Horror History: Ghosts, Demons and Things That Go Bump in the Night
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
WRITTEN BY: George Pacheco
The Devil's in the details! Join us for our five-part series “Horror History”, where we look at how the genre went from being a bump in the night to slaying at the box office. In this episode, we look at the history of supernatural horror - from classics like “The Haunting” (1963) and “The Exorcist” (1973) to modern day fright fests like “The Conjuring” (2013) and “Hereditary” (2018).
The Devil's in the details!
Welcome to WatchMojo’s series Horror History, where we look at how the genre went from being a bump in the night to shaking down the box office!
While many horror subgenres drift in and out of popularity, the supernatural seems to be a perennial favorite. Horror movies about demonic possession, or malevolent ghosts, continue to fascinate audiences and fuel our nightmares.
What makes us so intrigued by sinister, otherworldly forces? Well, for starters, the menacing entities in supernatural horror films tend to strike where we feel safest - at home. The frightening appeal of haunted house films ties into similar fears about home invasions – evoking the terrifying idea that even when we feel safe and cosy, something could be lurking … right behind us! Similarly, films dealing with demonic possession cast a threatening pall over not only familiar objects, but also our loved ones and very souls.
There’s also just something eternally creepy about the unknown and unknowable.
People have been telling good old fashioned ghost stories from time immemorial. And their popularity on screen dates back to the early years of cinema history. Given the abundance of ghost stories, many films in the same vein have been adaptations. 1927’s “The Cat and the Canary”, for example, was based on a play. Even though its ghost turns out to be a human villain, it provides an embryonic example of the haunted house trope. So too does the comedy horror film “The Old Dark House”, which adapted the novel “Benighted”. Both take place in mysterious houses where a dark presence lurks in secret.
The supernatural element would receive more emphasis in films like 1961’s “The Innocents”, an adaptation of Henry James’ novella “The Turn of the Screw”. Although, even here, it’s easy to argue that the ghosts are figments of imagination, linked to a subtle subtext of sexuality and repression.
When it comes to horror adaptations, perhaps no other novel has been as influential as Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House”. Published in 1959, it was adapted four years later by director and producer Robert Wise into the seminal British horror film “The Haunting”. With its psychological drama, nail-biting suspense, subtle special effects, and chilling sound design, it came to epitomize the haunted house genre. Although the awful 1999 remake is better forgotten, Netflix’s adaptation in 2018 brought the story to streaming, allowing a new generation to experience the chills of Jackson’s tale.
In the late 60s, this interest in ghost stories gave way to an even darker fascination: pure evil!
In 1968’s “Rosemary’s Baby”, Mia Farrow’s Rosemary is assaulted by Satan and gives birth to his son. The movie’s success opened the door to other tales centered on evil forces - often featuring wicked or ill-fated children. One such film was William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, which absolutely terrified audiences with its shocking depiction of demonic possession. Friedkin was part of a new generation of directors from the “New Hollywood” movement. Amid falling profits, studios granted them unprecedented control and permission to take risks. And directors like Friedkin were more than happy to do so! "The Exorcist" kicked the demonic possession genre into high gear, and gave horror a new sense of legitimacy – earning ten Academy Award nominations and winning two, along with a plethora of Golden Globes.
What followed was a slew of imitators. Mario Bava's 1974 film "Lisa and The Devil" even had an exorcism scene shoehorned in to capitalize on demon fever. Naturally, parody of the new craze wasn’t far behind either ...
Children linked to dark, supernatural forces have since become a horror staple - whether as the devil’s spawn, as in “The Omen”, or as misunderstood kids, as in the Stephen King adaptation “Carrie”.
Fittingly, Master of Horror Stephen King would manage to mix all these elements - ghosts, possession, and children with supernatural powers - in his novel “The Shining”, brought to the screen by none other than Stanley Kubrick. The year before, “The Amityville Horror”, based on the real life DeFeo murders and claims of paranormal events, also featured a man driven by spirits to try to axe-murder his family. But while “The Amityville Horror” did evolve into a long-running franchise, it’s Jack Nicholson’s performance in “The Shining” that became an inescapable part of pop culture.
As the genre has progressed, these unseen forces have seemingly grown ever more powerful. Yes, they can possess a young girl, or drive a man mad. But they can also act on their own - reaching ghostly hands into our homes and taking control. This was terrifyingly depicted in Tobe Hooper’s “Poltergeist”, the brainchild of co-writer and producer Steven Spielberg. It’s a genre classic that also demonstrates how supernatural horror can work across different ratings; it may be rated PG, but just try to watch it and then turn the lights off for bed. “Poltergeist’s” influence has endured for decades, lurking behind modern movie franchises like the R-Rated “Paranormal Activity” and “The Conjuring”.
This versatility with ratings has helped ensure that haunted house and possession movies remain a recipe for financial success. PG-13 films like “The Sixth Sense” and “The Others” can thrill audiences of all ages with creepy and clever takes on traditional ghost stories; while an R-Rated movie like Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak” is clearly geared towards adults who can recall the sumptuous gothic atmosphere of Hammer Studios. Ironically, some of the most popular R-Rated horror films have been about possessed children’s dolls - from “Child’s Play” to “Annabelle”. The genre’s flexibility around ratings has allowed it to cater to both adolescents and adults who just want a little bit o' the devil in their lives.
Of course, like any genre, supernatural horror has had to innovate to maintain interest. The special effects from “The Exorcist” might have shocked audiences in the 70s, but we have an eternal hunger for something new. Several explosively successful movements have helped the genre avoid stagnation. These include the vengeful ghost stories in J-horror movies like “Ringu” and “Ju-On: The Grudge”, as well as their American remakes. There’s also the found footage style used by movies like the aforementioned “Paranormal Activity”. The more out-there supernatural horror movies, like “Hausu”, have to be seen to be believed. Seriously, go watch this slice of insanity for yourself …
A thread that runs through many of these films is the line between sanity and insanity. It's a common horror trope that a character who's experiencing supernatural phenomena will at first have their claims laughed off or explained away by skeptical friends and relatives. This has been especially true for female characters. In both “The Cat and the Canary” and “Rosemary’s Baby”, female protagonists are made to question their sanity before learning they were right all along. In her book “House of Psychotic Women”, Canadian writer, programmer and producer Kier-La Janisse contrasts the “female neurotic”, who lives in shame, with her male counterpart, “the eccentric”. In movies such as “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” and “The Entity”, the past traumas of female protagonists are provoked, making it easier to dismiss them.
It’s a theme that continues to be spun out in new and insightful ways. A prime example is Leigh Whannell’s Blumhouse movie “The Invisible Man”, which used the trope to shine a light on domestic violence.
At the heart of all these films are powerful, often destructive emotions barely within our control. 1980’s classic haunted house movie “The Changeling”, for example, provided a potent commentary on grief. In more recent times, so too did “The Babadook”, and of course Ari Aster’s “Hereditary” - which really went all out in the grim final act. These films show how the genre can function as a universal solvent - serving up the requisite suspense and scares, while also working on another level for the critical set. It’s yet another reason for its enduring popularity.
Taking place in our homes, and dredging the depths of our hearts, supernatural horror films dramatize dangers both inside and out. They keep us coming back for more with intangible horrors that strike when we least expect it, seeping through the walls into our bedrooms and even into our nightmares. To be honest, though? We wouldn't want it any other way … at least on our screens!
Welcome to WatchMojo’s series Horror History, where we look at how the genre went from being a bump in the night to shaking down the box office!
While many horror subgenres drift in and out of popularity, the supernatural seems to be a perennial favorite. Horror movies about demonic possession, or malevolent ghosts, continue to fascinate audiences and fuel our nightmares.
What makes us so intrigued by sinister, otherworldly forces? Well, for starters, the menacing entities in supernatural horror films tend to strike where we feel safest - at home. The frightening appeal of haunted house films ties into similar fears about home invasions – evoking the terrifying idea that even when we feel safe and cosy, something could be lurking … right behind us! Similarly, films dealing with demonic possession cast a threatening pall over not only familiar objects, but also our loved ones and very souls.
There’s also just something eternally creepy about the unknown and unknowable.
People have been telling good old fashioned ghost stories from time immemorial. And their popularity on screen dates back to the early years of cinema history. Given the abundance of ghost stories, many films in the same vein have been adaptations. 1927’s “The Cat and the Canary”, for example, was based on a play. Even though its ghost turns out to be a human villain, it provides an embryonic example of the haunted house trope. So too does the comedy horror film “The Old Dark House”, which adapted the novel “Benighted”. Both take place in mysterious houses where a dark presence lurks in secret.
The supernatural element would receive more emphasis in films like 1961’s “The Innocents”, an adaptation of Henry James’ novella “The Turn of the Screw”. Although, even here, it’s easy to argue that the ghosts are figments of imagination, linked to a subtle subtext of sexuality and repression.
When it comes to horror adaptations, perhaps no other novel has been as influential as Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House”. Published in 1959, it was adapted four years later by director and producer Robert Wise into the seminal British horror film “The Haunting”. With its psychological drama, nail-biting suspense, subtle special effects, and chilling sound design, it came to epitomize the haunted house genre. Although the awful 1999 remake is better forgotten, Netflix’s adaptation in 2018 brought the story to streaming, allowing a new generation to experience the chills of Jackson’s tale.
In the late 60s, this interest in ghost stories gave way to an even darker fascination: pure evil!
In 1968’s “Rosemary’s Baby”, Mia Farrow’s Rosemary is assaulted by Satan and gives birth to his son. The movie’s success opened the door to other tales centered on evil forces - often featuring wicked or ill-fated children. One such film was William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, which absolutely terrified audiences with its shocking depiction of demonic possession. Friedkin was part of a new generation of directors from the “New Hollywood” movement. Amid falling profits, studios granted them unprecedented control and permission to take risks. And directors like Friedkin were more than happy to do so! "The Exorcist" kicked the demonic possession genre into high gear, and gave horror a new sense of legitimacy – earning ten Academy Award nominations and winning two, along with a plethora of Golden Globes.
What followed was a slew of imitators. Mario Bava's 1974 film "Lisa and The Devil" even had an exorcism scene shoehorned in to capitalize on demon fever. Naturally, parody of the new craze wasn’t far behind either ...
Children linked to dark, supernatural forces have since become a horror staple - whether as the devil’s spawn, as in “The Omen”, or as misunderstood kids, as in the Stephen King adaptation “Carrie”.
Fittingly, Master of Horror Stephen King would manage to mix all these elements - ghosts, possession, and children with supernatural powers - in his novel “The Shining”, brought to the screen by none other than Stanley Kubrick. The year before, “The Amityville Horror”, based on the real life DeFeo murders and claims of paranormal events, also featured a man driven by spirits to try to axe-murder his family. But while “The Amityville Horror” did evolve into a long-running franchise, it’s Jack Nicholson’s performance in “The Shining” that became an inescapable part of pop culture.
As the genre has progressed, these unseen forces have seemingly grown ever more powerful. Yes, they can possess a young girl, or drive a man mad. But they can also act on their own - reaching ghostly hands into our homes and taking control. This was terrifyingly depicted in Tobe Hooper’s “Poltergeist”, the brainchild of co-writer and producer Steven Spielberg. It’s a genre classic that also demonstrates how supernatural horror can work across different ratings; it may be rated PG, but just try to watch it and then turn the lights off for bed. “Poltergeist’s” influence has endured for decades, lurking behind modern movie franchises like the R-Rated “Paranormal Activity” and “The Conjuring”.
This versatility with ratings has helped ensure that haunted house and possession movies remain a recipe for financial success. PG-13 films like “The Sixth Sense” and “The Others” can thrill audiences of all ages with creepy and clever takes on traditional ghost stories; while an R-Rated movie like Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak” is clearly geared towards adults who can recall the sumptuous gothic atmosphere of Hammer Studios. Ironically, some of the most popular R-Rated horror films have been about possessed children’s dolls - from “Child’s Play” to “Annabelle”. The genre’s flexibility around ratings has allowed it to cater to both adolescents and adults who just want a little bit o' the devil in their lives.
Of course, like any genre, supernatural horror has had to innovate to maintain interest. The special effects from “The Exorcist” might have shocked audiences in the 70s, but we have an eternal hunger for something new. Several explosively successful movements have helped the genre avoid stagnation. These include the vengeful ghost stories in J-horror movies like “Ringu” and “Ju-On: The Grudge”, as well as their American remakes. There’s also the found footage style used by movies like the aforementioned “Paranormal Activity”. The more out-there supernatural horror movies, like “Hausu”, have to be seen to be believed. Seriously, go watch this slice of insanity for yourself …
A thread that runs through many of these films is the line between sanity and insanity. It's a common horror trope that a character who's experiencing supernatural phenomena will at first have their claims laughed off or explained away by skeptical friends and relatives. This has been especially true for female characters. In both “The Cat and the Canary” and “Rosemary’s Baby”, female protagonists are made to question their sanity before learning they were right all along. In her book “House of Psychotic Women”, Canadian writer, programmer and producer Kier-La Janisse contrasts the “female neurotic”, who lives in shame, with her male counterpart, “the eccentric”. In movies such as “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” and “The Entity”, the past traumas of female protagonists are provoked, making it easier to dismiss them.
It’s a theme that continues to be spun out in new and insightful ways. A prime example is Leigh Whannell’s Blumhouse movie “The Invisible Man”, which used the trope to shine a light on domestic violence.
At the heart of all these films are powerful, often destructive emotions barely within our control. 1980’s classic haunted house movie “The Changeling”, for example, provided a potent commentary on grief. In more recent times, so too did “The Babadook”, and of course Ari Aster’s “Hereditary” - which really went all out in the grim final act. These films show how the genre can function as a universal solvent - serving up the requisite suspense and scares, while also working on another level for the critical set. It’s yet another reason for its enduring popularity.
Taking place in our homes, and dredging the depths of our hearts, supernatural horror films dramatize dangers both inside and out. They keep us coming back for more with intangible horrors that strike when we least expect it, seeping through the walls into our bedrooms and even into our nightmares. To be honest, though? We wouldn't want it any other way … at least on our screens!
