Progression of Horror
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- Date Submitted: 01/08/2013 09:56 AM
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Progression of horror
Has modern horror gone overkill with special effects and gore, this essay will discuss how the horror genre has evolved over time. Many contemporary horror movies involve heavy use of gore and disturbing imagery but was this the natural evolution of the genre or have improvements in technology forced this change?.
Horror films are designed to scare and disgust viewers with evil characters, plots and events that can range from realistic to completely supernatural. Firstly let’s look at the history of horror media. The take-off of the genre can be attributed to the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley in the early summer of 1817. Her creation of a monster attracted the interest of many people due to its original scary, almost believable concept. This spurred the release of many other monster and beast related novels with perhaps the most famous being the werewolf.
The next major point in the history of horror was 1897 with Bram Stoker and his creation of ‘Count Dracula’ the first vampire. Dracula is perhaps the best known of all fictional characters. The appeal of this character could be attributed to the idea of a handsome wealthy man with a terrifying dark side. The language used in Bram Stokers novel made the reader feel as though they were witnessing the tale first hand due to the diary style in which it was written. The slow build up made the scary moments more intense for the reader.
The development of the movie industry in the early 20th century brought the next stage of horror media: the first horror movie Nosferatu directed by F.W Murnau this film took the idea of the vampire to the big screen. For the first time horror was visually available for the mass public. Because this was a silent movie, eerie music and shock sound effects created a sense of gradual, creeping unease. Heavy use of shadows in dimly lit rooms and shots of scenery at dusk ensure the viewer feels the suspense of the moment and presence of apprehension...
Has modern horror gone overkill with special effects and gore, this essay will discuss how the horror genre has evolved over time. Many contemporary horror movies involve heavy use of gore and disturbing imagery but was this the natural evolution of the genre or have improvements in technology forced this change?.
Horror films are designed to scare and disgust viewers with evil characters, plots and events that can range from realistic to completely supernatural. Firstly let’s look at the history of horror media. The take-off of the genre can be attributed to the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley in the early summer of 1817. Her creation of a monster attracted the interest of many people due to its original scary, almost believable concept. This spurred the release of many other monster and beast related novels with perhaps the most famous being the werewolf.
The next major point in the history of horror was 1897 with Bram Stoker and his creation of ‘Count Dracula’ the first vampire. Dracula is perhaps the best known of all fictional characters. The appeal of this character could be attributed to the idea of a handsome wealthy man with a terrifying dark side. The language used in Bram Stokers novel made the reader feel as though they were witnessing the tale first hand due to the diary style in which it was written. The slow build up made the scary moments more intense for the reader.
The development of the movie industry in the early 20th century brought the next stage of horror media: the first horror movie Nosferatu directed by F.W Murnau this film took the idea of the vampire to the big screen. For the first time horror was visually available for the mass public. Because this was a silent movie, eerie music and shock sound effects created a sense of gradual, creeping unease. Heavy use of shadows in dimly lit rooms and shots of scenery at dusk ensure the viewer feels the suspense of the moment and presence of apprehension...