The first horror films were released in 1890 pioneered by Georges Melies, at around the beginning of the birth of film. Combining surreal and dark elements to portray anxieties of the time/fears.Yet perhaps the most popular film, that brought the horror film genre to the attention of more people were Nosferatu in 1922.
In the 1930's movies changed a lot due to the advent of sound and so film makers had another effect to work with that added another dimension to the film. Now music could be used to build suspense and the monsters could growl and howl and the antagonist scream. A famous example of a film from this time was 1931 Frankenstein and Dracula produced by universal.
In 1950's-1960's there were again large advances in technology allowing for a shift in the fears portrayed. Now including threats/attacks from the "outside" aliens invasions and mutations such as Godzilla (1954).Yet this was also influenced by new threats of nuclear war. At this point Britain started to emerge as a producer of horror films such as peeping tom by Michael Powell.
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| Nosferatu |
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| Dracula |
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| Frankenstein |
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| Godzilla |
I particularly like your focus on the way horror films exploit the most pervasive fears of the audience at the time. Hopefully you will do the same with your own film.
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