Horror Movies: Horror Films Part 5

Origins of the Horror Films Part 5 - Early days of Horror Cinema

I want to emphasize the importance of horror fiction as a source of inspiration for the development of Horror Cinema (Horror Films). At the first part, I highlight the importance of religious texts and mythology, the second part is about the Age of Enlightenment, the third part is about the influence of Industrial Revolution in horror fiction and publications, the forth part is about the period between 1880 - 1890. Finally, the fifth and last part of Horror Cinema Origins is about the influence of horror fiction in early horror movies.

The period of 1900s

The filmmakers of the 1910 - 1920 - 1930 use the best sellers of their time to ensure a guaranteed audience.

It’s rare but it can be found only in horror literature, authors known for their works in different themes such as Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Shelley Stevenson, H.G. Wells (The Island of Doctor Moreau - 1896) Gaston Leroux (The Phantom of the Opera - 1911) and Gustav Meyrink (The Golem - 1915)

Horror Fiction in Germany (1910 - 1930)

The German writer Hanns Heinz Ewers (personal friend of the occultist - Aleister Crowley) published the short stories Der Zauberlehrling (The Sorcerer Apprentice - 1907), The Spider (1915) and Vampyr (1921) .

Horror Fiction in England (1910 - 1930)

M.R. James, re-invented the scary ghost story by writting the novel “Ghost Stories of an Antiquary” (1904) and the More Ghost Stories (1911).

Horror Fiction in United States (1910 - 1930)

H.P. Lovecraft is the most famous American writer of these particular period. The inspiration for his works are personal nightmares and the interpretation of symbolic υποσυνείδητο. His life was sort but his books inspired a large number of writers - among them Ramsey Campbell, Clive Barker and Steven King.

Lovecraft works are responsible also for the transformation of horror gender. His unique point of view to present the inside of a psychopath mind is the source of inspiration for the creation of novels such as Psycho (1959).

Elias Stoikos

Related articles

Bibliography

1. The rough guide to Horror Movies (Alan Jones)

2. 101 Horror Movies you must see before you die (Steven Jay Schneider)

3. Fangoria's 101 Best Horror Movies you have never seen : A celebration of the world's most unheralded fright flicks (Adam Lukerman)

4. Horror Movie Freak (Don Summer)

5. Monsters in the movies (John Landis)