Walpole’s original idea but made it their own, or better.

Within the early 1800s many more individual such as Mary Shelley published books based on the famous new horror genre. Moreover Mary Shelley is the well know author of the ‘Frankenstein’ novel that was published in 1818.

The 1800sThe nineteenth century was the period where the horror genre was produced in film content, further meaning that short lengthen films of the horror genre were being produced however there was no sound… they were silent. Theses silent films varied from:• Spirit Photography • Le Squelette Joyeux• Le Manoir Du Diable • Cabinet Of Dr Calligar• The Golem

1860s – this was the era where Spirit Photography was extremely popular, it was also one of the first film experimentations to come out at the time. In addition they consisted of doubling images to portray the feel of there being a ghost like image in the specific frame of the film.

1895 – after the creation of Spirit Photography, Le Squelette Joyeux came about. Moreover this type of film created by the Lumiere brothers caused viewers to be very interested in the new film production. This type of film had skeletal images, which was different and new that the time.

1896 – within this year, history was changed and developed as the first horror genre film was released, and the audiences went wild. The film released was a French production that only lasted the time period of three minutes, due to the fact it was a French film its name was Le Manoir Du Diable. Conventions such as ghosts, spirits, witches, the devil and dark colouring. Additionally these conventions are still commonly used today in the 21st century horror genre films.

1915-1920 – more films came out during this time period, the new version of film to come out was called The Golem. The Golem consisted of varied camera work as well as mise en scene, which impacted the genre of horror massively as the conventions began to influence other films that came out in a later day.

1919 - the recent films that came out moved the audience however the audience was completely changed when Cabinet Of Dr Calligar was produced due to the fact it had such a brilliant impact on the audience. Moreover one reason why Cabinet Of Dr Calligar was so popular was because of the use of non-diegetic sound that was used, to cause dramatic eerie scenes. For example it was used to emphasises a killing the would have been next.

1930s

The 1930’s was a time where silent films no longer existed due to the fact that diegetic and non-diegetic sound was added to the films produced.

1931 – Dracula was released. This was a very successful horror film with the sub genre of action horror as it has supernatural elements. Moreover the mise en scene that the director used was unique and different as it had never been used or seen before. Therefore when locations, costumes and conventional iconography’s were used it single the film out, which had a successful review from the audience. Another famous film Frankenstein was also released in 1931, this film also included mise en scene which the audience really liked.

1935 – The Werewolf of London was released. The Werewolf of London was a horror film produced by Universal Pictures, a well know horror producer. Stuart Walker was the director of the film and got good viewers from the audience due to the fact that he created an eerie realistic werewolf by having extremely good make-up skills. Therefore it was another horror film success.

1935 – A sequel to the film Frankenstein was released, it was called The Bride Of Frankenstein. This film included a combination of elements from other genres, moreover this film not only had horror but it also had comedy.

1940s

1941 - The Wolf Man is an American drama horror film written by Curt Siodmak and produced and directed by George Waggner. There are many legends of the werewolf, however this film tired to stay as true to the conventional way the audience sees a werewolf. Moreover the film is the second Universal Pictures werewolf movie due to the fact another werewolf film was released six years earlier. In addition it was the commercially, successful film, Werewolf of London (1935). The location used made the film eerie therefore the audience enjoyed the film, just like they did with the 1935 werewolf film. Moreover the film also worked hard on perfecting make-up due to the fact without good make-up the werewolf wold of looked scary therefore the audience then wouldn't of been effected by the film.

1945 – Dead Of Night is a British portmanteau horror film that consists of the gothic or horror anthology. It was made by Ealing Studios and directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. Due to the films brilliant gothic feel the film is seen to be one of the best remembered films all because of the creepy ventriloquist's dummy episode with Redgrave. A common iconography now are dolls and puppets as they have become a convention for many horror films, therefore if one appears in a film the audience usually always links the genre to horror.

1950s

Horror films during the 1950s were created via the help of cultural forces The Cold War as it fed fears of invasion, nuclear proliferation as it fed to visions of rampaging mutants, as well as scientific breakthroughs led to mad scientist plots which helped develop the ideas and designs of many horror films at the time.

1954 - Godzilla a Japanese film was released however those film was different due to the fact that the fil had amazing special effects for the time therefore it produced a new standard for other film to now compete with. This film is similar to The Bride Of Frankenstein because there are different genres within the film, moreover the film has the horror and SCI-FI genres entwined.

1959 – House On Haunted Hill, produced with a low budget was released and was considered a good film considering the low cost that were there to produce it.

1957 - I Was a Teen-age Werewolf was co-written and produced by the a film producer called Herman Cohen. Moreover the film is seen by the audience to be one of the most successful films that was released by the American International Pictures.

1960s

During this period of time the horror genre films were more edgy as well as featured more controversial levels of violence which the audience approved of as the 50s pasted therefore they were older and wanted more realistic horror film to come out, that they could relate to more.

1963 - At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul is a Brazilian horror film that was directed b José Mojica Marins. The plot of the film is of a local who dislikes religion and emotion as well as believes the only thing that matters is the ‘continuity of the blood’ therefore he focuses on the finding of a perfect woman so that he can have a superior child who will be immortal. The audience liked this change in film as it focused on other aspects of the horror genre, that’s seen as being more realistic u to a certain extent.

1963 - Blood Feast directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis was the first splatter film to be released, it was a successful film and is still watched today. Additionally at the time it was a film that inspired other directors like John Carpenter for example. Considering the films low budget, the film was very successful and widely looked upon, one factor for this could be because it was the first sub-genre of splatter that was produced.

1970s

The 1970s was a period of time when social issues at that time were tackled. Moreover from sexism, to consumerism, to religion and war. All theses issues were commonly used in the 1970s to produced a story to the film. Other things the films at the time included were graphic sex scenes for example I Spit on Your Grave – 1978, and violence The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 1974.

1976 - The Omen was a high budget film that was seen as a very good horror film that was directed by Steven Spielberg. In addition this director managed to create dramatic tension however in comparison to The Exorcist – 1973, was seen as the best film out of the two as the audience felt more affected and afraid of The Exorcist.

1974 – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre directed by Tobe Hooper was a very past paced movie in specific places, such as the killing scenes. In addition if no murder was taking place the film would drag slowly building tension for when the next dead will occur. Additionally when the next dead scene occurs the film takes a dramatically turn and all the gory horror happens quickly.

1980s

Horror in the first half of the 1980s consisted of sub-genres of slasher like Friday the 13th for example and then half way through the genre changed due to the fact that films were being produced but were mixing in the comic elements within films like The Return of the Living Dead for example. Moreover these new films that were being released could now incorporate (extreme) close up camera shots as new ways of applying make-up made the monsters used in the film look realistic therefore closer shots of them could now be done.

1981: An American Werewolf in London is an American horror comedy film written and directed by John Landis. Moreover it was released in the United States on August 21 1981 and outrageously produced $30.56 million at the box office. Furthermore t he film also won the 1981 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film as well as an Academy Award for the most Outstanding Achievement in Makeup.

1984 – A Nightmare On Elm Street was another film that was also released in the 1980s. This film is diverse in comparison to other horror films due to the fact that the film has a number of murder scenes, however these murder scenes, different from other horror films tell a short story itself which intrigued the audience making them want to carry on watching with anticipation.

1986 – Child’s Play was released. A doll was made to be a killer in this film, by this film having its main focus on a killer doll it meant that the producers of the film were able to create their own genre conventions.

1990s

Old ideas for the horror genre were starting to bore the audience therefore by the end of the 1980s new conventions were being thought of. Moreover individuals were trying to create monsters that were more realistic.

1996: The Craft is an American supernatural film directed for the ages of teenagers. The film was directed by Andrew Fleming, moreover his film plot evolves around a group of four teenage girls who practise witchcraft as well as aid the use of sorcery to gain their own wishes. The film was released on May 3 1996, by Columbia Pictures.

1991 – Silence Of The Lambs was the third film to win an academy award in five categories, in addition these categories were in best picture, best actor and actress, best director and writer. This film is unique as it has a mixture of elements a range from horror to crime.

1994 – New Nightmare, directed by Wes Craven was released, in addition it was a distinctive film as the actors, producers, writers play themselves on and off the films set.

2000s – 2010s

During the 21st century there are many great edgy and original material that hasn’t been in the horror genre before. For example a conventional way for vampires to die is id they went in the sun however the film Twilight changed that perspective as they thought of the idea that the vampire would sparkle in the sun.

2000 - Ginger Snaps is a Canadian horror film directed by John Fawcett. Furthermore the film focuses on two teenage sisters who have an obsessive fascination with death. Moreover the name of the film is a pun on only for Ginger due to the fact that the – snap is relating to Ginger losing her hard-core self-control turning her into a quick minded aggressive individual that just wants to bite people.2002 - The Ring is an American psychological

horror film that is directed by Gore Verbinski. Moreover this film consist of dread, dark horror film conventions that leave the producers on edge hoping nobody in the audience laughs, because the film staggers right on the edge of ridiculousness as it’s not realsitc.

Why did horror change the way it did over the decades?

The reasoning why the horror genre dramatically changed over time is due to the fact that individuals needed change in society and life therefore, the film structure had to too because of new technology and development that takes place over the years. Furthermore the horror genre also changed because the screening had to become more realistic otherwise the audience wouldn’t be satisfied as they would be expecting more or something different. By changes taking place it means the audience will still be unsure and sacred as they don’t know what to expected as the genre changes. In addition another way horror changed is by the changing of society therefore films changed from black and white to colour, no sounded films to films with sound and more realistic monsters as the audience, growing in age also wanted the horror genre to grow with them hence to changes in make-ups.