August 11, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Horror films are definitely not made for the faint-hearted. Though some of the monsters that make up the integral part of the story are not physically horrible looking, more often than not it is the symbolic representation of that monster that scares the audience. In the period between late 1800s and the early 1900s, horror films were mostly based on classic literature of the gothic/horror genre such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. However, with the passing of time the definition of a horror film has changed. What was once considered as horror may now be categorised as thrillers, reserving the term ‘horror’ for movies that display more gore, jump scenes and scares or supernatural content.
Bela Lugosi was best known for playing Count Dracula in the Broadway production of Dracula
Many may remember the classic monsters like Frankenstein or Nosferatu, also known as Dracula, which undoubtedly became the source of many people’s nightmares in the early days. Back then, horror films relied more on employing scare tactics using monsters of all types to give its viewers the thrill that they seek in a horror movie. Many of these monsters became the iconic Universal monsters that we have come to know today. Since the 2000s, a recurring trend is the choice of using psychology to scare movie-goers, instead of real monsters. Shows like The Others, starring Nicole Kidman and Insidious, starring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne have proven that one does not need scary monsters to provide the chills to the audience.
Boris Karloff was best remembered for his portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster
Though the current horror movies have evolved to become much more than just slasher and gore films, it is those very films that still remain a huge favourite among fans of horror movie. Films like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Halloween are so influential that many movies have parodied scenes from them over the years. There are even Halloween costumes designed after horror figures like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. If aliens, zombies and creepy dolls are your favourite thing, then make sure you head on to Sunway Lagoon’s Scream Park to catch their upcoming addition, the Horrorwood Studios. Would you like to know more about Horrorwood Studios? Then keep your eyes posted for more information here on Malaysia.com.
Tags: Exhibition, Friday the 13th, Horror Films, Horrorwood Studios, Jason Voorhees, Kane Hodder, Sunway Lagoon
