Decoding the Spine-Tingling World of Horror Films

Horror films are a deliberate cinematic genre aimed at provoking negative emotions in the audience, such as fear, shock, discomfort, anxiety, revulsion, nausea, and dread. They often tap into human fears of death, the unknowable, and the uncanny, as well as our innate anxieties about the abnormal, the grotesque, and the insane.

Horror films share common or overlapping elements with other genres like fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, mysteries, and the mysterious. However, it's important to note that "terror" and "horror" are not the same - terror generally refers to the anxious anticipation before something frightening occurs, while horror is the extreme discomfort felt when witnessing something terrifying. As German novelist Ann Radcliffe once put it, terror is an emotional ascent, whereas horror is more like a sequence of atrocities. Another renowned author, Stephen King, has mentioned that terror is his preferred method of instilling fear, and if it fails, he resorts to horror.

A Brief History of Horror Films

In his book "The Horror Genre," scholar Paul Wells asserts that the history of horror films is essentially a history of anxiety in the 20th century. Georges Méliès's "The Haunted Castle" (1897) is often considered the earliest horror film, followed by adaptations of Gothic literary works like "Frankenstein" (1910) and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1912), both of which were early experiments inspired by religious symbolism.

In the 1920s, German expressionist films such as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) and "Nosferatu" (1922) used external light and shadow to depict inner negative emotions. Hollywood studios began producing horror films in the 1920s, including "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925), and the term "horror movie" gained popularity in the early 1930s with the release of "Dracula" (1931) and "Frankenstein" (1931).

The 1930s marked the golden age of Hollywood horror films, with classics like "King Kong" (1933) and "Freaks" (1932). However, during World War II, horror films saw a lack of innovation, with many rehashing past ideas and archetypes. The British Board of Film Censors even prohibited the production, distribution, and screening of horror films during the war.

In the post-war 1950s, the world was filled with anxiety about the Cold War, nuclear energy, and identity, leading to a new subgenre of science fiction horror. These films introduced new types of monsters like zombies, werewolves, mummies, and giant insects, representing distrust and confusion about technological progress. Japan's "Godzila" (1954) serves as an example.

During this period, the UK produced color adaptations of "Frankenstein" (1957) and "Dracula" (1958). European horror films were influenced by the Grand Guignol tradition of the Théâtre du Grand-Guignol in Paris, introducing more blood and sexual elements. Italian Giallo films and Spanish horror films adopted these influences which directly affected the splatter films of the 1960s.

In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" marked a turning point in horror films by merging mythical monsters with the real world. Monsters were transformed into mentally disturbed human killers. The film reintroduced explicit violence and dismemberment to horror, influencing slasher films like "Blood Feast" (1963) and "Night of the Living Dead" (1968), which is considered the starting point of post-modern horror cinema. Director Roman Polanski also gained commercial success in the 1960s with his paranoid horror films. This era saw the emergence of Indian horror films that integrated song and dance sequences to create a unique atmosphere of terror.

From the 1970s onwards, dedicated horror directors began to emerge, along with a proliferation of horror film reviews, including many feminist critiques of the genre's tendency to victimize women. Classic films from this era include "The Exorcist" (1973), "Jaws" (1975), "Carrie" (1976), and "Halloween" (1978), as well as numerous low-budget independent films. European horror films with more blood and sexual content emerged, along with the arrival of splatter films in the 1960s. Directors like David Cronenberg produced multiple body horror films in the 1970s, and Ridley Scott's "Alien" in 1979 incorporated elements of science fiction and biological horror.

The 1980s saw horror films move into post-modern territory, with many American horror films subverting classic formulas and imagery, incorporating societal issues such as the AIDS crisis and civil rights movements. Iconic films from this period include "The Shining" (1980) and "Friday the 13th" (1980). Horror comedies also became popular, and Germany began producing underground horror films.

In the 1990s, "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) won the Academy Award for Best Picture, ushering in a new era of horror films with more realistic special effects, big-budget productions, and renowned directors. However, independent low-budget films like "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) also achieved tremendous success by blending fiction and real scares. Post-2000, Asia's horror film industries thrived, particularly in Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Japan's films, like "Ring" (1998) and "Ju-on: The Grudge" (2002), focused on ghostly hauntings and atmospheric horror. Thailand, rooted in religious traditions, produced films like "Shutter" (2004). South Korea's horror films, known for their ghostly themes, often feature female protagonists. After 2000, horror films from around the world showcased diverse and inventive storytelling.

Common Horror Elements

1. Monsters and Creatures: This is the most common theme in horror films, featuring demons, evil children, witches, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, zombies, mummies, mad scientists, giant predators, and insects. The fear here stems from humanity's inherent dread of the unknown, supernatural entities that defy understanding and the unreality of what can't be grasped. It also plays on the idea of the clash between good and evil.

2. Natural Disasters, Human-made Disasters, and Epidemics: This subgenre is a variation of the first one. It exploits people's fear of the unseen, the uncontrollable, and the unpredictable, but on a larger scale. The impact is not limited to just one person or a small group but affects a broader range of people, making it harder to address and resist.

3. Serial Killers, Cannibals, and Hidden Killers: After the era of "Psycho," this theme gained momentum. It involves psychologically abnormal individuals and often uses suspense, mystery, and psychological thrillers to create tension and fear. Violence, torture, and gruesome deaths are commonly used, causing discomfort among viewers. This subgenre sometimes overlaps with holiday-themed horror.

4. Doppelgängers: These films typically involve split personalities, twins, or look-alikes. The protagonist sees an alternative version of themselves but can't control their actions. The harm inflicted on the doppelganger seems to affect the protagonist.

5. Body Horror: Starting with "Freaks" in 1932 and continuing with "Alien" in the 1970s, this subgenre involves the transformation of the human body (similar but drastically different). It features disturbing and grotesque body elements that are often seen in a horrific light, much like the concept of "the living dead.”

Psychological Mechanisms and Techniques of Horror

Horror films, like dreams, metaphorically reflect and distort reality, creating a juxtaposition of the familiar and the unusual. Audiences project their anxieties and fears onto the film, often fearing for the characters' safety as if the harm inflicted upon them were their own. The separation between the audience and the screen provides a sense of safety and an avenue for enjoying the thrills and emotional release.

In horror films, monsters and their intrusions often symbolize the destruction of systems, the crumbling of safe spaces, and the opposition between the "other" and "us." Horror films represent the point of convergence between good and evil.

Throughout the history of horror, various techniques have been used. In the early days, lighting and visuals were the primary tools to induce fear. As film technology evolved, horror films began using atmosphere, lighting, color schemes, sound effects, makeup, special effects, and scene composition to frighten the audience. Some of the most iconic settings include dilapidated old houses with dim lighting. Filmmakers create tension by having characters enter a scene and then introducing a jump scare. Other techniques include using long and medium shots to give the audience a glimpse of something unusual in the frame, building suspense, and using the audience's imagination to create fear. Horror films also use subjective camera angles, using sound and atmosphere to suggest ominous off-screen spaces, only to reveal disturbing images when the characters turn around. Monsters often corner the protagonists in cramped or closed spaces, creating a feeling of helplessness.

In horror films, various images and symbols hint at taboos, such as violence, demonic forces, and Julia Kristeva's notion of abjection. These elements trigger a visceral sense of fear.

Most viewers are quite familiar with the basic formulas of horror films: a monster terrorizes humans, the protagonist tries to solve the problem but encounters obstacles, and eventually, they usually manage to overcome the monster. However, in the post-modern era, narratives became looser, and filmmakers fine-tune the parameters of the established formulas, challenging viewers' preconceived notions and even parodying classic figures. Diverse settings and styles emerge, creating a vast and vibrant landscape for horror films worldwide.