Horror Films

Horror Films. They have existed since the beginning of cinema. From the Gothic horror films of early cinema to the Splatter films of today, these motion pictures have been etched in the psyche of the general populous. Of course, not everyone has viewed these films as artistic endeavors. In the 1950’s, Monster films were viewed as cheesy and appealing to the lowest common denominator of society. With the exception of a few films like Halloween (1978), The Slasher Film Subgenre that peaked in the 1980’s was viewed poorly by movie critics Siskel & Ebert. I became fascinated with these films as an adolescent. While I will admit that even the most highly praised horror films are not on the same level of films like Gone with the Wind or the Wizard of Oz, they are not movies that should be disregarded. The late Alfred Hitchcock is more synonymous with the genre of Suspense. However, his classics Psycho and the Birds are intertwined into the horror genre. The impact of these films influenced works in the 1970’s like Black Christmas and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With the release of John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978, the Slasher Film craze shot off like a rocket. Aside from their numerous sequels, the original Halloween, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street are regarded as classics by fans the world over. The former films proved that horror could be taken out of fantasy and into the real world. Of course, there’s various types of horror films. While Gothic and Monster films are a thing of the past, their influence on modern horror is still seen today as without Dracula and Frankenstein the concept of the supernatural villain may never have originated. The Exorcist and to a lesser degree A Nightmare on Elm Street proved that horror could be supernatural. The majority of Stephen King’s Novels have been adapted into films. Some have captured the essence of his written works whereas others have not. For example, compare Carrie (1976) to Thinner (1996). Splatter films, which I’m not personally a fan of, showcase extreme forms of violence and gore. Various foreign film companies have variated the horror genre into their own special kind of films. So what is it that people like about these films? There are various arguments as to what draws people to horror. Some people find horror films as a catharsis while others just like ghost stories which is something that dates back many years in time. I personally feel that there’s something about us as human beings that finds being scared intriguing. When we grow up and we learn about horrible things, we don’t want to see these horrible things but at the same time we don’t want to look away out of curiosity. I personally don’t like to necessarily see the horrible things in action or as a result. However, I am more intrigued by a scary atmosphere in which negative things are implied, rather than shown up front. The real world and life itself is scary as it is. If one can release their fears through the fantasy of film, perhaps their real life may not be as frightful.