Practiced on

Year round but especially during the Halloween Season 

Country of Origin 

United States - 1930s

Key Points / Halloween Connection

-  Horror movie interests surge during halloween and are now an integral part of the holiday

Rink Fact: Halloween is one of the most successful and profitable independent movies of all time

Brief Bio

Horror movies evolved from late 19th-century trick films and Gothic literature into a codified genre by the 1930s with early Universal monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein. The genre developed through silent cinema, the influential German Expressionism movement, and later saw diverse sub-genres emerge, including sci-fi horror in the 1950s, the iconic slasher films of the 1970s and 80s, and supernatural thrillers in the 2000s. Key themes often reflected societal anxieties, such as the paranoia of the Cold War and the fear of technology. 

Early Roots & The Silent Era (Late 1800s – 1920s)

Literary & Folklore Origins: Early horror films drew from centuries-old folklore and Gothic literature, including works by Mary Shelley (Frankenstein), Bram Stoker (Dracula), and Edgar Allan Poe. 

Trick Films & Georges Méliès: The first "horror" movies were actually short "trick films" that used special effects like stop tricks to create illusions, with Georges Méliès's The House of the Devil (1896) considered the first. 

German Expressionism: The German Expressionist movement, including films like Nosferatu (1922) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), significantly influenced the visual style and mood of horror. 

The Golden Age of Monsters (1930s-1950s)

Codifying the Genre: The genre became more formally established with the release of films like Dracula (1931), which showcased monsters as central figures. 

Universal Studios Monsters: Universal Studios released a string of successful monster films, including The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), and The Wolf Man (1941). 

Social Reflection: These monster movies often tapped into anxieties of the time; for example, Frankenstein's monster reflected the social and economic frustrations of the Great Depression. 

Post-War & Modern Era (1950s-Present)

Sci-Fi Horror: The post-war era saw a rise in science fiction-inspired horror, with films like Gojira (Godzilla) (1954) exploring themes of nuclear paranoia and human vs. science. 

Slasher & Supernatural Horror: The 1970s and 80s introduced iconic slasher villains, while the genre continued to evolve into psychological horror and supernatural thrillers. 

The 1990s saw horror films address new fears, such as the Y2K bug, while movies such as The Blair Witch Project ignited the found footage genre and the use of social media to market films. Early 2000s, saw the rise of Asian cinema with movies such as The Ring (2002) making it stateside to commericial and critical success.

The mid 2000s watched as the zombie craze became a worldwide phenomena which also brought a fascination with dystopian futures. 

Currently there is a renaissance for movies from the 70s and 80s. Independent horror continues to thrive due to many film fans dissatisfaction with modern horror movies as audiences feel there is a lack of quality and originality with too much focus placed on political themes on top of wave after wave of reboots and "re-imaginings".