Changes

The early 1900s through the 1940s saw the popularity of horror movies featuring monsters, such as werewolves, vampires, and mummies. Often these films blended horror with adventure or black comedy, and were therefore not meant to be taken as serious drama. Often, B-movies included elements of this genre. Some well-known horror films from this genre include ''[[Frankenstein]]'', ''Dracula'', ''The Phantom of the Opera'', and ''Nosferatu''. Eventually, horror films in general shifted away from Gothic influence and took on more relevant conflicts.

The early 1900s through the 1940s saw the popularity of horror movies featuring monsters, such as werewolves, vampires, and mummies. Often these films blended horror with adventure or black comedy, and were therefore not meant to be taken as serious drama. Often, B-movies included elements of this genre. Some well-known horror films from this genre include ''[[Frankenstein]]'', ''Dracula'', ''The Phantom of the Opera'', and ''Nosferatu''. Eventually, horror films in general shifted away from Gothic influence and took on more relevant conflicts.

With [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''Psycho'' came a major change in not only horror movies, but cinema in general. Aside from drastically weakening the effect of film censorship, it also had a sweeping impact on conflict in horror movies; ''Psycho'' centers around a [[Psychosis|psychotic]], [[Repression|sexually repressed]] motel owner who, unable to handle his own neurosis, unknowingly murders his guests. After ''Psycho'' came several more films featuring "man vs. man" conflict.

With [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s low-budget ''Psycho'' came a major change in not only horror movies, but cinema in general. Aside from drastically weakening the effect of film censorship, it also had a sweeping impact on conflict in horror movies; ''Psycho'' centers around a [[Psychosis|psychotic]], [[Repression|sexually repressed]] motel owner who, unable to handle his own neurosis, unknowingly murders his guests. After ''Psycho'' came several more films featuring "man vs. man" conflict.

''Psycho'' is often considered to be the roots of a genre that would come to prominence in the 1970s and flourish until the end of the 1980s: slasher films. In slasher movies, the main action features a serial killer who murders several expendable, often two-dimensional, characters throughout the course of the film. Slasher movies often did not take themselves seriously and drew most of their appeal from their portrayals of quick, sudden deaths, which usually portrayed large amounts of blood and gore. Some well-known slashers included ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', ''Halloween'', ''Friday the 13th'', ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'', and ''Scream''.

''Psycho'' is often considered to be the roots of a genre that would come to prominence in the 1970s and flourish until the end of the 1980s: slasher films. In slasher movies, the main action features a serial killer who murders several expendable, often two-dimensional, characters throughout the course of the film. Slasher movies often did not take themselves seriously and drew most of their appeal from their portrayals of quick, sudden deaths, which usually portrayed large amounts of blood and gore. Some well-known slashers included ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', ''Halloween'', ''Friday the 13th'', ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'', and ''Scream''.