2. • Horror is an ancient art form. From the ballads of the ancient world
to modern urban myths, audiences willing to offer themselves up to
sadistic storytellers to be scared witless, and they are happy to pay
for the privilege.
• Horror movies were reborn in the 1930’s. The advert of sound as
well as changing the whole nature of cinema forever, had a huge
impact on the horror genre. The dreamlike imagery of the 1920’s,
the films peopled by ghostly wraiths floating silently through the
terror of mortals, their grotesque death masks a visual
representation of ‘horror’, were replaced by monsters that grunted
and groaned and howled. Sound adds an extra dimension to terror,
whether it be music used to build suspense or signal the presence
of a threat, or magnified footsteps echoing down a corridor.
3. Frankenstein 1931.
Frankenstein is a 1931 horror monster film from Universal
Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by
Peggy Webling, which in turn is based on the novel of the same
name by Mary Shelley. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke,
John Boles and Boris Karloff and features Dwight Frye and
Edward van Sloan. The Webling play was adapted by John L.
Balderston and the screenplay written by Francis Edward Faragoh
and Garrett Fort with uncredited contributions from Robert Florey
and John Russell. The make-up artist was Jack Pierce.
4. Night of the living dead 1968
Night of the Living Dead is an American independent horror film
directed by George A. Romero and starring Duane Jones, Judith
O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968.
The story follows characters Ben Huss (Duane Jones), Barbra
(Judith O'Dea), and five others trapped in a rural farmhouse in
Pennsylvania which is attacked by "living dead" monsters known as
zombies. Night of the Living Dead was the basis of five subsequent
Living Dead films (1978-2010) also directed by Romero and has
inspired two remakes (1990, 2006).
5. Nosferatu 1922
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (translated as
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror; or simply Nosferatu)
is a classic 1922 German Expressionist horror film,
directed by F. W. Murnau, starring Max Schreck as the
vampire Count Orlok. The film, shot in 1921 and
released in 1922, was an unauthorized adaptation of
Bram Stoker's Dracula, with names and other details
changed because the studio could not obtain the rights to
the novel (for instance, "vampire" became "Nosferatu"
and "Count Dracula" became "Count Orlok").
6. The mummy (1932)- Although horror had moved
on from vampires, they were still based on
mythical creatures. This film scared a lot of people
as the Tutankhamen exhibition toured the world
in 1920s and 1930s and the thought of this coming
true gave many people a fright.
The beast from 20,000 fathoms (1953) – This film
is based on a short story called “the horn.” slogan
for s move was “ they couldn't escape the terror
and neither will you.” This film was about the
accidental awakening of a “King Kong with fins“
(a rhedosaurus) by atomic testing in the arctic.
7. Physco (1960)- This is when filming stopped being
about mythical creatures and more about killers.
The screeching soundtrack and the flashing of the
knife blade in the shower scene seem condemned to
perpetual rerunning in horror filmed to this day
The exorcist (1973)- This very well known film was
the start of the very popular sub genre supernatural
horror. It is based around a young girl who is
possessed by a demon.
8. Se7en (1995)- This hybrid film (film noir and
horror) is about 2 cops, a older cop ( who will
retire in 7 days) and a young hot headed cop.
These two characters clash but are brought
together by a common goal
Final destination (2000)- These films portray the
way horrors have changed to a lot of gore but still
kept some of the original aspects (mythical
creatures, demons) but they have more complex
storylines.
9. • 1990’s saw Japanese's Horror films being
produced such as ‘TheRing’(1998) and
NakedBlood(1996).
• American remakes of Japanese's Horror
become produced such as ‘The Ring’.
