History and Approaches: A Literature Review of Horror Movies in America
Abstract
This essay analyzes the history of American horror movies, pointing out the features of different periods and classic works of American horror movies. Using a certain cultural perspective to see how these films reflect the society. Horror film characters are not born out of thin air, they have certain thoughts, wishes, and reflections even reflecting the general atmosphere of the entire society. Ranging from the Gothic of the silent era, to the rise of the classic monster, to the transformation of the Cold War into science fiction thrillers, to psychological horror, to the rise of social horror in the New Hollywood era, to self-reference in the age of postmodernism, and finally to the rich and diverse "art film horror" of today, it is a long and arduous journey. The form and evolution of horror films are not accidental, they are closely related to social reality, which reflects the changes in the deepest fear of people and the appearance of people’s desire. With it we could understand collective imagination and the very deep worries about “the other” during the age in question, and also how the public constantly questions and ponders on the moral boundary, power game and society order amidst social structure transformation.
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