Summary
- Horror movies confront social fears and deliver powerful jump scares, sparking widespread interest and attracting devoted fans each year.
- Pioneering films like Nosferatu and The Exorcist have shaped horror cinema by setting new benchmarks and sparking controversy.
- The horror genre experienced a resurgence in 1990s and 2000s, with iconic movies like Scream, The Sixth Sense, and The Ring captivating audiences.
Every year, around the world, hundreds of horror movies are produced. While most go unnoticed by the larger cinema-going public, a select few enjoy full theatrical releases. Horror movies have been an integral part of cinema since its beginning. They dare audiences to watch scenes of deranged killers, terrifying monsters, and unnatural beings; horror is confrontational cinema.
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While a few great horror movies are released each season, some years stand out more than others. Sometimes, a single film is released that shakes up the industry. Other years produce multiple classics. Horror is one of the most effective movie genres around, from delving into important issues to confronting social fears or giving audiences a powerful jump scare. Horror is pure cinema and continues to attract legions of fans every year.
8 1922
Setting The Standard For Years To Come
- Notable Movies: Nosferatu
1922 saw the release of a powerful German Expressionist movie that would set the standard for every horror movie that came after. Directed by F. W. Murnau, Nosferatu may not have been the first horror film, but it was the most influential in the early days of cinema.
In this unofficial reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the iconic vampire Count Orlock, played by Max Schreck, terrorizes a small town, bringing a mysterious plague to the population. Like many German Expressionist pieces, Nosferatu was a reaction to the First World War. Many of the actors and crew served on the front lines and experienced horrors difficult to describe. This darkness seeps into every frame of the film, making Nosferatu a timeless classic that continues to impact modern cinema today.
7 1973
Controversy Comes To Cinema
- Notable Movies: The Exorcist, The Wicker Man, Don’t Look Now
1973 would be a standout year for horror movies. Don’t Look Now, starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie, tackled themes of grief and guilt. The film depicts two parents mourning the loss of their daughter after a tragic accident. The film would garner controversy, though not due to its subject matter. The explicit sex scene shown in the film caused a stir in the industry and with censors.
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Meanwhile, in a career-best performance, Edward Woodward’s Sergeant Howie searches for a missing girl in The Wicker Man. This leads to one of the most shocking endings in film history. However, the movie that caused the biggest outrage in 1973 was The Exorcist. This bonafide horror classic would see widespread protest over its depiction of a young girl possessed by a demon. The film featured several controversial scenes — most notably the notorious crucifix scene — that would lead to a national conversation on censorship and taste.
6 1990
Horror Goes Mainstream
- Notable Movies: Misery, Arachnophobia, It, Night of the Living Dead, The Witches, Ghost, Jacob’s Ladder
While horror movies have always been a major part of the Hollywood machine, 1990 saw a string of successful mainstream films embrace the horror genre. Kathy Bates terrified audiences with her portrayal of an obsessed fan in Misery, while Tim Curry traumatized a generation as the killer clown in It.
Meanwhile, Patrick Swayze starred in the box-office smash Ghost. This classic romance movie featured scenes of tormented spirits dragging the damned to hell in classic horror fashion. The Witches gave us an all-time classic performance from Anjelica Huston as The Grand High Witch, while Arachnophobia reminded everyone why they should be scared of spiders.
5 1996
Horror Returns Stronger Than Ever
- Notable Movies: Scream, From Dusk Til Dawn, The Craft, The Frighteners, Thinner
The start of the 1990s saw a decline in horror movie popularity. 1996 would change this with the release of the box office hit, Scream. This self-aware movie was a love letter to slasher movies of the 80s and revitalized the waning genre. It kickstarted a trend of popular teen horror movies, such as I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and The Faculty.
In 1996, indie cinema was on the rise, with Quentin Tarantino at the top of Hollywood’s A-list. Written by and starring Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn blended the gritty crime thrillers of the era with low-budget horror gore in a fun, over-the-top vampire film that oozes as much cool as it does blood.
4 1999
Horror Takes Over Hollywood
- Notable Movies: Sixth Sense, Blair Witch Project, End of Days, Stigmata, Audition
The end of the decade saw the beginning of the found footage trend with the overnight success of The Blair Witch Project. This ultra-low-budget blockbuster follows a group of friends who become lost in the woods while investigating the local legend of the Blair Witch.
Meanwhile, the impending turn of the millennium brought several judgment-day-style films to cinemas. Most notable were the big-budget Hollywood horror Stigmata, and End of Days starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, the year's biggest breakout was almost certainly The Sixth Sense, which announced the arrival of film director M. Night Shyamalan and child actor Haley Joel Osment.
3 2002
J-Horror Reins Supreme
- Notable Movies: Dark Water, Ju-on The Grudge, The Ring, 28 Days Later, Dog Soldiers, Bubba Ho-Tep
2002 was a major year in horror movie history. Japanese horror was at the forefront with the Hollywood remake of The Ring. Meanwhile, J-Horror classics Dark Water and The Grudge chilled horror fans around the world. These brilliant Asian horror movies were a welcome change for Western audiences. Steeped in Japanese folklore, they depict frightening spirits that are genuinely unnerving.
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Meanwhile, Danny Boyle breathed new life into the long-dead zombie genre with his original take, 28 Days Later. The film follows Cillian Murphy after waking from a coma to find the population has been infected with a devastating rage virus. 28 Days Later further cemented Boyle as one of Britain’s greatest modern directors.
2 2013
The Beginnings Of Major Horror Franchises
- Notable Movies: The Conjuring, The Purge, Insidious: Chapter 2, Evil Dead, Only Lovers Left Alive, Under The Skin
2013 saw horror movies dominate the box office. The Conjuring introduced new horror icons Annabelle and The Nun to the movie-going public. Based on true stories, The Conjuring series firmly made its mark on horror history. Meanwhile, production company Blumhouse was taking over the horror genre with the release of The Purge and Insidious: Chapter 2.
This standout year also saw the release of the incredible remake of Evil Dead, which introduced the world to a new master of horror, Fede Alvarez. Meanwhile, in the indie scene, Jim Jarmusch released Only Lovers Left Alive, a stylish gothic vampire story that oozes cool from every frame. Scarlett Johansson also wowed audiences with her revealing portrayal of a predatory alien in Jonathan Glazer’s experimental Under The Skin.
1 2018
Horror Remains On Top
- Notable Movies: Hereditary, A Quiet Place, Annihilation, Suspiria, Halloween, Possum
2018 continued horror’s domination of the box office with some standout releases. Ari Aster announced himself to the world with Hereditary, an unflinching horror masterclass that became an instant classic. A Quiet Place made a loud splash with its tense, nail-biting scenes, where Emily Blunt attempts to protect her children from monsters who hunt by sound.
Meanwhile, the arthouse movie Possum proved that experimental horror was still alive. Alex Garland returned with his surreal cosmic horror nightmare, Annihilation. This stunning movie saw Natalie Portman lead an investigation into a strange region known as The Shimmer, where something unnatural is mutating the plants and animals. This standout year also saw the return of a major franchise with Halloween, where Jamie Lee Curtis reprised her iconic role as Laurie Strode.
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