The Origins of American Horror Movies throughout History

Horror films are the very essence of how we as a culture define fear. They are supposed to be adrenaline racing, heart pumping, and nightmare inducing films that keep us on the edge of our seat and entertain us while also terrifying us. We are able to get a thrill at being scared, while not actually being in danger. They bring out our innermost fears and focus on the strange, unknown, or scary. Most horror films, but certainly not all, focus on combining the supernatural or science fiction into our world. Many horror films also focus prominently on death, since humans are constantly worried and afraid of their own impending mortality. Many of the earliest Horror films were based loosely off of old legends or myths. Obviously over time there have been many classic horror movies but assembled here are some of the most influential and impacting of their time.

Frankenstein

Henry Frankenstein: Look! It's moving. It's alive. It's alive... It's alive, it's moving, it's alive, it's alive, it's alive, it's alive, IT'S ALIVE!
Victor Moritz: Henry - In the name of God!
Henry Frankenstein: Oh, in the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!

                Mary Shelly’s classic tale of the Frankenstein monster was one of the first American horror movies to hit it big time. The United States was the first to adapt the tale of the monster and it came out with its first film in 1910 which lasted about 16 minutes. The more popular film that audiences still watch today is Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein (1931). Directed by James Whale from Universal Studios, this film launched the career of unknown Boris Karloff. It was Karloff that gave a face to the menacing monster of Shelly’s classic and it was his that remains as the ever constant image in today’s memory. Frankenstein went on to have many remakes, sequels, and parodies over the years, but the original beginning was the 1931 version. Frankenstein premiered during the Great Depression and while it might seem silly to waste money on a film it actually allowed the audience to escape from their lives for a brief amount of time. “Horror, with its strong elements of the fantastic and the supernatural, provided an effective escape to audiences tiring of their Great Depression reality, and, despite the money spent on painstaking special effects, often provided a good return for their studio’ (Wilson).

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Lanyon: You're a rebel, and see what it has done for you. You're in the power of this monster that you have created.
Dr. Jekyll: I'll never take that drug again!
Dr. Lanyon: Yes, but you told me you became that monster tonight not of your own accord. It will happen again.
Dr. Jekyll: It never will. I'm sure of it. I'll conquer it!
Dr. Lanyon: Too late. You cannot conquer it. It has conquered you!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells the story of a scientist who drinks a concoction that splits his good and bad side into two and now must deal with two personalities. This film was originally made as a silent film in 1920 by Paramount and was a little over an hour. Eleven years later it was remade with sound and directed by Rouben Mamoulian.  Made before the Production Code had fully been established, the film has strong sexual content that was later removed. This film also went on to spawn many remakes akin to Frankenstein but many critics review this to be the best adaptation.

The Wolf Man

Jenny Williams: Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.

During the War in the 1940’s many countries stopped production of movies, particularly horror- but not the United States. “Wartime horror movies were purely an American product” (Wilson). In 1941, The Wolf Man premiered with stars Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi. Lon Chaney Jr.’s father was considered to be one of the best Horror film actors, due to his ability to play many different characters, starring in a number of films such as, Phantom of the Opera and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Unfortunately for his son, he was typecast as the wolf man and went on to play him in the revivals. Unlike his father he stayed within one role of acting. The film set the precedent for future generations of werewolf movies. It “established a new set of cinematic rules which Hollywood lycanthropes would adhere to for decades” (Wilson). This was the second Universal Studios werewolf film, preceding, Werewolf of London, which was far less successful.

House on Haunted Hill

Watson Pritchard: The ghosts are moving tonight, restless... hungry. May I introduce myself? I'm Watson Pritchard. In just a moment I'll show you the only really haunted house in the world. Since it was built a century ago, seven people including my brother have been murdered in it, since then, I've owned the house. I only spent one night then and when they found me in the morning, I... I was almost dead.

“In ten short years the concept of a horrific monster had altered irrevocably. Whereas Lon Chaney, Jr. in a fine covering of yak's hair had once served as a powerful envoy from the dark side, now there were more recognizably human faces attached to evil” (Wilson). While there were many war movies made during the 1950’s due to the terror left over after the war, another prominent aspect of the 1950’s horror movie was the invention of the B movie. “The main audiences for horror movies were teenagers, who ensured that the genre remained very profitable. They flocked to the drive-ins in hordes, not caring too much about character development, plot integrity or production values” (Wilson). These B movies were made with less quality and little attention to detail or plot, but many B movies are still classics today. One B movie classic premiered in 1959 called House on Haunted Hill. A millionaire rents a ‘haunted’ house and promises his guests $10,000 if they make it through the night. But ghosts and murders appear to inhabit the household and each guest must fight for their lives. Directed by William Castle, this film was one of the lowest budget horror movies, a staple for Castle. This film provided a scare for audiences and was redone multiple times, most recently in 1999.

Psycho

Norman Bates: We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?

“As well as being more open to nudity, onscreen violence, and other tropes that challenged social mores, the drive-in teen audiences of the 1950s were growing up, and becoming wise to the empty promises of lurid titles and titillating posters, immune to the scare factor of rubber suits and miniaturized sets. They wanted horror that was more rooted in reality, more believable, more sophisticated, that dealt with some of the issues they faced in a rapidly changing world”(Wilson). The known master of thriller, Alfred Hitchcock gave us the hit, Psycho, in 1960, giving the world of horror a movie to aspire to. Based on the real story of Ed Gein, Hitchcock lets us in on the life of Norman Bates who appears to just be another normal man, until he murders his female motel guest in the shower. The shower scene from Psycho has gone on to be one of the most renowned scenes in horror history. It took over 3 days to film a total of 1 minute and 43 seconds of footage. “If ever a movie cast a giant shadow over the genre then this is it” (Wilson).

Night of the Living Dead

Newscaster: It has been established that persons who have recently died have been returning to life and committing acts of murder. A widespread investigation of funeral homes, morgues, and hospitals has concluded that the unburied dead have been returning to life and seeking human victims. It's hard for us here to be reporting this to you, but it does seem to be a fact.

                One of the most well-known horror movies, Night of the Living Dead, debuted in theaters in 1968. A space infection allows the dead to return in zombie form intent on sucking the brains from the living. Trapped inside a house, strangers must fight to survive against the flesh eating zombies. “The movie signaled a new, darker, direction in horror” (Wilson). It quickly became a cult film even with its explicit content. The idea of the living dead has come to be the subject of satire representing everything from consumerism to mob mentality.” Although a lot of the camerawork was the result of economics. the continuously canted angles, the lurching (as opposed to tracking) movement, and the off-kilter composition all contribute to the un-nervingness of the film, and established techniques to be copied by subsequent low-budget entries to the genre” (Wilson).

Rosemary’s Baby

Rosemary Woodhouse: Oh, God!
Roman Castevet: God is dead! Satan lives!

                Also debuting in 1968 was the classic, Rosemary’s Baby. Rosemary should be living the good life now that her husband has suddenly become successful almost overnight, she is pregnant, and her neighbors seem to be taking excellent care of her. Unfortunately for Rosemary, strange things begin happening to her and she ultimately realizes that she was unconsciously raped by satanic forces and is having the child of Satan in exchange of her husband’s new career. Rosemary’s Baby displayed everything that could go wrong with a pregnancy, scaring many young woman of the era.

The Shining

Jack Torrance: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

“The 1970s marked a return to the big budget, respectable horror film, dealing with contemporary societal issues, addressing genuine psychological fears” (Wilson). The 1970’s produced many famous horror movies including The Exorcist and Halloween. But in regards to psychological terrors, The Shining (1980), starring Jack Nicholson is one of the best films.  The Torrance family takes over as caretakers of a winter mansion with the hope that the father, Jack, will have time to work on his writing career.  After a while Jack begins to go insane with cabin fever and attempts to murder his whole family. Psychological terrors plagued the 70’s and early 80’s and left people in fear of their own family and friends.

Nightmare on Elm Street

Nancy: Whatever you do don't fall asleep.

                In 1984, horror film genius Wes Craven gave us the classic, Nightmare on Elm Street. One of the most popular slasher films, Nightmare on Elm Street, features sexually charged teenagers meeting their bloody demise at the hands of psycho and surreal killer. The main character Freddy is one of the most notably villains of the horror genre.  “In terms of Jungian archetypes he is the ultimate Shadow Trickster, the shape changer who relishes sick jokes” (Wilson). The film also featured the debut of Johnny Depp, one of today’s most widely known actors. The film was an instant commercial success and made up the film’s budget in only one week of theater time. Nightmare on Elm Street evoked fear not only in teenagers but adults as well. Unable to sleep, the main characters must fight for their lives and if they fall asleep, certain death awaits them…in their dreams. The film constantly shifts from reality to nightmare making the film surreal.

Silence of the Lambs

Murray: Is it true what they're sayin', he's some kinda vampire?
Clarice Starling: They don't have a name for what he is.

                Perhaps one of the scariest horror movies of its time, Silence of the Lambs, directed by Jonathan Demme, first hit theaters in 1991. The film combines crime, horror, and cannibalism into one. An FBI trainee enlists the help of an imprisoned Doctor turned cannibalistic serial killer to help her locate another serial killer. The film won Oscars in all top five categories. “The film is considered "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant by the US Library of Congress and was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 2011” (Wiki).

               

Obviously there are too many wonderful and influential horror movies to name. Works such as Blair Witch Project, The Exorcist, Alien, and countless others, have shaped the ever changing progression of horror movies. Throughout history, horror movies have succeeded in taking our fears and bringing them to life in a nightmarish display of terror. It is through horror movies that we learn to handle the things that scare us and we are able to engage in terror without being in any real form of danger. Just like in the 1930’s and 40’s, horror movies today still allow an escape from the real world. And it is in horror movie that we deal with our fears of the unknown and the strange.

Works Cited

Dirks, Tim. "Horror Films." Horror Films. Web. 15 May 2012.<http://www.filmsite.org/horrorfilms.html>.

Harris, Mark. "A Timeline History of Horror Movies." About.com Horror & Suspense Movies. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://horror.about.com/od/horrorthemelists/ss/horrortimeline.htm>.

Wikipedia- for images and certain details

Wilson, Katrina. "Horror Films: Why We Like To Watch." Horror Film History — Introduction. 2001-2011. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/index.php?pageID=home>.

Youtube- for video clips

IMDB- for quotes