| Horror movies are often diverse in plots and | | | | explored societal insecurities or aberrations. The |
| characterizations, but they are all able to evoke | | | | plots of these films included characters with |
| spine-tingling thrills in moviegoers. The history of | | | | bizarre personality traits, an apocalypse type |
| this genre can be traced back to the late 1890s, | | | | situation or the presence of demonic activity. In |
| and the influence of these early films is still felt in | | | | the 1950s, science fiction began to influence the |
| the entertainment industry today. | | | | horror genre and gave it a modern, yet equally |
| The father of horror movies may be Georges | | | | maniacal feel. In these movies, there was a sense |
| Melies. In 1896, he depicted otherworldly events in | | | | of overcoming alien invasions to ensure the future |
| his movie, "The House of the Devil". Two years | | | | of the world. |
| later, Japanese producers entered the horror | | | | While horror films seem designed to "entertain" |
| arena with two movies. And in 1910, Edison | | | | audiences, many directors and producers used |
| Studios in the United States created | | | | them as vehicles to express commentaries on |
| "Frankenstein". These early offerings into this | | | | society. For instance, George Romero's classic cult |
| genre showed creativity and the ability to evoke | | | | film "Night of the Living Dead" expressed insightful |
| genuine emotions from the audience. | | | | views on human nature during the turbulent |
| Writers, directors and actors in horror films have | | | | Vietnam War era. |
| historically sought to create a level of fear that | | | | Alfred Hitchcock took horror home. He didn't use |
| rivets moviegoers to their seats through | | | | extraordinary monsters, but injected a dose of |
| adrenaline rushes. This has been accomplished in a | | | | terror in everyday people. In "Psycho" Freudian |
| variety of ways, from demonic activity, monsters | | | | logic explained the action, and also gave his |
| on the loose or extraterrestrial beings. Although | | | | audience an open-ended fear to take with them. |
| the premise of these films may differ in certain | | | | Historically, the films in the horror genre have |
| ways, the basic idea is to capitalize on everyday | | | | evolved and experimented with different types of |
| fears by making them larger than life. Viewers | | | | themes. From aliens to zombies, characters have |
| connect with this film fare because there is a | | | | taken many faces and personality traits. Settings |
| disturbingly real sense that these events could | | | | have featured private homes or entire countries. |
| actually happen in some way. | | | | Additionally, the level of intensity is also a variable, |
| Most horror films have a single villain, and early | | | | either quietly turning up the tension with a |
| movies took ideas for this character from | | | | psychological aspect or opening the floodgates of |
| literature. Dracula, Phantom of the Opera and Dr. | | | | fear with explicit elements. Whatever the mode, |
| Jekyll and Mr. Hyde easily made the transition | | | | horror films definitely fit the bill for many |
| from print to the big screen. Another interesting | | | | moviegoers. |
| depiction of fear was created when movies | | | | |