History of Horror Genreby

Luca Riccio

1890-1920’s

• The first horror film made was Le Manoir du diable aka The Haunted Castle in 1896.

• The film maker Georges Méliès was known for making ‘silent monster movies’.

• Then vampire films came into film in 1922.• The Wall street crash in 1929 effected

movie making and films were put on hold.

Early 1930’s Hollywood films

• In 1930’s Universal Studios created Gothic Horror films. Two famous ones like Dracula and Frankenstein.

• The Dracula was the first movie with sound.

• 1931- Frankenstein was one of the greatest make up monster of all time.

• In 1930’s Warner Brothers did gangster and waxwork horrors.

Late 30’s• In the late 1930’s sadistic films were

made.• ‘The old dark house’ was produced by

Universal studios and directed by James whale.

• James Whale had control of the film Frankenstein's wife.

• The film ‘Freaks’ a german film was the first film with circus people.

• In 1939 the ‘Son of Frankenstein’ was made.

1940’s- 1950 Films

• In the 1940’s sequels were popular for early horror films.

• Val Luton became Head of horror to RKO studios.

• In 1942 the film ‘Cat People’ was made.• 1951- Dracula stage play in Broadway.• Early 1950’s- horror cinema production

ceased after two decades in Hollywood.

Mid-late 1950’s

• In the mid 1950’s horror films came to Britain.• Many horror films used Bray Film studios which

included an atmosphere in 18th century house.• In 1957 ‘The Curse of Frankenstein’ was the first

film in colour and used shocking gore and blood.• In 1957 the film ‘Might of the Demon’ was a

psychological and supernatural thriller by Jack Dunure.

1960’s

• Hammer films in 1960’s became popular from British film studios.

• Hollywood started to produce Physiological Horror.

1960’s continued

• Films had to be made cheap. Hammer productions shared some cast and crew members.

• In 1968 ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ was considered one of the scariest films.

• This started to continue in the 1970’s.

1970’s

• Early 1970’s- occult horror became popular such as ‘The exorcist’ (1973).

• The film ‘The Omen’ was a popular horror that a few sequels were made.

1970’s continued

• In the early 1970’s gore fests films became popular such as ‘The Texas chainsaw killer Massacre’.

• More splatter movies followed including ‘ ‘The hills have eyes’(1977).

• Zombie movies would continue into the early 1980’s.

1980-2000+

• 1980’s and 90’s–post modern self aware horror from directors Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson films such as'Scream’(1996).

• In 1999 a new genre of mockenentary horror films emerged starring with the ground breaking ‘Blair witch project’.

• They made cheap handheld cameras it showed a very realistic style of filming.

The End