Night Of The Living Dead: A Brief History Of Horror Film

Horror films have become a staple in the entertainment business of today, designed to frighten and thrill people. The first horror films that were produced are nothing compared to the films being shown today. As the film industry has grown, the movies and films it produces seem to have grown with it, as technological advancements such as sound, color and special effects have been incorporated into the production of these films. To add to the terrifying experiences of horror, many monsters and paranormal beings have been added to the original works of producers to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

The idea of frightening people through films began before the 19th century with gothic literature and gothic horror ("A Brief History of Horror").

Research explains the Zombie cycle of films, "with roots going back to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead in 1968 the modern Zombie Apocalypse Cycle began when a new life was breathed into the undead genre in 2002" ("A Brief History of Horror"). These “Hollywood undead” ideas have delivered greatly to audiences and are still being used in the 21st century. As stated by research, "then came what many consider the greatest entry in the Occult cycle 1973’s: The Exorcist directed by William Friedkin, followed in 1976 with Richard Donnor’s The Omen and Stuart Rosenberg’s Amityville Horror in 1979" ("A Brief History of Horror"). These films revolve around supernatural beings and possession, The Exorcist being named the scariest movie of all time, and the first horror film to be nominated for an Academy Award. Teenage and found adult aspects were brought into horror films in Carrie, a Brian De Palma film, which turned Stephen King's first novel into a film ("A Brief History of Horror"). This teenage theme of horror has been carried out for decades and remains as one of the most popular in the industry, many teenagers and young adults getting a thrill from seeing actors their own age in terrifying experiences. Many of these originally cycles have been repeatedly used since they first debuted on screen, up until now, in the 21st