“Do you like scary movies?”
“What’s the point? They’re all the same.”
Such a bitter refrain for what is such an interesting category of film! The horror movie genre is the ultimate example of Halloween spirit. Its many different subcategories have something for anybody who wants to participate in the season; this alone proves that all scary movies are not the same, contrary to Sidney Prescott’s words in the cult classic slasher film Scream. In a way, the call is coming from inside the house- not only literally, in Sidney’s situation, but in a more figurative sense; the horror movie category has a great history of give and take between earlier and later movies. Nonetheless, they persist in being the antithesis to boredom and normality; they are the refuge for those who are looking for something new and interesting, and they have been that way since their conception.
The scary movie genre’s origins are intensely interesting. The first horror movie adjacent creation was released in 1896, mere years after the art of film itself was invented and made mainstream. George Mellies, a pioneering filmmaker in those early years, directed Le Manoir du Diable, or The House of the Devil. This short movie included supernatural elements, and set a precedent for what was to come within this genre. In fact, scary movies began with the paranormal, monster-centric stories already known for dominating literary conversations- think Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The focus on these types of plots led to the Golden Age of Horror throughout the 1920s and 30s. Silent films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligary (1920) and Nosferatu (1922) were the first which tried to truly unsettle their audiences. Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) were all early examples of monster movies; some of them were even in color. Movies like these are still considered great, classic movies which can be appreciated by a modern day audience. It was during this time when horror was used to describe the genre. Freaks, released in 1932, was the first markedly controversial scary movie; it was deemed to be so disturbing that it was edited multiple times. It had been directed by Ted Browning, who had previously worked on the wildly popular Dracula. Dracula also saw the birth of the first horror ‘star’, Bella Lugosi, who went on to dominate the industry during this era.
Next came the Atomic Years, which persisted throughout the 50s and 60s. The Hammer Horror Company, a British enterprise, began to prolifically produce many horror films which were huge commercial successes. Alfred Hitchcock was a major director during the formative years of horror, producing notable films such as Psycho, Vertigo, and The Birds, all of which are prime early examples of psychological horror, suspense, and slasher movies. His work in this genre is insurmountable and incomparable; without his input, this category of films would not be the same. The overall condition of the world at this time led to the development of more realistic, less supernatural villains and problems in these movies. Societal issues such as World War II and the threat of atomic assault made movies such as Godzilla and The War of the Worlds into successes, since they were relevant to the fears of invasion and real-life antagonists. These films led to the advancement of the disaster movie genre, which was even further developed by The Night of the Living Dead (1968), a film directed by George Romero which set up the entire zombie movie category. This era of horror films made public demand for such media increase as well as the genre grew more and more popular.
The Satanic Panic throughout the 70s and 80s led to more possession-centered and church related storylines. Religious horror became much more common with influential movies such as The Exorcist and The Omen. The Exorcist in particular was extremely controversial due to its vulgarity and display of the possession of Regan, a little girl taken over by the spirit of the Devil. The Shining and Carrie were adaptations of Stephen King novels which did not contribute too much to religious horror, but more to the overall theme of possession within horror. Slashers also became big hits in the 80s. This subcategory truly began with Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1974, but it did not become big until later. Halloween (1978) was a huge commercial success which used many notable, new devices to make their audiences even more fearful- the slow, suspenseful music and Michael Myers’ presence within the cinematography of the movie as the viewer is made to feel as though they are the stalker as well. Scream (1996) was another hugely successful slasher film which shaped the genre for many years to come and continues to do so.
Now, many believe that the horror genre has become flat and uninteresting; there is an abundance of sequels and remakes as well as a resurgence of movies that focus solely on gore instead of originality. Examples of these would be the Saw and Hostel franchises, as well as the Terrifier movies. However, there are some movies and directors which give hope to the persistence of the genre’s creativity. The Babadook (2014), with its fusion of monster movies, possession, and psychological horror, as well as A Cabin in the Woods (2011) which has been described as the new Scream. Director Jordan Peele is also revered as the director for the new generation of horror movies, with films such as Get Out and Nope which include social issues such as racial inequalities and gender divides within their plots.
The horror genre is defined as “[a] motion picture calculated to cause intense repugnance, fear, or dread… [they] may incorporate incidents of physical violence and psychological terror; they may be studies of deformed, disturbed, psychotic, or evil characters; stories of terrifying monsters or malevolent animals; or mystery thrillers that use atmosphere to build suspense.” Directors, in the endeavor of this mission, use tropes, or ways in which a director may communicate something figurative to their audience. There are many overused tropes within the horror genre, such as the jump scare. The found footage trope, seen in films such as Blair Witch Project, is notable for its ability to terrify viewers and convince them that the events shown on screen actually happened. The twist ending is seen in many horror movies, and when used well, it can totally turn a film on its head and leave a lasting impression on those watching it. Movies which use this device would be Us and The Sixth Sense.
The creepy, suspiciously knowledgeable, and maybe demonically possessed child is a character trope seen in movies such as The Shining and The Omen, as well as the Sixth Sense. Tropes such as the ‘let’s split up’ trope are so overused that they are mocked in modern films as idiotic- so not every device that is used by filmmakers is equally enduring. A storytelling element used often in films pertaining to possession is the leaving of bruises on an affected character to show the depth and seriousness of their predicament (seen in The Sixth Sense, The Exorcist). The “final girl” trope is one which is deeply connected to the slasher film subcategory, best shown in franchises such as Halloween and Scream; this trope is one which includes a normally pretty and intelligent female character who is left alive to destroy the villain and avenge those who have died.
The concept of a house with a weird or supernatural past is a trope seen in many paranormal thrillers such as Poltergeist. The list of common horror tropes could go on forever, but all of them are useful and impactful in some way for the director of a film to scare their audience and help them understand the predicament and purpose of the movie.
There are many notable directors within this genre which have helped in its advancement, from the early days to now. John Carpenter is known to be a pioneer of the low-budget horror film of the 1970s; he directed Halloween, which is of course one of the most notable early slasher/stalker films. He also directed The Thing, another classic of the genre. He was a formative part of the early years of modern horror; without his visionary directing, the category of scary films would be significantly different. David Cronenberg is known for his pioneering in gore and violence on the screen; he is, in fact, known as the “Baron of Blood”. His mastery can be seen in Rabid (1977) and The Fly (1986). A newer director who is noted for her creativity and originality is Jennifer Kent, whose directorial debut The Babadook (2014) was praised greatly. Jordan Peele, who was mentioned earlier, is a prime example of a director who has perfected the ability to use his art to communicate wider issues with his audience, without sacrificing the fear-factor of his movies and their adherence to the horror genre.
Horror movies encapsulate the thrill of Halloween and the innate human curiosity towards the creepy and gory. Throughout their history, they have been influenced by real-world events and the wild imaginations of their creators; but never have they been boring or culturally irrelevant. Not only are they still wildly popular, they have stayed faithful to their true mission of being counter-culture, unsettling but yet still enticing and entertaining. So indeed, after all of this, one can easily answer that now-infamous question: Yes, I do like scary movies.
featured image credit: Scream Opening Scene