Good morning. It's Saturday, Oct. 25, and we're bringing you the latest Society & Culture newsletter. Every week, we provide fascinating deep dives into the worlds of art, music, literature, film, food, sports, entertainment, and more.
This week, we're covering horror, the spine-tingling genre that perfectly complements the Halloween season. We uncover its Gothic roots and explore how it became a box office sensation.
By the way, did you know I love getting emails? It's true! And sending one is as simple as hitting "reply." What did you think of this week's topic? What do you want to see covered in the future? What else is on your mind?
—Kevin Kearney, 1440 Society & Culture Section Editor |
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Background
Horror is an artistic genre that aims to scare its audiences. It exists across various media, including literature, film, music, interactive experiences, and video games.
While the genre was once considered a fringe form of entertainment, it has permeated the mainstream, with Oscar nominations, bestselling novels, and a canon that’s become an essential piece of popular culture.
A Literary Form
Although creepy tales can be found in nearly every folk tradition, the roots of modern horror can be traced back to Gothic literature. Still, despite their similarities, literary theorists have emphasized a distinction between Gothic and horror: Gothic relies on terror of the unseen, while horror relies on disgust of the visible.
The first Gothic novel, Horace Walpole’s 1764 book “The Castle of Otranto,” takes place in a haunted castle, with self-closing doors, moving pictures, and a wandering ghost—many of the tropes that would come to define the Gothic and horror genres.
Through the 19th century, horror stories were largely deemed unserious, minor works despite sophisticated, influential novels from Mary Shelley and Robert Louis Stevenson.
In the 20th century, writers like Shirley Jackson and Stephen King continued developing the genre, taking it to stranger—and more terrifying—places, leading to a surge in the horror novel’s popularity that’s still being felt today.
Attack of the Scary Movie
By the end of the 19th century, the genre found its way to the nascent film industry with George Méliès' 1896 short “The Haunted Castle.”
In the wake of World War I, German filmmakers turned away from reality and toward the surreal, fusing experimental art with the nascent world of film. Some of the movement’s most notable films, like Robert Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” used darkness and horrifying imagery to frighten audiences. (Watch the film here.)
In the 1930s, Universal Pictures realized horror’s commercial potential: Production costs were low and ticket sales were strong. That led to the studio’s “Monsters” series, which included adaptations of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” HG Wells’ “The Invisible Man,” and several of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories.
The era led to some innovative filmmaking techniques, including the first “jump scare,” a misdirection technique that catches viewers off guard, in 1942’s “Cat People.” (See a list of the best jump scares here.)
After the 1952 Supreme Court ruling outlawing the Hays Code, a film industry mandate that censored on-screen imagery and themes, horror movies became more graphic, birthing subgenres like the slasher flick. One of the most iconic movies of that niche is 1978’s “Halloween,” one of the most commercially successful independent films ever made.
In the following decades, horror became a critically acclaimed art form, with films from across the world exploring private and public terrors. It also grew into a reliable box office juggernaut: In 2017, the success of films like “IT” and “Get Out” led to horror’s first year cracking $1B in ticket sales, and it hasn’t slowed down since.
Fatal Attraction
It may seem counterintuitive to seek out fear-inducing stories, but horror fans are drawn to the genre in part because of the way it affects the mind. One psychological theory suggests that the unpleasant feelings that horror might elicit (like shortness of breath) are quickly relieved when the audience member remembers that what they’re witnessing is fake.
Likewise, some researchers have found that horror audiences appreciate being able to play with fear in a safe environment, while others simply enjoy the genre’s insular culture and storied history. |
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In partnership with Death & Co |
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The best horror movies of all time |
The genre has been scaring audiences for over a century, in many different forms and through many other methods. While any list is subjective, this Rotten Tomatoes list is based on the films’ aggregate critical scores. We’re sure it’ll inspire some additions to your watch list—along with some spirited conversations. Read the list here. |
Horror's summer camp obsession |
The setting is ripe for a horror flick: vulnerable children exiled from normal society, isolated in the dark woods. It helps, too, that campfires are where many people hear their first ghost stories. This history of the trope explains how 1980’s “Friday the 13th” started a trend that’s still scaring audiences today. Read it here. |
The horror personas who built cult followings |
Horror may now be considered high art, but much of its cult popularity is due to the B-movies that helped define the genre. Starting in the 1950s, many of these low-grade films were licensed on the cheap by television networks to fill airtime, which were introduced by “horror hosts”— MCs with campy, over-the-top personas, like Elvira and Svengoolie. Read more here. |
Why Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' outraged The New Yorker's readers |
The writer’s short story “The Lottery” is widely taught in American schools and with good reason—it’s a masterful and horrifying story about the dangers of blind tradition. After its initial publication in a 1948 issue of The New Yorker, over 150 readers wrote letters calling the story “outrageous,” “gruesome,” and “utterly pointless.” Hear the story (and why it provoked such outrage) here. |
How the British video market propelled 'The Evil Dead' |
Sam Raimi’s debut feature film is considered a classic horror movie, one that was as ridiculous as it was scary. Despite protests from politicians and parent groups, the film became a surprise hit abroad with audiences who understood it as campy satire—something that was lost on its would-be censors. Read about it here. |
Why the scarecrow scares us |
Scarecrows are no longer the best way for farmers to deter birds from messing with their crops, but the humanlike figures can still be found in horror movies. Folklorists say that's because they recall an agrarian past that can make modern viewers uneasy. Read more about the figure here. |
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1440 readers don’t just love culture—they make it. Once a month, we profile readers’ unique artistic, athletic, and culinary pursuits, exploring the passions and experiences that make us human. Want to talk with us for a future “Organic Culture” profile? Reach out.
> The Utility Man
As the managing director for San Francisco's 70-seat Eclectic Box theater, Joe Waterman does just about everything. He’s in charge of accounting and payroll. He manages the building's insurance and licensing. He’s both the technical director and the property manager. On the Friday morning we spoke, he’d just finished prepping the theater’s second floor for a new tenant, so his “Star Wars” t-shirt was flecked with fresh white paint.
If he was at all stressed, he didn’t let on. “I wear many, many, many hats here,” he told me nonchalantly.
It’s easy to forget just how much work goes into live theater. We see the actors on stage and sometimes hear from a director before a performance, but keeping small, nonprofit theaters like Eclectic Box open requires serious dedication from folks in behind-the-scenes roles.
When I spoke with Waterman, he was most excited about that night's production by a youth company. While he loves working with the many professional and well-established groups that come through Eclectic Box, he believes opening the space to young people is central to the theater's mission. “We’re paving the way for the next generation of performers,” he said. “We’re helping bring up that next group of artists.”
For Waterman, that meant designing the lighting and running front of house. Before curtain, there would be dozens of other unofficial tasks to handle, too. Did I mention that he was also playing a bit part in the show?
If he was anxious, I couldn't tell. As far as I could see, it was just another Friday at the theater.
Eclectic Box is currently in the middle of its fall fundraiser. Click here to donate. |
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In partnership with Death & Co |
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This Market Is Booming (And It’s Not AI) |
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Big names are betting on boutique hospitality. Robert De Niro invested in Nobu, Blackstone bought NYC’s Kimpton, and Richard Branson is scaling Virgin Hotels. Why? Travelers want more curated experiences. Plus, it’s a $218B market opportunity.
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"I recognize terror as the finest emotion … and so I will try to terrorize the reader." |
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*Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for Death & Company Regulation A offering. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please read the offering circular at invest.deathandcompany.com |
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