“Fear is the most powerful emotion in the human race and fear of the
unknown is probably the most ancient. You are dealing with stuff
everybody has felt…If you are making a horror film, you get to play
with the audiences feelings.”
John Carpenter
Horror movies originate from fictional work that portrays the dark side of life with the primary aim of frightening and terrifying its audience. By presenting horrifying images, of several incorporating sub-genres and repeated themes, such as vampires and werewolves, demonic possessions, evil children, cannibals and zombies, alien invasion and mindcontrol, film makers like John Carpenter create a world where the worst nightmares become true. According to the adolescents who are providing the genre’s target group, monster movies always deal with the irresistible temptation of the unknown and forbidden, and therefore shock with a horrific impact of terrifying elements. (...)
Since horror and monster movies stand for an important part of the American film industry and with it of its popular culture throughout the last eight decades, it is useful to look at the development of the horror genre in its historical and cultural context, and thus to focus again on the question of interpretive perspective. As horror movies, despite all obscurity, still deal with real fears of a society or the urge to break with social conventions, concentrating on the change of themes, styles and characters of the genre, means to learn more about the American collective consciousness and what was bothering a whole society during the 20th century.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The History of the Horror Genre
2.1. Horror of the 1930s and 1940s:
2.2. Horror of the 1950s and 1960s:
2.3. Horror of the 1970s and 1980s:
2.4. Horror of the 1990s:
3. The Affection for Horror Movies
3.1. Monster Movies: A Sexual Theory (Essay by Walter Evans)
3.2. Why We Crave Horror Movies (Essay by Stephen King)
4. Conclusion – Horror as the Maligned Genre
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the evolution of the horror genre within American popular culture, exploring how monster movies reflect societal anxieties and how they function as both entertainment and psychological outlets for their audiences.
- Historical development of horror themes from the 1930s to the 1990s.
- Psychoanalytic interpretations of adolescent attraction to horror (Walter Evans).
- Social and psychological theories regarding the human need for horror (Stephen King).
- Public debates concerning the moral impact of on-screen violence and censorship.
- The role of the horror genre in shaping and mirroring American collective consciousness.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Horror movies originate from fictional work that portrays the dark side of life with the primary aim of frightening and terrifying its audience. By presenting horrifying images, of several incorporating sub-genres and repeated themes, such as vampires and werewolves, demonic possessions, evil children, cannibals and zombies, alien invasion and mind-control, film makers like John Carpenter create a world where the worst nightmares become true. According to the adolescents who are providing the genre’s target group, monster movies always deal with the irresistible temptation of the unknown and forbidden, and therefore shock with a horrific impact of terrifying elements.
Furthermore, horror movies often work in conjunction with other genres like science fiction and slasher movies which contain likely dark futuristic aspects and mindless violence. Thus, the horror genre offers a huge and versatile collection of themes, characters and symbols dealing with a variety of religious, scientific, political and even cultural matters which in a broader sense are related to concerns of real life.
However, what is at issue are the questions where the roots of the horror movies come from and how their genre has changed and developed since its advent to the movie theatres; in what way do monster movies serve as representatives of American society and its popular culture and how far can we go concerning the interpretation of the historical background by focusing on the impact of the horror genre on American culture? Moreover, what are the things that people are scared of and therefore why do so many people feel drawn to horror movies? According to boundless brutality that is usually presented in monster movies, do we have to fear any harmful influence on the viewers of these movies?
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the primary goals of the research, defining horror as a genre that mirrors societal fears while questioning its influence on the audience.
2. The History of the Horror Genre: This section provides a chronological overview of how horror cinema evolved from Gothic themes to modern psychological and socio-political manifestations throughout the 20th century.
3. The Affection for Horror Movies: This chapter contrasts two influential essays by Walter Evans and Stephen King to explain the psychological and developmental reasons why audiences find horror films appealing.
4. Conclusion – Horror as the Maligned Genre: The final chapter synthesizes the debate regarding the moral responsibility of the film industry, contrasting critical views with the assertion that horror remains a harmless form of entertainment.
Keywords
Horror Movies, American Popular Culture, Monster Movies, Adolescent Psychology, Gothic Literature, Slasher Films, Socio-political Horror, Censorship, Violence, Stephen King, Walter Evans, Collective Consciousness, Voyeurism, Psychological Release, Film History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the historical trajectory of the American horror genre and explores the psychological and cultural reasons why people are drawn to horror despite its dark and violent content.
What are the primary thematic areas covered in the text?
The core themes include the historical shifts in horror sub-genres, the psychoanalytic theories of Walter Evans and Stephen King, and the broader debate on cultural censorship and social responsibility.
What is the main research question or objective?
The paper aims to investigate how horror movies serve as representations of American popular culture and to determine whether these films exert a genuinely harmful influence on viewers or simply provide a form of psychic release.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are utilized?
The author uses historical analysis of film eras and qualitative analysis of specific literary essays to interpret the genre's connection to societal concerns and individual psychology.
What is addressed in the main body of the paper?
The main body is divided into a chronological history of horror movies from the 1930s to the 1990s, followed by an in-depth exploration of audience motivation through two distinct scholarly perspectives.
What are the characterizing keywords of the work?
Key terms include American popular culture, psychological relief, monster movies, adolescent development, and the debate surrounding the moral impact of cinematic violence.
How does Walter Evans explain the appeal of horror to adolescents?
Evans argues that the horror genre acts as an outlet for adolescents to process physical and psychological changes, mapping the "monstrous transformation" of characters onto the transition from childhood to maturity.
What is Stephen King's main argument regarding why we crave horror?
King posits that everyone possesses "anti-civilization" emotions and that watching horror films provides a "psychic relief," allowing viewers to face their dark urges in a controlled environment.
How does the author analyze the critiques of horror movies by figures like Bob Dole?
The author contrasts these moralizing critiques—which label horror as socially irresponsible—with the counter-arguments of filmmakers like Oliver Stone, who defend the genre as a reflection of culture rather than a cause of reality-based violence.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Rehberg (Author), 2004, Horror movies as a part of American Popculture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/70912
