In the 1970s horror makes its way back into the cultural spotlight. Horror movies dealing with contemporary social issues and addressing genuine psychological fears were big hits during the decade. Consequently, big name directors lined up to produce horror properties.

Why was horror so popular in the 70s?

The 70s saw a lot of cultural change and in the social psyche change often invokes fear and uncertainty. It's this fear and uncertainty that inspired some really great horror films from that era. Not only that but it was the starting point for some of the most iconic horror directors.

Why did horror become popular?

One of the reasons why horror movies continue to be popular is because they reflect our deepest fears as a society. Whether it's the fear of the unknown, the fear of death, or the fear of the supernatural, horror movies tap into our primal instincts and allow us to confront these fears in a safe environment.

When did horror gain popularity?

The Golden Age of Horror

Widely considered to be the finest era of the genre, the two decades between the 1920s and 30s saw many classics being produced and can be neatly divided down the middle to create a separation between the silent classics and the talkies.

When were horror movies popularized?

From origins in silent films and German Expressionism, horror only became a codified genre after the release of Dracula (1931). Many sub-genres emerged in subsequent decades, including body horror, comedy horror, slasher films, supernatural horror and psychological horror.

The Most Influential HORROR Movies of The 70s - Part 1

What was the best era for horror movies?

When was the golden age of horror?

Blood, gore, and killer clowns — the 80s offers it all. From B-films to critically acclaimed hits, the decade shines as the Golden Age of horror. Universal made history throughout the 1930s and 1940s, bringing to life some of the greatest monsters of all time.

Who made horror popular?

Influential horror writers of the early 20th century made inroads in these mediums. Particularly, the venerated horror author H. P. Lovecraft, and his enduring Cthulhu Mythos transformed and popularized the genre of cosmic horror, and M. R. James is credited with redefining the ghost story in that era.

Why are most horror movies set in the 80s?

Ultimately, the 1980s is a popular setting for contemporary horror movies for various reasons that include the ability to challenge stale tropes, reinvent sub-genres, create nostalgia driven fondness, and use historical events to better amplify a story's horror elements with real-life roots.

Why is horror popular in America?

One reason we consume horror is to experience stimulation. Exposure to terrifying acts, or even the anticipation of those acts, can stimulate us — both mentally and physically — in opposing ways: negatively (in the form of fear or anxiety) or positively (in the form of excitement or joy).

What movie started the horror movie craze?

Halloween, more than any other film, was responsible for kickstarting slasher films. Halloween wasn't the first film to use slasher tropes, with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Black Christmas predating it. However, its blend of creeping tension and sudden, brutal violence provided a winning formula.

Why do most people like horror movies?

But there may be more to it than that! According to science findings, people may seek out horror movies for all sorts of reasons, such as triggering chemicals in their brains, to help them plan for worst case scenarios, or to practice coping strategies and control.

Why do guys like watching horror movies with girls?

It's the idea of mastering something threatening, he says. Cantor says that “Men often like [scary films] as date movies because women are more likely to seek physical closeness when they're scared, and men can show off their strength and bravery.” This is aptly called “the cuddle effect.”

Why are old horror movies not scary anymore?

Desire for Legitimacy. The most salient reason that horror likely transitioned to be less scary is due to the politics of the film industry, and the desire to become more respected within the community.

Why are 70s movies so good?

The combination of auteur filmmaking, the New Hollywood movement, social and political relevance, genre innovation, and talented actors and filmmakers make the cinema of the 1970s a distinctive and influential period in film history and a reason why it is heralded and remembered by film enthusiasts and critics alike.

What is the new 70s style horror movie?

'X' (2022)

A recent release, Ti West's X is a throwback to the slasher films of the 1970s, especially inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The cast and crew of a pornographic film travel to a remote house in Texas to shoot their latest production but soon fall victim to their sinister hosts.

What old horror movie was banned?

11 The Exorcist (1973)

The film was banned upon release in different cities in the United States as well as the United Kingdom and remains one of the scariest horror movies of all time and an influential classic.

When did horror movies become popular in the US?

1930s-1970s

Despite foreign success in the 1920s, it was not until Universal Pictures set out to establish its own world and style of horror in Hollywood that American audiences were introduced to the genre.

Why was horror so big in the 80s?

1980s horror movies benefited immensely from the introduction of home video. The VCR made movie watching a private activity for the first time in the medium's history, conducted in the home rather than in a regulated public theatre. What people wanted, of course, was pornography, lots of it.

What is the oldest scary movie?

The First Horror Movie Ever Made— "The House of the Devil" 1896— Georges Méliès— Le Manoir du Diable - YouTube.

What is the oldest horror story?

In Western literature the literary cultivation of fear and curiosity for its own sake began to emerge in the 18th-century pre-Romantic era with the Gothic novel. The genre was invented by Horace Walpole, whose The Castle of Otranto (1765) may be said to have founded the horror story as a legitimate literary form.

Who was the first slasher killer?

There's no consensus on when slasher movies actually began, since the development of the subgenre is a continuum of sorts, but Tobe Hooper's 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is the first movie to introduce a long-running slasher character (chainsaw-wielding hillbilly killer Leatherface).

What 70s kids show turned into a horror movie?

Serving as a horror reimagining of Hanna-Barbera's 1968 children's television series The Banana Splits, the film stars Dani Kind, Steve Lund, Celina Martin, Finlay Wotjak-Hissong, Sara Canning, Romeo Carere, and Maria Nash, with Eric Bauza as the voice of the Banana Splits.

Why the 80s was the best decade for horror movies?

The 1980s neglected the '60s and '70s preference for building tension. They chose to expose everything instead. The days when much of the horror happened out of shot were over. Now, audiences screamed at buckets of gore, over-eccentric villains and cheesy yet disturbing events.

Why was horror popular in the 50s?

The world was still reeling from the effects and aftermath of World War II, and the Cold War was well underway. As a result, the horror and thriller films of the decade reflected the mood of the times and introduced plots with atomic beings and monster movies filled with all sorts of plot twists.