There is a recognisable pattern throughout horror films that have continued throughout the centuries- terrifying audiences. 'The Manor of the Devil' was considered to be the first horror film created by Georges Melies in 1896 and influenced the silent films that followed in the teens and twenties of the twentieth-centuray. The first were developed by Thomas Edison - 'Frankenstein' in 1910 and Gieeseppe de Liguoro - Dante's Inferno in 1911.
But real horror only developed after the conclusion of WW1, based on the distruction in Germany. The great grandfather of the horror genre was the film 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari', directed by Robert Wiene in 1920. Instead of using natural light to produce shadow, it was painted onto the set in very curved and dramatic waves which gave a very unforgettable look (see fig 1). This became a very popular form of cinema and did very well for the German film makers post war-time. Another example is 'Nosferatu' in 1922 (see fig 2).
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| Figure 1 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari |
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| Figure 2 - Nosferatu |
'The Sixth Sense' produced in 1999 is the second highest grossing horror movie producing $293.5 million. It was nominated for six oscars including best director and best picture.
The first is 'Jaws' in 1975 directed by Stephen Spielberg and bursed $842,758,600. Spielberg won three oscars (best film editing, best music and best sound).
- I don't plan on painting my scenery but I will be painting my own props.
- I love how creepy Nosferatu is, especially as it is such an iconic film in the genre.
- Clearly, much of the 'horror' in horror films is created by sound and lighting which is something I will plan for carefully in my own product.
(1) The Horror Genre, Paul Wells
(2) Vimeo - The History of Horror
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