A literature genre known as 'Gothic Horror' is developed in the late 1700s. This was where the first horror movies borrowed their ideas from. For example an old castle on a dark and stormy night – gloomy forests, dungeons and secret passage ways.
Georges Méliès created the first ever horror film (Manor of the devil) in 1896.Which included all the Gothic horror elements such as bats, castles, trolls, ghosts, and a demon.
Thomas Edison conducted experiments with the horror genre and made the first 16 minute short Frankenstein film. It is based around the idea of an obsessed scientist assembling a living being(known as Frankenstein) from parts of exhumed corpses.
Following the German Expressionism idea this movie by Karl Freund, follows the exaggeration style which was used in horror movies.It also, continues the tradition.
German expressionism occurred after world war one and refers to the emphasis expressions rather than realism. Therefore its an exaggeration of a situation and does not depict reality. This allowed the German cottage film industry to become creative and grow quickly.
Universal Pictures (recognizable company world wide) kicked off the the Universal Gothic cycle, They were responsible for the achievements of adding sound/ screams into horror films. With their first major hit being Dracula, directed by Tod Browning.
James Whale continued the cycle with Frankenstein with Boris Karloff.
Was the first low budget film (only costing $141,000) to be created directed by Jacuqes Tourneur and photographed by film noir veteran Nicholas Musuraca in 1942.
The universal gothic horror style goes into decline and they are forced to bring characters together (protagonist and antagonist) including movies such as House of Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula (1945).
After world war 2 many feared the idea of invasion, which lead to Pulp Science Fiction movies to be created. For example The Thing From Another World, The Day The Earth Stood Still both and Forbidden Planet and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
In macabre, Castle promised every customer a $1,000 life insurance policy should they die of fright.
In 1960s, a film called pyscho is released by Alfred Hitchcock. Instead of movies being unrealistic and exaggerated they became something that we could relate to and seemed realistic.
By 1974 Hammer studio had released 7 Frankenstein movies, 6 Draculas, 9 other vampire outings, 2 Jekyll & Hydes, and 3 Mummy films.
Films about the Satan and the Supernatural became the next big thing and were a the new popular subjects including Rosemary's Baby in 1968. To follow was the Exorcist directed by William Friedkin in 1973.
The first teen horror movie is released called 'Carrie' which follows a 17-year old girl who is controlled by her religious mother, before she unleashes her powers.
In 1978 Halloween was released by John Carpenter and quickly became one the most successful independent horror film ever made.
Had a heavy use of splatter effects and stop motion gore.
The horror genre had eventually ran out of ideas and found themselves making parody's and teen horror films such as Scream and i know what you did last summer.
Is the latest film which includes splatters. It is the most successful horror film franchise of all time.
Based around the idea of the undead. For example 28 Days later, World War Z, The walking dead and the zombie cycle.
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