Horror continues to be one of the fastest growing movie genres, but there are many classic horror films that paved the way for the movies that fans enjoy today.
The Blair Witch Project (1999) represented a major turning point in the horror genre. To many, it introduced the found footage subgenre.
Found footage is a style of film presented as if it were recorded by the characters of the story, to be later “found” and shown to the audience. While this genre existed in movies such as The Connection (1961), and Little Sister (1995), it was widely popularized and even revolutionized with the release of The Blair Witch Project.
The directors took great effort to push the narrative of the story, going as far as not allowing the actors to contact their families or letting them see an official script.
The majority of the film was improvised. The actors were given cameras and camping supplies and sent out into the woods to film themselves. The directors gave them instructions with a GPS that sent them to locations marked with flags or other objects, and the actors left their footage there and picked up food and directors’ notes.
The notes would tell the actors that a specific thing needed to happen – without giving them any instruction on how or when. So the actors had the freedom to act it out however they wanted.
The directors would play tricks on the actors by making noises or shaking the tent, just to get a reaction out of them.
Another groundbreaking horror film was Night of the Living Dead (1968). Inspired by the racial and political strife of late-1960s America, this movie provided a monumental moment for the horror genre, and it continues to be an influence for modern apocalyptic films to this day.
It was one of the earliest zombie movies and set precedents for zombies in horror. It introduced zombies as mass conformity – brainless, flesh-eating monsters – rather than supernatural beings related by a certain aspect of themselves like culture or religion. It also represented a great degree of innovation in the early days of slasher and splatter films.
Compared to modern horror movies, it may be considered to have very minimal violence and gore. But when it was released in 1968, Night of the Living Dead was controversial for its graphic content.
Finally The Exorcist (1973) was released a few years after the Motion Picture Production Code, which was strict about the depiction of religion in film, was lifted. This meant American filmmakers had much more freedom in their representation of religion, satanic ritual, demonic entities, possession, and the occult.
When The Exorcist was released, it was called as the scariest movie ever made. The special effects created a realistic view of possession and other sacrilegious moments.
Leading up to its release, this film was very controversial for this religious representation and graphic content. But instead of trying to fight the controversial opinions, the movie’s ads and marketing leaned into them, which increased public interest.
