In the spirit of Halloween, I decided to post 31 Days of Classic Horror Cinema on my Instagram account; each day showcasing a different horror movie from days gone by. I started with 1920s cinema and have completed up to the late 1950s. I've seen each film posted to my Instagram and only those that I enjoyed. What constituted as scary during that time would be considered corny today. Some have held up over time or could possibly be reclassified under a different genre (sci-fi, suspense, psychological thrillers, etc.) But as I looked back on each post, I started to notice the underlying themes that reflected their respective generations and their fears.
1920s
What I noticed was that the antagonist tended to be either a disturbed or deeply misunderstood person. Emotionally, he never fit in with the general public, or he was simply unaccepted because of a physical abnormality. The 1920s was generally a time of exuberance, opulence, and indulgence. But it was also an era of illicit behavior due to the prohibitive laws of that time. What was there to fear except the inner demons let lose when under the influence of often potent if not deadly libations.
1930s
We've now reached the Depression Era when most everyone was struggling and skeptical of their fellow man. Is it any surprise, then, that many of the antagonists were mindless drones seeking what other individuals had? Even King Kong was considered a metaphor of the rural south invading the industrialized big city and wreaking havoc. Men feared each other due to the harm they could cause each other.
1940s
World War II brought the U.S. out of the brink of total despair that followed the economic downturn of the 1930s. The war unified the nation against the threat of the Axis powers. The monster had a face, and it was Hitler. Though the 40s had its fair share of monster movies, many films focused more on psychological fear; quite possibly because there was a real threat overseas. In fact most films of this era were considered dark, suspenseful, and psychologically thrilling (Film Noir) with a tinge of apathy.
1950s
Ah the Fifties. The Atomic Era. The Red Scare. McCarthyism. Blacklisting. The U.S. was under threat of communism (or so its government would have Americans believe). Is it really a surprise, then, that most films focused on supposed consequences of atomic warfare or people being led to an impending doom? Several films depicted grossly oversized bugs (as a result of radiation exposure) terrorizing people. The alien invasion as a metaphor of the invasion of all things un-American. There was always something to run away from before finally standing up to and victoriously attacking the threat.
My Personal Favorites
This final week before Halloween will have posts consisting of my favorite horror films that I will never tire watching. Some have already been posted in the previous decades listed (Dr. Caligari, King Kong, Cat People), but others are as recent as 1987. When it comes to horror film, I'm less about gore and more about the suspense and thrill.
Alfred Hitchcock has always been one of my favorite directors (the other is Tim Burton). When it comes to suspense and thrills, his films are on the must-see list. Evil Dead is ridiculously gory, but hey, it's Bruce Campbell! Poltergeist still creeps me out today and The Lost Boys has a special place in my heart; who doesn't love 1980s Santa Cruz? But when it comes to my all time favorite, it's American Werewolf in London. I don't care what people say about it looking fakey today. I still say that it is by far the best werewolf transformation in history.
So if you're not sure what to include on your Halloween Horror Fest, choose a few of the films above for a public viewing and appreciate the history of horror and it's projection of American fears.
Ah the Fifties. The Atomic Era. The Red Scare. McCarthyism. Blacklisting. The U.S. was under threat of communism (or so its government would have Americans believe). Is it really a surprise, then, that most films focused on supposed consequences of atomic warfare or people being led to an impending doom? Several films depicted grossly oversized bugs (as a result of radiation exposure) terrorizing people. The alien invasion as a metaphor of the invasion of all things un-American. There was always something to run away from before finally standing up to and victoriously attacking the threat.
My Personal Favorites
This final week before Halloween will have posts consisting of my favorite horror films that I will never tire watching. Some have already been posted in the previous decades listed (Dr. Caligari, King Kong, Cat People), but others are as recent as 1987. When it comes to horror film, I'm less about gore and more about the suspense and thrill.
Alfred Hitchcock has always been one of my favorite directors (the other is Tim Burton). When it comes to suspense and thrills, his films are on the must-see list. Evil Dead is ridiculously gory, but hey, it's Bruce Campbell! Poltergeist still creeps me out today and The Lost Boys has a special place in my heart; who doesn't love 1980s Santa Cruz? But when it comes to my all time favorite, it's American Werewolf in London. I don't care what people say about it looking fakey today. I still say that it is by far the best werewolf transformation in history.
So if you're not sure what to include on your Halloween Horror Fest, choose a few of the films above for a public viewing and appreciate the history of horror and it's projection of American fears.