In the 1930s, iconic monsters such as Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein, followed by the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man, and others, launched a horror renaissance when they were reintroduced to moviegoing audiences, offering a shared escape from real-world anxieties of the post-war world and the Great Depression.
Following World War II, Americans' anxieties evolve into fears around unchecked science, nuclear annihilation, and Communism, aka "the Red scare"; horror filmmakers respond with legendary films like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Blob."
The 1960s and 70s were defined by profound changes in cultural norms. Horror films of the era reflected the real and intangible change a younger generation demanded. A new generation of auteur horror filmmakers pushed the envelope with films like Halloween, Carrie, Rosemary's Baby, and The Exorcist.
In the 1980s, 24-hour cable news was dominated the threat of new modern terrors. Moviegoers embraced iconic slashers like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees; vampire films saw a resurgence.
The emergence of cellphones and new technology in the 2000s exposed Americans to new and perpetual terrors. Horror filmmakers adapted, and seminal films like The Blair Witch Project opened new doors. Blumhouse reinvented the genre with new nightmares.
Robert Englund
Narrator
