Genre Research

My chosen genre for my A2 media project is a hybrid genre between Horror and Thriller. So that i
may gain an in depth understanding of both genres I have compiled a research file based around this
topic.
Horror
Horror films have been around since the dawn of cinema, it was Georges Mlis in the late 1890s,
who created the first horror movie called Le Manoir du Diable also known as The Haunted
Castle or either The Devils Castle. The film focused primarily on an encounter with the devil
himself which evoked many amusing yet horrifying sequences that caused an uproar among cinema
goers around the world. From here a hunger for more was created and in 1910, Edison
Studios produced the first film version of Frankenstein, This then led to more and more
horror films being released it wasnt until during the early period of talking pictures, that the
American Movie studio Universal Pictures began a new Gothic horror film series that went
on to become a huge success. This included Tod Browning's Dracula in 1931, which was then
quickly followed by James Whale's Frankenstein.
The financial successes of the low-budget gore films of the ensuing years, and the critical
and popular success of Rosemary's Baby, led to the release of more films with occult themes
during the 1970s. It wasnt until the 1970s when horror became much more than just casual
gothic horror films it grew to sprout mini sub genres such as slasher, paranormal, zombie
and witchcraft. Major horror franchises where born during this period such as Halloween,
Wes cravens Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13
th
. Each film respectively grossed
over $200 million worldwide.
Modern horror film franchises have become much more of a commercial success such as
the Saw films, The ever growing list of Paranormal Activity film series and the recently
started insidious series. An example of which is the financial success of Paranormal Activity,
which has released 5 films all having equally small budgets of between $5 million and $20
million and grossing over $800 million combined, this shows how far horror films have come
in terms of box office earnings and continuity.
5 of the biggest horror films of all time are:
1. Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho released in 1960
2. Marwan Hamed s - The Blue Elephants released
in 2014
3. Ridley Scotts Alien released in 1979
4. Stanley kurbricks The shining released in 1980
5. John Carpenters The Thing released in 1982

Thriller
Thriller is a genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense,
tension, and excitement as its main elements. Being a genre that relies on tension and
suspense can cause many films being released as a thriller falling into horror/ hybrid genres
so to combatant this in modern cinema many directors have tried to use political and crime
as a back board to distinct themselves from falling into that category. An example of which
is the award winning 1991 thriller Silence of the lambs, staring sir Anthony Hopkins and Julia
Moore.
There was also a spike in psychological thrillers during the 1990s and 2010, the films mainly
focused on the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than
physical. Characters, either by accident or their own curiousness, are dragged into a
dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve. Characters are not
reliant on physical strength to overcome their brutish enemies, but rather are reliant on
their mental resources, whether it be by battling wits with a formidable opponent or by
battling for equilibrium in the character's own mind.
5 of the biggest thrillers of all time are:
1. Christopher Nolans - Inception released in 2010
2. Quentin Tarentinos - Pulp fiction released in 1994
3. David Lietchs - John Wick released in 2014
4. David Finchers se7en released in 1995
5. Jonathan Demmes - Silence of the lambs released in 1991