2. atmospheric creepiness. Many filmmakers were continuing to merge
elements of science fiction and horror over the decades. Richard
Mathesonâs existentialist novel The Incredible Shrinking Man was
part of the era which was considered a âpulp masterpieceâ, while
more of a Sci-Fi story the film showed the fears of living in the Atomic
Age and the terror of social alienation.
During the late 1950âs, Great Britain emerged as a producer of horror
films. The Hammer Company focused on the genre for the first time,
enjoying huge international success from films involving classic
horror characters which were shown in colour for the first time. British
director Michael Powellâs Peeping Tom which was released in 1960
was the first ever slasher film. It was about a serial killer who
combines his profession as a photographer with the moments before
murdering his victims.
After Peeping Tom the next slasher film was Psycho by Alfred
Hitchcock, and also The Birds. An example of natural horror which
the menace stems from mature having gone mad. In France, Eyes
Without a Face continued the mad scientist theme.
The end of the Production Code of America in 1964. The financial
successes of the low-budget gore films of the ensuing years, and the
critical and popular success of Rosemaryâs Baby, led to the release
of more films with occult themes during the 1970s. The Exorcist was
the first of these movies, released in 1973. This was a commercial
success, this film was followed by scores of horror films in which the
Devil represented the supernatural evil, often by impregnating
women or possessing children.
The genre also included gory horror movies with sexual overtones,
made as âA-moviesâ. The subjects of âEvil Childrenâ and reincarnation
became very popular. For example, Robert Wiseâs film Audrey Rose,
deals with a man who claims his daughter is the reincarnation of
another dead person. Another example would be Alice, Sweet Alice,
this is another Catholic-themed horror slasher about a little girlâs
murder and her sister being the prime suspect.
3. In the 1970s, author Stephen King began to be adapted for the
screen, beginning with the adaption of Carrie by Brian De Palma,
which was Stephen Kingâs first published novel. His third published
novel was the very famous The Shining which was directed by
Stanley Kubrick, which was a sleeper at the box office, receiving
mixed reviews after it being released, but eventually began to be
considered as a classic.
During the 1970s and early 80s many of slasher films were created.
John Carpenter created Halloween, Sean Cunningham made Friday
the 13th and Wes Craven directed A Nightmare On Elm Street. This
sub-genre would be mined by dozens of increasingly violent movies
throughout the decades, and Halloween became a successful
independent film.
The 1980s seen a wave of horror films â although most of them were
panned by critics, many became cult classics and later seen the
success with the critics. An example of this would be Sam Raimiâs
Evil Dead movies, they were low-budget gore-fests but had a very
original plotline which was later praised by critics.
During the first half of the 1990s the genre continued many of the
themes from the 1980s. The slasher films A Nightmare on Elm
Street, Friday the 13th and Childâs Play all had sequels which most of
them met with varied amounts of success at the box office. However,
all were panned by fans and critics, with the exception of Wes
Cravenâs New Nightmare and hugely successful Silence of the
Lambs.
Two main problems pushed horror backward: firstly, the horror genre
wore itself out with the proliferation of nonstop slasher and gore films.
Secondly, the adolescent audience which feasted on the blood and
morbidity of the previous decade grew up, and the replacement
5. Films like The Thing from Another World and Invasion of the Body
Snatchers managed to channel paranoia of the Cold War into
atmospheric creepiness. Many filmmakers were continuing to merge
elements of science fiction and horror over the decades. Richard
Mathesonâs existentialist novel The Incredible Shrinking Man was
part of the era which was considered a âpulp masterpieceâ, while
more of a Sci-Fi story the film showed the fears of living in the Atomic
Age and the terror of social alienation.
During the late 1950âs, Great Britain emerged as a producer of horror
films. The Hammer Company focused on the genre for the first time,
enjoying huge international success from films involving classic
horror characters which were shown in colour for the first time. British
director Michael Powellâs Peeping Tom which was released in 1960
was the first ever slasher film. It was about a serial killer who
combines his profession as a photographer with the moments before
murdering his victims.
After Peeping Tom the next slasher film was Psycho by Alfred
Hitchcock, and also The Birds. An example of natural horror which
the menace stems from mature having gone mad. In France, Eyes
Without a Face continued the mad scientist theme.
The end of the Production Code of America in 1964. The financial
successes of the low-budget gore films of the ensuing years, and the
critical and popular success of Rosemaryâs Baby, led to the release
of more films with occult themes during the 1970s. The Exorcist was
the first of these movies, released in 1973. This was a commercial
success, this film was followed by scores of horror films in which the
Devil represented the supernatural evil, often by impregnating
women or possessing children.
The genre also included gory horror movies with sexual overtones,
made as âA-moviesâ. The subjects of âEvil Childrenâ and reincarnation
became very popular. For example, Robert Wiseâs film Audrey Rose,
deals with a man who claims his daughter is the reincarnation of
another dead person. Another example would be Alice, Sweet Alice,
6. this is another Catholic-themed horror slasher about a little girlâs
murder and her sister being the prime suspect.
In the 1970s, author Stephen King began to be adapted for the
screen, beginning with the adaption of Carrie by Brian De Palma,
which was Stephen Kingâs first published novel. His third published
novel was the very famous The Shining which was directed by
Stanley Kubrick, which was a sleeper at the box office, receiving
mixed reviews after it being released, but eventually began to be
considered as a classic.
During the 1970s and early 80s many of slasher films were created.
John Carpenter created Halloween, Sean Cunningham made Friday
the 13th and Wes Craven directed A Nightmare On Elm Street. This
sub-genre would be mined by dozens of increasingly violent movies
throughout the decades, and Halloween became a successful
independent film.
The 1980s seen a wave of horror films â although most of them were
panned by critics, many became cult classics and later seen the
success with the critics. An example of this would be Sam Raimiâs
Evil Dead movies, they were low-budget gore-fests but had a very
original plotline which was later praised by critics.
During the first half of the 1990s the genre continued many of the
themes from the 1980s. The slasher films A Nightmare on Elm
Street, Friday the 13th and Childâs Play all had sequels which most of
them met with varied amounts of success at the box office. However,
all were panned by fans and critics, with the exception of Wes
Cravenâs New Nightmare and hugely successful Silence of the
Lambs.
Two main problems pushed horror backward: firstly, the horror genre
wore itself out with the proliferation of nonstop slasher and gore films.
7. Secondly, the adolescent audience which feasted on the blood and
morbidity of the previous decade grew up, and the replacement
audience for films of an imaginative nature were being captured
instead by the explosion of science-fiction and fantasy films.
To reconnect with the audience, horror became more self-mockingly
ironic and outright parodic, especially in the latter half of the 1990s.
Wes Cravenâs Scream movies, starting in 1996, featured teenagers
who were fully aware of, and often made reference to, the history of
horror movies and mixed ironic humor with the shocks.
In the start of 2000 there was a quiet period for the horror genre. The
release of an extended version of The Exorcist was successful,
despite trhe film having been available on home video for years.
Remakes of earlier horror movies became routine in the 2000s,
including Dawn of the Dead, Maniacs and Texas Chainsaw
Massacre. There was also the remake of Halloween by Rob Zombie.
This film was more focused on Michaelâs backstory than the original,
devoting the first half of the film to Michaelâs childhood. It was
critically panned by most, but was a success in its theatrical run,
which led to its very own sequel.
Among the many iother remakes of popular horror films and
franchises are such films as Thirteen Ghosts (2001), The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre (2003), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Friday the
13th (2009), A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), Children of the Corn
(2009), Prom Night (2008), Day of the Dead (2008) and My Bloody
Valentine (2009).
To reconnect with the audience, horror became more self-mockingly
ironic and outright parodic, especially in the latter half of the 1990s.
Wes Cravenâs Scream movies, starting in 1996, featured teenagers
who were fully aware of, and often made reference to, the history of
horror movies and mixed ironic humor with the shocks.
8. In the start of 2000 there was a quiet period for the horror genre. The
release of an extended version of The Exorcist was successful,
despite trhe film having been available on home video for years.
Remakes of earlier horror movies became routine in the 2000s,
including Dawn of the Dead, Maniacs and Texas Chainsaw
Massacre. There was also the remake of Halloween by Rob Zombie.
This film was more focused on Michaelâs backstory than the original,
devoting the first half of the film to Michaelâs childhood. It was
critically panned by most, but was a success in its theatrical run,
which led to its very own sequel.
Among the many iother remakes of popular horror films and
franchises are such films as Thirteen Ghosts (2001), The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre (2003), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Friday the
13th (2009), A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), Children of the Corn
(2009), Prom Night (2008), Day of the Dead (2008) and My Bloody
Valentine (2009).