Today I’m excited to welcome Tif from Tif Talks Books to guest post today. Tif’ is writing about one of my favorite topics: horror films & their evolution.
The Evolution of Horror Films
Have you ever wondered where the genre of horror on the big screen started? Or, the path that it took to get where it is today? A few years ago, I had the opportunity to teach an elective university course on just this very topic and had an absolutely spook-tacular time! In honor of Jenn’s Fright Fest, I am going to give you a quick peak into how the genre has evolved and how you can now find pieces of horror in your everyday lives.
We cannot begin the topic without addressing the birth of horror. Way back in 1896, a French film director by the name of Georges Melies created Le Manoir du diable, or what is often known in English as The Devil’s Manor or The Devil’s Castle. Melies’ work is a silent film that has a multitude of religious undertones, ending with the vanishing of Satan after the appearance of a crucifix.
In many of the earlier films, religious themes, particularly focused around the Devil, Satan, or Lucifer were common. However, decades later, you will find the “evil” moves to monsters, with such characters as Frankenstein, Wolfman, Godzilla, and King Kong.
By the time the genre hit the 1950’s and 1960’s, the monsters turned into monsters of the flesh. Think back to some of the most well-known classics of this genre . . . Psycho and House on Haunted Hill. Characters that are portrayed as kind, gentle, and “normal” end up being complete psychopaths! How can we ever forget the most famous scene of Hitchcock’s classic?!?
As we progress through time, we then hit the decade of slasher films, starring such monsters as Freddy Krueger, Jason, and the shark from Jaws; however, the difference this time around is more blood and gore incorporated into the films. The more blood, the more scare!
The most intriguing part of this time period is that the horror genre became more main-stream. Can you think of one of the best videos ever made? The one that just so happens to include the ever-popular theme of zombies?
Or, what about a cartoon with the target audience of children?
From generation to generation, the scare factor changes. Each decade, the viewers become more desensitized to the previous themes and in order to get the same reaction, the scare factor in a sense must move onward and upward. Those years ago when I taught this course, I asked my students where they thought the genre was going. Their response? They predicted that the films would become more interactive . . . that the audience would actually become a part of the experience. Not a bad prediction considering that many films are released now in 3D and the chairs themselves can move with the movie!
Where do you think the genre is evolving from here?
I’d like to thank Tif again for this post! Remember, if you review a horror/thriller book or movie, add your link to the weekly Mr. Linky and be eligible to win the weekly prize back!
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