Early horror films in the 1970s and 1980s primarily targeted young male audiences by featuring female characters who were terrorized by male monsters. However, modern horror films now have their main audience as women, with heroines as the main characters who must overcome terrifying situations. Filmmakers integrate topics relevant to women such as pregnancy and relationships to attract more female audiences. Contemporary horror films appeal to teenagers, middle-aged adults, and young women through realistic scenes and intense music and effects.

1. Audience Profile
In early times, horror films such as My Bloody Valentine (1981), Halloween(1978),
and Friday the 13th(1980) mainly targeted a young male audience by having female
actresses who were terrified and tortured by the male monsters and fiends. However,
now women have become the main audience and fans of horror films and also are
often the main characters in contemporary horror films. The horror industry is
producing more movies with a heroine character who must become a stronger person
in order to overcome some terrifying ordeal. This main theme has drawn a larger
audience of women movie-goers than ever historically recorded. Movie makers are
also now integrating integrate women relatable topics such as pregnancy,
motherhood, lesbian relationships, and babysitting jobs into their films in order to
gain even more female oriented audiences. The Amityville Horror from 2005 by
MGM is completely modern day horror. With special effects, intense music,
emotionally terrifying build ups of terror. This combination of terror and realistically
believable scenes appeals to the modern audience of teenage males, middle aged
males and most recently young woman.
Source of graphs: http://www.valmorgan.co.nz/audiences/profiles/horrormovies/