Top Ten Key Events of the Development of the Horror Genre

Art

Jan 30, 1700

Artists began to focus on the darker side of human nature, painting more macabre images, including demons, devils and evil creatures.

Ghost Stories

Jan 30, 1800

After Frankenstein became famous, this inspired authours such as Wilkie Coltins and O'Henry to write and publish many ghost stories.

Frankenstein

Jan 30, 1815

These dark images led to the famous gothic horror 'Frankenstein' to be written by Mary Shelley.

Dracula

Jan 30, 1897

Soon after these ghost stories were published, Bram Stoker wrote and published the infamous gothic vampire story, Dracula.

Nosferatu

Jan 30, 1922

The gothic vampire story Dracula was so famous that it soon was used as source material for the film 'Nosferatu', a famous German gothic horror. This film changed the face of the cinema, and more people began creating horror films.

The Horror Genre Fades

Jan 30, 1930

Film versions of 'Dracula, and 'Frankenstein' were being made continously throughout the 1930s, but because there was so many repetitions of the same stories, the horror genre's popularity soon dropped.

Horror Comes Back

Jan 30, 1950

The horror genre was finally revived in the 1950s, with a new idea; sci-fi. This became popular and many films were made such as the infamous 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers', and new pyscological horror movie 'Psycho', in the 1960.

Horror Makes a Comeback Yet Again

Jan 30, 1970

The horror genre ended up fading from the spotlight again, but was soon revived in the 1970s with a new move; demonic, satantic twists. Films such as 'The Exorcist' and 'The Omen, were made, introducing this new theme of the Horror genre.

Halloween

Jan 30, 1978

In 1978, John Carpenter introduced a new movie named 'Halloween', which was a re-writing of Hitchcock's slasher tale. This new film was aimed more for the teenage demographic; new subgenre was created, 'Teen Slasher Horror'.

Scream

Jan 30, 1990

Horror revived once again with a more concious, post-modern approach to the genre. Famous film 'Scream', was created using existing horror conventions, and also following slasher film conventions.

Body Horror

Jan 30, 2015

The film 'Scream' soon led to a new take on the horror genre, this time including much more body horror; gore, blood, guts. Movies soon were introduced such as 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', 'Scary Movie', and the popular series 'Saw', which took a gruesome turn.