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Section 17 · Screen

Horror & cult

Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers, often exploring dark subject matter such as monsters, apocalyptic events, and religious or folk beliefs. It has existed since the early 20th century, drawing on folklore, superstitions, and Gothic literature, and it became a codified genre only after the release of Dracula in 1931. If you are drawn to suspense, surprise, and shock, and to a genre whose fans and critics openly disagree about what counts as "true" horror, it may be for you. Source

Picture: John Seb Barber from Leeds, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The essentials

Checked against Horror film. Source

Horror film

genre seeking physical or psychological fear

Dracula (1931)

genre became codified after its release

Japan, Korea, Thailand

cinemas where horror is particularly prominent

The Film Experience: An Introduction (2021)

defines horror as originating in Gothic literature

The Dictionary of Film Studies (2012)

defines horror via dark subject matter and fear responses

Robin Wood

declared normality is threatened by the monster

Noël Carroll

noted repulsion must be pleasurable

Jump scare

abrupt image change with loud sound

Music in the Horror Film (2010)

Lerner on music making viewers feel threatened

Horror of personality, horror of Armageddon, horror of the demonic

three themes conceived by Charles Derry

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

revived the zombie subgenre, cast Duane Jones as lead