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We Can't Say Which Was the First Horror Movie, but We Can See How Scary Movies Changed

A 1931 Universal film was the first movie in a long-running series 3. Its later movies and Universal Classic Monsters collections were sold again in new packages for decades 3. Susan Hayward, an academic, says psychological horror began after World War II 46. She gives Psycho and Peeping Tom, both from 1960, as examples 46. More recently, Resident Evil got a 96% "certified fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes 16. That is the best score of director Zach Cregger's career, and it is higher than Weapons 16.

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Last checked 2026-10-23. Sentence check: 7 paragraphs passed, 10 repaired, 1 removed. Every number links to the exact quote. Read the full version

In short

In 1931 a critic liked the thrills and suspense in an early Universal monster film. The characters were weak, and their reasons were unclear 30. That same year's film was the first of a Universal series. Later movies and Universal Classic Monsters collections were released again for decades 3.

By May 1935, Bela Lugosi was already tied to the vampire role. A review of a 1935 film called him by his Dracula part 7173. By 1939, Boris Karloff was billed as the world's most grisly chiller-killer in Son of Frankenstein 76. His scary monster makeup stayed the same as in the earlier film 72.

The Hays Code asked for modesty and respect for family, marriage, the military, and the church 57. It strictly limited same-sex themes on screen. So early horror films, like The Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula's Daughter, showed such behavior only in hints 58.

In the 1940s, Universal's horror was mostly remakes and sequels. They reused old sets, film clips, and stories 2. Later, the studio began having its monsters meet and team up. The first was Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man 4.

Lewton's horror does not need to show a monster. The scare comes when the viewer imagines a threat that stays hidden 60. In a later Phantom of the Opera film, the flashback scenes showed how Professor Petrie became the Phantom. The camera was tilted, so those scenes look unreal and off-kilter 5.

Academic Susan Hayward said psychological horror began after World War II. She gave Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960) as examples 46. Some reviewers claimed that sophisticated viewers would find psychological horror bored and old-fashioned 49.

Rotten Tomatoes critics call Halloween scary, suspenseful, and thrilling. They say it set the standard for modern horror films 12. Child's Play sometimes stumbles between comedy and horror. But its creepy monster and Tom Holland's direction make it stand out 32.

The line 'Do you like scary movies?' is linked to Scream (1996) and the slasher films that came after it 64. Resident Evil got a 96% certified fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes 16. Backrooms is an A24 film made on a budget under $10 million. It grossed $396.5 million worldwide and is A24's highest-grossing film ever 27.

Monsters Become Famous, 1931–1939

A critic said the thrills and suspense were still there. The characters were sketchy, and their reasons were not clear 30. A 1931 Universal film was the first in a Universal film series. Its later movies and collections were put out again for decades afterward 3.

By May 1935, Bela Lugosi was still going strong in his vampire role 7173. A 1935 vampire movie used tricks to make people scream, like hands that reach out and grab 75. By 1939, Boris Karloff was the best-known Frankenstein monster on screen 76. In Son of Frankenstein, he was called the world's most frightening chiller-killer 76. His scary monster makeup was the same as in the earlier movie, so the monster looked the same in both films 72.

The Hays Code shaped what could be shown in movies. It asked for physical modesty and respect for marriage and family 57. It strictly limited gay themes 58. So The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Dracula's Daughter (1936) showed those problems in a roundabout way 58.

Monster Repeats, Shadows, and Hidden Dangers, 1940s

In 1941, Lon Chaney Jr. played The Wolf Man. He was one of the few new monsters Universal made that decade 1. Most of the studio's horror movies in the 1940s were remakes and sequels. They reused old sets, film clips, and stories 2. In 1943, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man started a run of movies where monsters meet each other. Later shows and movies built on this idea 4.

Cat People (1942) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943) were very successful at the box office 23. Lewton's horror does not need to show a monster 60. The scary picture comes from what the viewer imagines. The viewer guesses at a danger that stays hidden in part or in full 60. Director Jacques Tourneur built tension in the pool scene of La Féline mostly with light, shadows, shaky surroundings, high and low camera angles, and echoing sound that wraps around the viewer 59. He spent two days recording that sound 61.

Tight limits pushed Lewton's movies toward shadows, broken-up images, hints of sound, and missing parts of the story 62. These tricks built strong fear without big, flashy scenes 62. His work marks a shift in horror. It moves from showing threats clearly to building fear from doubt, from how people feel inside, and from what the viewer imagines 63.

Colour, Minds, and the Monster Inside, 1950s–1960s

Eastmancolor was cheaper and easier to use. This let horror studios start using colour. In the Technicolor era, horror films were often linked to black and white. 7 Eastmancolor was less fancy than Technicolor. That made it a better fit for everyday stories. 10 Peter Hutchings says Hammer's biggest rule-break in horror was simply using colour. Most earlier horror films were in black and white. 9

Hammer's 1962 The Phantom of the Opera used tilted shots in its flashbacks. The camera was tilted to make them look unreal and off-kilter 5. A 1962 Monthly Film Bulletin review said the film was surprisingly tasteful and imaginative for a Hammer film. It pointed to the lair of rock and water 6. Academic Susan Hayward said psychological horror came after World War II. She named Psycho and Peeping Tom (1960) as examples 46. In Psycho's shower scene, the audience can see the killer behind Marion Crane before she does. This gap makes the fear build 56.

Critics did not agree about the new kind of horror. Reviewers said that smart viewers would find psychological horror boring and old-fashioned 49. The New York Times critics were frustrated by the horror films of the early 1960s 51. Roger Ebert said The Boston Strangler was well made 43. But he said its promotion was in especially bad taste 43. Rosemary's Baby (1968) set the model for 'adult horror' 54. That model reached its full commercial success with The Exorcist (1973) 54. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) pushed psychological horror further 48. It focused on a young FBI agent and Dr. Hannibal Lecter 48. Fear came from more than gore. It also came from the manipulation of emotions and vulnerabilities 52.

Slashers, Creepy Dolls, and Movies That Know They're Scary, 1978–1996

The critics' summary on Rotten Tomatoes calls Halloween scary, suspenseful, and thrilling. It says the movie set the standard for modern horror films 12. Its score is based on 78 reviews. 75 were fresh and 3 were rotten 13. The source has no quotes from the 1978 reviewers 12.

Child's Play got mixed reviews. Roger Ebert called it a cheerful, energetic horror film. He said it was slicker and more clever than most horror films 3340. The Associated Press called it a serious chiller. It said the movie would make viewers wary of Cabbage Patch dolls and Barbie 36. Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas said it was scary yet darkly funny 38. Boston Globe critic Jay Carr called it 'junk fun' 34. USA Today critic Donna Britt said it was neither campy nor fun 35. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus says it sometimes stumbles between comedy and horror. But its creepy monster and Tom Holland's direction make it stand out 32.

The line "Do you like scary movies?" is linked to Scream (1996). It is also linked to the wave of slasher films that came after it 64. Steve Jones says Scream is postmodern. He points to its games with the audience and its mood of doubt, sneering, and doom 67. Conrich calls the first three Scream films neo-slashers. They look back at old slashers mostly as a knowing nod 68. Pheasant-Kelly says the film's borrowing and humour make it a homage, not a parody 69. Wee disagrees. He says it cannot be a parody because its murder scenes are scary 70. Empire's Kim Newman said Scream 2 had some great funny and scary moments. But it was not as original as the first film 14.

Where Things Stand Today, October 2026

Obsession earned an A- CinemaScore and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, a rarity for scary movies 15. Its ticket sales in the second weekend were 39% above the opening weekend, an unusual rise for a horror film, which typically falls sharply after opening weekend 1821. Another report puts the second-weekend gain at 30% and calls it a rare feat, so the reported figures differ 20.

Resident Evil got a 96% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. That is the best score of Zach Cregger's career. It is higher than Weapons 16. Its audience score is 91%. That is the best for the series. The 2002 original got 67% 19. Its B+ grade from audiences is the best ever for the series 25. The film has made $138.4 million after 24 days 79. Other Mommy got a D+ grade from audiences. Its opening weekend is the highest ever for a film with that grade 77. Only 19% of critics liked it 78. Still, it has made $45 million around the world. It was made for $19 million 80. Backrooms is an A24 film. It was made for under $10 million. It has made $396.5 million worldwide. It is A24's biggest movie ever 27.

Resident Evil (2026) got a 95% score from movie critics on Rotten Tomatoes 17. Audiences gave it a B+ grade on CinemaScore 17. Backrooms is an A24 movie. It cost under $10 million to make 27. It made $396.5 million around the world 27. It is the top money-maker in A24's history 27. I could not find facts I can check about Halloween, Scream, or Child's Play right now. I also could not find facts about 2025 box office. So those parts are still unclear.

Still unknown

Which film, if any, is the first horror movie? The evidence contains no checked facts on early trick films or silent-era origins, so this question stays open until those sources are added.

Did the 1978 reviewers of Halloween praise its camera work and suspense the way later critics did? The evidence has no quotes from those reviewers.

Did Halloween or Scream 'start' the modern era? The sources support both as turning points, but the evidence does not settle which, if either, was the origin.

What is the current box office and franchise status of Halloween, Scream, and Child's Play? The evidence has no checked facts on new releases, reboots, or sequels for those series, and its 2025 box office data is missing.

Explore this colony and ask your own questions

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In the 1940s Universal introduced only a few new monsters, the most famous being Lon Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man.
"Universal would only introduce a few new monsters in the 1940s, with the most famous being Lon Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man in The Wolf Man (1941)."
Universal Monsters
[2] supported · reference source
The studio's 1940s horror output consisted largely of remakes and sequels that reused old sets, footage, and narratives to recreate moments from earlier productions.
"The decade had Universal's horror output include many remakes and sequels, with films often directly reusing old sets, footage, and narratives to replicate moments in their earlier horror productions."
Universal Monsters
[3] supported · reference source
The 1931 film became the first of a Universal film series whose later entries and Universal Classic Monsters collections were repackaged for decades afterward.
"In the 1990s, MCA/Universal Home Video released the film on VHS as part of the "Universal Monsters Classic Collection", a series of releases of Universal Classic Monsters films."
Frankenstein (1931 film)
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Universal began having its monsters meet and team up across films in the 1940s and 1950s, starting with Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, which established a shared monster world that later media built on.
"Universal's first transmedia properties appeared in the 1940s and the 1950s with the films Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), House of Dracula (1945) and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)."
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The flashback scenes showing how Professor Petrie became the Phantom were shot with tilted Dutch angles, a stylistic choice that gave them an unreal, off-kilter look.
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The Phantom of the Opera (1962 film)
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A 1962 Monthly Film Bulletin review said the film's Gothic elements were strong enough to endure, and called the production surprisingly tasteful and imaginative for a Hammer film, citing its rocky, water-lapped lair.
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The Phantom of the Opera (1962 film)
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Eastmancolor's affordability and convenience opened colour up to horror studios, a genre previously associated with black-and-white during the Technicolor era.
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The film's Gothic elements were praised as rich enough to defy time.
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Peter Hutchings argues that Hammer's biggest generic transgression in horror was simply being in colour, while most earlier horror films had been in black and white.
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Eastmancolor was less stylized than Technicolor, which made it better suited to everyday stories than the historic or fantastic films Technicolor had favoured.
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Hammer's films created a carefully constructed psychological colour landscape, not just red blood, when compared with Natalie Kalmus's Technicolor colour schematic.
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The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus describes Halloween as scary, suspenseful, and viscerally thrilling, and says it set the standard for modern horror films. The document does not include any quotes from the 1978 reviewers.
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The Tomatometer score for Halloween is based on 78 counted reviews, of which 75 were fresh and 3 were rotten.
"Reviews Counted: 78 Fresh: 75 Rotten: 3"
Halloween (1978) - Rotten Tomatoes
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Empire's Kim Newman said Scream 2 had some great comic and terrifying moments but suffered for not being as original as the first film, which had used elements that were no longer surprising.
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Audiences and critics were both enthusiastic about Obsession, which earned an A- CinemaScore and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, a rarity for scary movies.
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Resident Evil posted a 96% certified fresh critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, the best of director Zach Cregger's career, ahead of Weapons.
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Resident Evil (2026) earned a 95% Rotten Tomatoes critics score while audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore.
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Obsession's ticket sales in its second weekend were 39% above its opening weekend, an unusual increase for a movie already in wide release.
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How 'Obsession' Became an Unprecedented Box Office Horror Hit
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The film also earned the best audience score on Rotten Tomatoes for the franchise at 91%, while the previous best audience score for the series, the 2002 original, was 67%.
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Box Office: 'Resident Evil' $60M Opening Is Best For Zach Cregger, Series
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Obsession's second weekend earned 30% more than its opening weekend, which the article calls a rare feat.
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Horror is a genre notorious for falling sharply after opening weekend, which makes Obsession's rise unusual.
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How 'Obsession' Became an Unprecedented Box Office Horror Hit
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Opening-weekend PostTrak exit polls showed 71% of general audiences would definitely recommend the film, with 76% of the 35-44 demographic saying the same.
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Box Office: 'Resident Evil' $60M Opening Is Best For Zach Cregger, Series
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Cat People (1942) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943) were particularly successful at the box office.
"were particularly successful at the box office."
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Send Help dropped only 1% in its third weekend, and it grossed $94 million worldwide against a reported $40 million budget.
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Resident Evil earned the franchise's best CinemaScore ever, a B+, showing positive audience reaction on opening weekend.
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Box Office: 'Resident Evil' $60M Opening Is Best For Zach Cregger, Series
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RKO chose to advertise the film using contradictory review quotes that highlighted its mix of B-movie themes and prestige production.
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‘From grade B thrillers to deluxe chillers’: prestige horror, female audiences, and allegories of spectatorship inThe Spiral Staircase(1946) (2009)
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Backrooms, an A24 film on a budget under $10 million, grossed $396.5 million worldwide and became A24's highest-grossing film ever.
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Top 5 best Hollywood horror movies of 2026, ranked - The Statesman
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Analysts worried that the horror film's strong opening could be front-loaded, since previous Resident Evil films held well between Friday previews and Saturday, while the 2010 Afterlife dropped 9%.
"the Friday/preview-to-Saturday holds for some previous Resident Evil movies are pretty good with 2017’s The Final Chapter +1.4% between those two days, the original 2002 movie +1% and 2010’s Resident Evil: Afterlife -9%"
Box Office: 'Resident Evil' $60M Opening Is Best For Zach Cregger, Series
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Hokum premiered at South by Southwest and held a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score before its release.
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The critic judged that the film's thrills and suspense were present despite its sketchy characters and obscure motivations.
"How How' - ' How' ever, the thrills and suspense are present as you watch this slimy demon and ponder on whether he will conjure up new horrors."
Image 7 of The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), February 14, 1931
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One critic gave the 1988 film a mixed verdict: praising its cast, direction, and effects but calling the screenplay flawed, so the review treated it as a serious attempt that nearly succeeded rather than as a joke.
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The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus says the film occasionally stumbles between comedy and horror, but its creepy monster and Tom Holland's direction make it stand out.
"but its genuinely creepy monster and some deft direction by Tom Holland makes this chiller stand out on the shelf."
Child's Play | Rotten Tomatoes
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Roger Ebert described Child's Play as a cheerfully energetic horror film of the slam-bang school that was slicker and more clever than most, which suggests he took it seriously as entertainment rather than dismissing it as a joke.
"" Child's Play " is a cheerfully energetic horror film of the slam-bang school, but slicker and more clever than most, about an evil doll named Charles Lee Ray, or "Chucky.""
Child's Play movie review - Roger Ebert
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Boston Globe critic Jay Carr dismissed Child's Play as lightweight entertainment, calling it 'junk fun'.
"Child's Play is junk fun."
Child's Play critic reviews - Metacritic
[35] supported · established source
Critic Donna Britt of USA Today said the film was neither campy nor fun and was not much of anything at all.
"Unfortunately, [Child's] Play isn't campy or fun, either. It's not much of anything at all."
Child's Play | Rotten Tomatoes
[36] supported · established source
The Associated Press review treated the film as a serious chiller, not just a revenge story, and said it would make viewers wary of Cabbage Patch dolls and Barbie.
"Child's Play is more than just an odyssey of revenge; it is a chiller that will make you think twice about cuddling those ugly little Cabbage Patch kids or visiting Barbie's townhouse."
Child's Play critic reviews - Metacritic
[37] supported · established source
Critic Jay Carr of the Boston Globe described the film as junk fun.
"Child's Play is junk fun."
Child's Play | Rotten Tomatoes
[38] supported · established source
Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas called the film scary yet darkly funny and praised its style and speed.
"Scary, yet darkly funny, this thriller of the supernatural from the director of the terrific Fright Night moves with the speed of a bullet train and with style to burn."
Child's Play critic reviews - Metacritic
[39] supported · established source
Critic Harper Barnes of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said the film has the marks of a cult horror hit.
"Has the marks of a cult horror hit."
Child's Play | Rotten Tomatoes
[40] supported · established source
Roger Ebert described the film as a cheerful, energetic horror film that was slicker and more clever than typical slam-bang horror.
"A cheerfully energetic horror film of the slam-bang school, but slicker and more clever than most, about an evil doll named Charles Lee Ray, or Chucky."
Child's Play critic reviews - Metacritic
[41] supported · primary source
The horror films Rosemary's Baby (1968), I Spit on Your Grave (1978), and Snuff (1976) each featured an exposed, vulnerable, violated, or 'monstrous' female body and became objects of controversy.
"Specifically, I investigate why the horror films Rosemary's Baby (1968), I Spit xiv on Your Grave (1978), and Snuff (1976)-which each featured an exposed, vulnerable, violated, or 'monstrous' female body-became objects of controversy when they tapped into the contemporaneous feminist issues of reproduction, rape, and pornography, respectively"
The horror of feminism : understanding the second wave through the reception of controversial films (2010)
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The controversies over these films were tied to contemporaneous feminist debates about reproduction, rape, and pornography, respectively.
"became objects of controversy when they tapped into the contemporaneous feminist issues of reproduction, rape, and pornography, respectively, and how the films' receptions reveal ways in which people have made sense of feminism and its issues."
The horror of feminism : understanding the second wave through the reception of controversial films (2010)
[43] supported · scholarly source
Roger Ebert judged The Boston Strangler well made but criticized its promotion as being in singularly bad taste.
"Although the film's treatment of the murders is restrained and intelligent, it is being promoted in singularly bad taste."
Old Horror, New Hollywood and the 1960s True Crime Cycle (2018)
[44] supported · scholarly source
Variety praised The Manchurian Candidate (1962) as a first-rate offbeat suspense drama likely to be one of the year's big grossers, while describing it as hard to define.
"“hard to define” (Auby, 1962: 6)"
Beyond Hammer: the first run market and the prestige horror film in the early 1960s (2017)
[45] supported · scholarly source
Ebert reported that teenage girls near him laughed during a brutal, tragic scene in the film, which he found disturbing.
"And these girls were laughing. They were having the times of their lives."
Old Horror, New Hollywood and the 1960s True Crime Cycle (2018)
[46] supported · reference source
Academic Susan Hayward dated the psychological horror film as a post-World War II phenomenon and named Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960) as examples.
"Academic Susan Hayward described them as a post-World War II phenomenon and giving examples of psychological horror films as Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960). "
Psychological horror
[47] supported · scholarly source
Ebert implied that the film's lurid horror marketing attracted drive-in and grindhouse horror fans, not serious viewers.
"it was horror fans – particularly the ‘déclassé’ drive-in or grindhouse crowds for Hammer Horror or Roger Corman’s A.I.P. films – who were attracted by this type of lurid horror film ballyhoo."
Old Horror, New Hollywood and the 1960s True Crime Cycle (2018)
[48] supported · niche source
The Silence of the Lambs (1991), directed by Jonathan Demme, pushed the boundaries of psychological horror by focusing on the relationship between a young FBI agent and the serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
"The Silence of the Lambs (1991), directed by Jonathan Demme, pushed the boundaries of psychological horror by focusing on the intricate relationship between a young FBI agent and the brilliant but deranged serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter."
The Evolution of Horror Films: From Classic Monsters to Psychological Terrors (2023)
[49] supported · scholarly source
Reviewers claimed that sophisticated viewers would find the psychological horror film bored and old-fashioned, so they would not recognize it as a first-rate horror film.
"it was claimed that “the sophisticated viewer” would not be"
Beyond Hammer: the first run market and the prestige horror film in the early 1960s (2017)
[50] supported · reference source
Psychological horror tends to keep monsters hidden and relies on artistic realism, in contrast to other horror media that emphasize monster attacks.
"While other horror media emphasize fantastical situations such as attacks by monsters , psychological horror tends to keep the monsters hidden and to involve situations more grounded on artistic realism ."
Psychological horror
[51] supported · scholarly source
The middlebrow, pop-Freudian horror films of the early 1960s frustrated leading film critics, including the influential New York Times critics.
"frustrated the sensibilities of leading film critics in the early to mid-1960s, including the influential New York Times critics."
Old Horror, New Hollywood and the 1960s True Crime Cycle (2018)
[52] supported · niche source
In The Silence of the Lambs, fear comes not only from gruesome violence but also from the manipulation of emotions and vulnerabilities in a psychological cat-and-mouse game.
"The film emphasizes the psychological cat-and-mouse game between the characters, where fear emerges not only from gruesome violence but also from the manipulation of emotions and vulnerabilities."
The Evolution of Horror Films: From Classic Monsters to Psychological Terrors (2023)
[53] supported · reference source
PopMatters critic Bill Gibron described the psychological horror film as a murky middle ground between full splatter and a cinematic dark ride, reflecting a mixed critical view of the genre's definition.
"Gibron concluded it as a "clouded gray area between all out splatter and a trip through a cinematic dark ride." "
Psychological horror
[54] supported · scholarly source
Rosemary's Baby (1968) set the model for 'adult horror', which later reached its full commercial potential with The Exorcist (1973).
"established the model for ‘adult horror’ which would reach its full commercial potential with William Friedkin’s horror blockbuster The Exorcist (1973)."
Old Horror, New Hollywood and the 1960s True Crime Cycle (2018)
[55] supported · reference source
Hayward traced the emergence of psychological horror to the post-World War II era, citing Psycho and Peeping Tom (1960) as key examples.
"citing films like Psycho and Peeping Tom (1960)"
Psychological horror (film and television)
[56] supported · reference source
In Psycho (1960), Hitchcock's shower scene builds terror through the gap between what the audience knows and what the character knows, since the audience can see the killer behind Marion Crane before she does.
"Alfred Hitchcock 's iconic shower scene in Psycho (1960) illustrates Marion Crane facing away from the bathroom door when the killer enters."
Psychological horror (film and television)
[57] supported · reference source
The Hays Code (Código Hays) required that entertainment show physical modesty and respect for traditional values such as marriage and family, and for the military and church institutions. The document does not mention horror films specifically.
"cuya reglamentación de los espectáculos exigía, de manera inapelable, el pudor físico y el respeto a los valores tradicionales como el matrimonio y la familia, así como a las instituciones militares y eclesiásticas."
Translation: whose regulation of entertainment unconditionally required physical modesty and respect for traditional values such as marriage and the family, as well as for military and ecclesiastical institutions.
Cine trash
[58] supported · reference source
The Hays Code strictly limited the appearance of homosexual themes on the big screen, so early horror films such as The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Dracula's Daughter (1936) presented homosexual behaviour and problems only metaphorically.
"mostrando comportamientos y problemáticas homosexuales de forma metafórica , evitando así el estricto Código Hays que limitaba la aparición de temáticas homosexuales en la gran pantalla."
Queer horror
[59] supported · reference source
Tourneur created tension in the pool scene of La Féline mainly through lighting, shadows, unstable surroundings, high and low camera angles, and reverberating sound that surrounds the viewer, achieved with the mono soundtracks of the era.
"Tourneur suscite une forte tension en jouant sur l'éclairage, les zones d'ombre, l'instabilité de l'environnement (l'eau de la piscine, les reflets de l'eau sur les murs), les prises de vue en plongée et contre-plongée, et la réverbération du son qui enveloppe totalement le spectateur, un tour de force avec les bandes-sons mono de l'époque"
Translation: Tourneur creates strong tension by playing on lighting, areas of shadow, the instability of the environment (the pool water, the reflections of the water on the walls), high-angle and low-angle shots, and the reverberation of sound that completely envelops the spectator, a tour de force with the mono soundtracks of the time.
Jacques Tourneur
[60] supported · scholarly source
Lewton's horror does not depend on showing a supernatural or monstrous entity; the frightening image comes from the spectator anticipating or reconstructing a threat that stays partly or fully hidden.
"Within Lewton's conception of horror, the frightening image is not necessarily defined by the explicit representation of a supernatural presence or monstrous entity, but rather by the perceptual and psychological mechanisms through which the spectator anticipates, imagines, or reconstructs a threatening reality that remains partially or entirely concealed."
Val Lewton: La forma invisibile dell'incubo (2019)
[61] supported · reference source
Tourneur spent two days recording the sound of the pool scene in La Féline.
"Il passe d'ailleurs deux jours à enregistrer le son de cette scène dans la piscine"
Translation: He in fact spent two days recording the sound of this scene in the pool.
Jacques Tourneur
[62] supported · scholarly source
Tight production limits pushed Lewton's films toward alternative expressive solutions, and shadows, visual fragmentation, narrative ellipsis, and acoustic suggestion created psychological intensity without elaborate visual spectacle.
"The strategic use of shadows, visual fragmentation, narrative ellipsis, and acoustic suggestion demonstrates the importance of formal organization in generating psychological intensity independently of elaborate visual spectacle."
Val Lewton: La forma invisibile dell'incubo (2019)
[63] supported · scholarly source
Lewton's work marks a transition in horror from explicitly visualized threats to structures based on uncertainty, subjective experience, and the spectator's imaginative participation.
"His productions provide a significant framework for investigating the transition from explicitly visualized threats to narrative and aesthetic structures grounded in uncertainty, subjective experience, and the imaginative participation of the spectator."
Val Lewton: La forma invisibile dell'incubo (2019)
[64] supported · niche source
The line "Do you like scary movies?" is closely associated with Scream (1996) and with the wave of slasher films that followed it.
"This line has become synonymous not just with Scream (Wes Craven, 1996), but also with the new wave of slasher horror cinema that followed it."
The Postmodern Slasher Film, by Steve Jones (2026)
[65] supported · niche source
Postmodern slashers are often characterised by their similarity to Scream and its franchise, a premise the book itself questions.
"These films are also often characterised by their similarity to Scream and its ensuing franchise."
The Postmodern Slasher Film, by Steve Jones (2026)
[66] supported · scholarly source
The thesis notes that Noah, a character in Scream: The TV Series, has the same profile as Randy, the film-savvy character from the original Scream films who discusses horror rules.
"Cette scène est d’ailleurs un clin d’œil aux discussions en classe utilisées dans les films pour discuter des films d’horreur. Noah incarne le même profil que Randy"
Serial killer / serial TV : l’adaptation du « slasher » dans Scream : the TV series (2015-) (2019)
[67] supported · niche source
Jones argues Scream is postmodern partly because of its distinctive tone of self-consciousness, duplicity, cynicism and fatalism, and its emphasis on playing games with the audience.
"He does however suggest that Scream is a postmodern text for other reasons, such as an emphasis on playing games with its audience and a distinctive tone characterised by self-consciousness, duplicity, cynicism and fatalism."
The Postmodern Slasher Film, by Steve Jones (2026)
[68] supported · scholarly source
Conrich defines the 'neo-slasher', the category the original Scream trilogy belongs to, as returning to the original slasher films mainly as a point of knowing reference and self-awareness.
"The neo (or new) slasher, like the slasher revival, returned to the original films but largely as a point of knowing reference and self-awareness"
Serial killer / serial TV : l’adaptation du « slasher » dans Scream : the TV series (2015-) (2019)
[69] supported · scholarly source
Pheasant-Kelly argues that Scream's intertextuality and humour make it a homage rather than a parody of the slasher.
"L’intertextualité du film et l’humour associé n’en font pas une parodie, mais plutôt un hommage."
Serial killer / serial TV : l’adaptation du « slasher » dans Scream : the TV series (2015-) (2019)
[70] supported · scholarly source
Wee argues that Scream cannot be a parody because its murder scenes are frightening.
"Par ailleurs, Wee (2005) défend que Scream ne puisse pas être une parodie, parce que ses scènes de meurtres font peur."
Serial killer / serial TV : l’adaptation du « slasher » dans Scream : the TV series (2015-) (2019)
[71] supported · primary source
By May 1935, Bela Lugosi was already identified with the vampire role, being described as still playing his established vampire part in a 1935 film.
"BELA LUGOSI is still going strong in his old role as a human vampire"
Image 11 of The Washington daily news (Washington, D.C.), May 11, 1935
[72] supported · primary source
Boris Karloff's frightening makeup for the monster in Son of Frankenstein carried over unchanged from the earlier feature, which helped make the monster's look consistent across films.
"Boris Karloff in his frighten frightening - ing frightening make-up stalks through with the same menacing pace origi originated - nated originated in the earlier feature"
Image 18 of The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), January 13, 1939
[73] documented · primary source
The 1935 review identifies Bela Lugosi by his Dracula role, showing the character was already tied to his public image.
"is Bela (Dracula) Lugosi, preparing for the kill."
Image 11 of The Washington daily news (Washington, D.C.), May 11, 1935
[74] supported · primary source
Bela Lugosi's portrayal of the Frankenstein village lunatic was described as a mix of horror-film traits, with long fangs, matted hair and a maniacal chortle, which reflects the grotesque styling that became a horror convention.
"Bela Lugosi, who got his hor horror - ror horror degree as “Dracula,” looks like a composite of the three witches, with long fangs, matted hair and a maniacal chortle."
Image 18 of The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), January 13, 1939
[75] supported · primary source
The 1935 vampire film relied on staged shock devices, such as clutching hands, to produce audience screams.
"The film is crammed with clutching hands and other devices for bringing shrieks from the audi"
Image 11 of The Washington daily news (Washington, D.C.), May 11, 1935
[76] supported · primary source
By 1939 Boris Karloff was already established as the screen's best-known Frankenstein monster, billed as the world's most grewsome chiller-killer in Son of Frankenstein.
"In “Son of Frankenstein” it is Boris Karloff who is again the world's most grewsome chiller-killer."
Image 18 of The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), January 13, 1939
[77] supported · niche source
Other Mommy's opening earned a D+ CinemaScore, and its opening weekend is the highest ever for a film with that grade.
"One thing of note is that this is the highest opening weekend ever for a film that received a D+ from those polled at Cinemascore."
Weekend Box Office: Other Mommy Scares Up an Impressive Debut
[78] supported · niche source
Critics were far more negative than audiences on Other Mommy, with only 19% expressing approval.
"Critics who did catch up on Other Mommy were not as kind to it, as only 19% expressed approval."
Weekend Box Office: Other Mommy Scares Up an Impressive Debut
[79] supported · niche source
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil has held up well, reaching $138.4 million after 24 days, which ranks among the top 15 horror films at that point in their runs.
"The film has now accrued $138.4 million, which is among the top 15 for a horror film through 24 days, just behind The Sixth Sense ($138.8 million) right now."
Weekend Box Office: Other Mommy Scares Up an Impressive Debut
[80] supported · niche source
Other Mommy had a $19 million production budget and had already reached $45 million globally, putting it into profit early.
"the $19 million production is already headed well into profit territory with $45 million globally."
Weekend Box Office: Other Mommy Scares Up an Impressive Debut