4 History of the genre

BY Deepak Dosanjh

Definition

• HORROR

1) Intense feeling of fear and shock2) Intense dismay3) A thing causing fear

Oxford English Dictionary

European films (1890-1930)

• 1890 – Films were made with very low budget and therefore the films weren't that good.

• 1922 – Vampire films were being produced in Germany, this was new and vampires hadnt been seen before

• 1929 – The wall street crash happened. This stopped the production of all films around the whole world.

1930s Early Hollywood films

• 1930 – Universal studios created a sub genre which was gothic horror, which consisted of films such as Frankestein and Dracula.

• 1930 – Warner brothers began making wax work and Gangster films.

• Lots of films that were being made contained a serious element.

• 1931 – An irritation filter was used on the film for a the very first time.

1940s – 1950s

• 1940 – lots of sequels to horror films were created.

• Early 1950 – Horror cinema production was stopped in Hollywood after two decades

• 1950 – Alien films began being made.• 1951 – Dracula was staged on the Broadway.

1950s

• Mid 1950s – When horror films came to Britain they were know as hammer horror.

• 1957 – The first horror colour film was created which was called ‘The curse of Frankenstien.

• 1957 – Jack Dunure directed the film ‘Night of the demon’ which was one of first supernatural and psychological thriller.

• 1958- The film Dracula was modernised where vampires had fangs.

1960s

• 1960s - Hammer film became more and more popular throughout the whole on Britain at this time.

• 1960s - Hollywood began to create psychological horrors.

• 1960s – Alfed Hitchcock directed the film ‘Pshcho’ is which he created lots of tension and suspense without any blood and gore.

1980s – 2000+

• 1980s – Films such as ‘Scream’ and ‘Nightmare on elm street’

• 1990s – Japanese started to remake American films.• 2000 – American cinema saw old film remade.• Cinemas now are making millions from creating

films such as ‘Paranormal Activity', 'Mama’ and ‘Sinster’. These modern horrors are more scary compared to the old ones because of the technologies we have today.