In this article, we will analyse why horror stories, even now, like to draw on these cultural touchstones, before looking at some horror films and the folklore and myths that inspired them.

Past Horrors

Older forms of storytelling like myths, legends, folklore etc. have concerned themselves with confronting our fears of the unexplained for thousands of years. Whether it be existential, rooted in the problems of a particular region/culture or often both. Many of these stories act as tales of morality or explorations of the fantastical, they are also seen as formative teaching moments for children to learn about the world and the moral frameworks through which to view it. But these stories also have a hint of horror about them. With the dire consequences visited upon those who are evil (e.g. burning to death or in hell) and villains being capable of scary/dark things (e.g. devouring people in their path). Thus these stories act as a foundation for horror stories by prominently using the fantastic and unexplained.

Since the beginning of cinema films have been drawing inspiration from this kind of storytelling. Allowing stories from across the Earth to be experienced in a way that foregrounds a sense of reality and immediacy. 

Horror and Myths

So why do horror films keep returning to these older stories? Well, one reason is that these types of stories value reinterpretation. These stories have been told differently in various regions with each storyteller giving the story a different spin. Providing filmmakers with a great license for creativity. 

Equally, these sources can provide production with an air of seriousness due to drawing on older traditions that those outside of the genre are more familiar with.

They also add an extra eerie factor. Due to the association of myths and folklore with formative childhood experiences and a time before cinema, it allows films using these stories to act as a dark confrontation of childhood innocence and evokes feelings of a time before modern technology which creates feelings of unfamiliarity and thus unease in viewers.

But most significantly horror as a genre has a habit of recontextualising these older stories. With many of these older stories attempting to explain the unexplained or offering definitive morals their use in a modern context, where many questions posed by these stories have been answered and morality is less black and white, refocuses the story’s meaning to show humanity’s fallibility. Notably folk horror, which focuses a lot on invoking folklore, takes the trappings of old tales and puts more focus on humanity’s capacity for self-destruction.

Folklore in Horror Films

To see how widespread the influence of older stories are in horror here are three horror films and the stories that inspired them:

Haxan

The groundbreaking silent horror essay film dramatises and analyses the folklore of witches and the societal factors that resulted in these stories being used to destroy the lives of women from the Middle Ages to the then modern day.

Midsommar

This film’s story has ties to several traditions and folk tales. For example, Midsommar’s Hårga cult is influenced by a folk story which concerns a group of villagers who are visited by the devil and made to dance to death – something at the heart of the dramatic displays of Midsommar. Plus there is the use of May Queen imagery. This symbolises someone being chosen to embody the coming of growth in Spring, with Dani representing the growth of the cult’s ideology.

Huesera: The Bone Woman

Huesera’s central threat is based on a Mexican legend. The story concerns a woman who collects bones. Upon having enough to form a skeleton she brings them to life. Creating a wolf which then becomes a woman. The story is said by scholars to be about restoring lifeforce, which does not want to be tamed. The movie updates this theme by making the central threat encompass how women are viewed by and harmed under patriarchy, with the main character Valeria’s visits from the bone woman revealing more about herself and how society views her.

Also Read: Animated Horror: The Overlooked Genre Fusion

The post Horror and Folklore: Movies Inspired by Myths and Legends appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

In this article, we will look at several filmmaking techniques that were used in silent horror films. As well as how their influences can be seen in the modern horror landscape.

Jump Scares

Yes, even without sound some early horror films do feature proto-jump scares by having long build-ups to sudden cuts to images intended to scare audiences. Think of Orlok’s appearance outside the door (Nosferatu (1922)) and the Phantom’s facial reveal (The Phantom of the Opera (1925)). These scenes formed the beginning of a genre staple.

The introduction of startling loud sound stings to accompany the scare (Cat People (1942)) greatly added to the technique’s impact. Many modern horror audiences claim a dislike for jump scares, however, they can still be effective. With the best ones relying on building suspense and anticipation rather than using a loud noise for cheap shocks. Just like the old silent horrors.

Uncommon Shots

There was a lot of experimentation with how early films were shot. Some horror films used drawn-out wide shots to allow audiences to see everything in a film’s world (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920). Other films used shots to place us in a character’s perspective or to break a scene’s standard framing (Nosferatu).

These techniques are now common in modern horror. Elongated shots help to build up tension. POV shots (among others) place us in a character’s perspective and build empathy or distrust. And the experimentation with shot types is done to promote a sense of unease. Additionally, the deployment of more mobile camera movement has enabled modern filmmakers more freedom to create shots that surprise audiences.

Shadows

Shadows have always been a great horror visual as they represent fear of the unknown. Thus they were a perfect tool for silent horror’s visual language. One of cinema’s most famous images is Count Orlok’s shadow ascending the stairs. Through the simple use of lighting to lengthen Max Schreck’s shadow Nosferatu makes Orlock into a horrifying unknown presence.

Shadows continue to be effectively used today. Whether it be indicating the imposing nature of villains like the Tethered or encouraging audience paranoia (The Woman in Black). But the advance in effects work also means shadows can be transformed in more ways than ever. Thereby allowing the cinematic fear of the unknown to be pushed even further.

Metaphorical Sets

German Expressionism was a huge part of early horror cinema. Among other things, it focused on creating art that externalised the anxiety permeating post-WWI Germany. Leading to set design that felt exaggerated, warped and unreal. Which helped to make viewers uncomfortable and allowed the more fantastical narrative elements of films like Cabinet of Dr Caligari and The Golem (1920) to feel less out of place.

Although many horror films now aim to capture a more realistic atmosphere the expressionist era still taught the genre that displaying internal emotions through the use of sets can greatly impact audience reaction. Think the expansive well-dressed sets of Hereditary invoking a doll’s house. Or Maud’s creepy, enclosed and dark apartment in Saint Maud.

Mixing Styles

Finally, silent horror also began blending stylistic devices to add a feeling of realism to their narratives with Haxan (1922). This film blended dramatised scenes with documentary techniques such as providing factual statements on title cards and showcasing historical artifacts in the manner of a lecture. Making the film’s subsequent dramatic parts feel like a dramatisation of factual material rather than a horror film.

Nowadays horror films utilise many other factual presentation techniques to make them appear more realistic. Such as using documentary footage (Dawn of the Dead (2004)), disclaimers/facts to invoke real people/events (The Conjuring and Tigers Are Not Afraid) and the employment of cinematography and performances meant to evoke news footage (found footage films). Techniques all stemming from Haxan’s inspiration.

Those are just some ways silent horror techniques have influenced the modern horror landscape. So if you think silent horror can never capture the scariness of modern films remember that silent horror helped pioneer many ideas modern horror films use to frighten us.

Also Read: Horrors On Horror Sets

The post How Silent Films Influence Modern Horror appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.