So that's the modern horror trinity. Does this mean that the horror films that came before don't matter - of course not! It's these three icons that have had the most impact on the modern horror genre. If you've seen all their films, I'd recommend seeing the ever known Grandfathers of modern horror: Night of the Living Dead, The Exorcist, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Psycho.
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The Horror Trinity
By: The Site Webmaster
By: The Site Webmaster
I think when it comes to modern horror, Mark Englehart said it best: "There's the father (Michael Myers of Halloween), the son (Jason Voorhees of Friday the 13th), and the unholy spirit, Freddy Krueger".
And of course, there are the other horror icons that helped shape this genre: Pinhead, Leatherface, Chucky, Norman Bates, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter - but, it's the above horror trinity that's the foundation of the modern horror age. How do these three characters earn this title?
Here's how:
THE FATHER:
The modern horror film explosion began in 1978 with one film: Halloween. At the time, this simple but scary film rejuvenated the horror genre with its simple tale full of character and atmosphere. Becoming the most successful independent film of the time, Halloween introduced us all to a villain with human form - but with an evil soul: Michael Myers. Michael, when six years old killed his older sister with a large kitchen knife on Halloween, returns to his hometown 15 years later on Halloween in 1978 to continue his killing spree.
The film, written by John Carpenter & Debra Hill and directed by John Carpenter, paved the way for a new horror age. The old universal monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, etc, were gone now and in their place stood Michael Myers. Even though Halloween barrows loosely from the film Psycho, both of these films proved that the person next door could be scarier than any supernatural force. Although Psycho did come first, it was Halloween that brought the horror genre back on track and at large.
Hal·low·een also Hal·low·e'en (n): October 31, celebrated in the United States, Canada, and the British Isles by children going door to door while wearing costumes and begging treats and playing pranks.
And of course, there are the other horror icons that helped shape this genre: Pinhead, Leatherface, Chucky, Norman Bates, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter - but, it's the above horror trinity that's the foundation of the modern horror age. How do these three characters earn this title?
Here's how:
THE FATHER:
The modern horror film explosion began in 1978 with one film: Halloween. At the time, this simple but scary film rejuvenated the horror genre with its simple tale full of character and atmosphere. Becoming the most successful independent film of the time, Halloween introduced us all to a villain with human form - but with an evil soul: Michael Myers. Michael, when six years old killed his older sister with a large kitchen knife on Halloween, returns to his hometown 15 years later on Halloween in 1978 to continue his killing spree.
The film, written by John Carpenter & Debra Hill and directed by John Carpenter, paved the way for a new horror age. The old universal monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, etc, were gone now and in their place stood Michael Myers. Even though Halloween barrows loosely from the film Psycho, both of these films proved that the person next door could be scarier than any supernatural force. Although Psycho did come first, it was Halloween that brought the horror genre back on track and at large.
Hal·low·een also Hal·low·e'en (n): October 31, celebrated in the United States, Canada, and the British Isles by children going door to door while wearing costumes and begging treats and playing pranks.
THE SON:
Friday the 13th. Released two years after Halloween, this film works from the simple element of being alone in the woods with a vicious killer lurking about every corner. This film too, used a very simple story: when Camp Crystal Lake (the notorious Camp Blood) is going to reopen, its camp counselors meet a grisly end by the hands of an unseen killer - a true revenge tale. Written by Victor Miller and directed by Sean S. Cunningham, the first Friday film was very simple by design - but it didn't take long before it entered the sequel market of the 1980s. Almost every year afterward there was a new Friday the 13th film - not to mention the other low budget horror films now using the same formula as Halloween & Friday the 13th - watering down the same story.
The series soon introduced its audience to Jason Voorhees, the silent murdering behemoth that remains in the woods surrounding Camp Crystal Lake (where he drowned when he was a child). Jason, who likes to keep his face covered by a hockey mask, kills his victims with whatever is at his disposal and moves on to the next kill. Although very similar to Michael Myers (both wear masks, never talk, and walk very slowly), Jason became a modern horror icon due to Friday's volume of sequels, simple plots, large body count, and topless women. Friday the 13th is the true Son in our horror trinity.
Serial Killer (n): A person who attacks and kills victims one by one in a series of incidents.
Friday the 13th. Released two years after Halloween, this film works from the simple element of being alone in the woods with a vicious killer lurking about every corner. This film too, used a very simple story: when Camp Crystal Lake (the notorious Camp Blood) is going to reopen, its camp counselors meet a grisly end by the hands of an unseen killer - a true revenge tale. Written by Victor Miller and directed by Sean S. Cunningham, the first Friday film was very simple by design - but it didn't take long before it entered the sequel market of the 1980s. Almost every year afterward there was a new Friday the 13th film - not to mention the other low budget horror films now using the same formula as Halloween & Friday the 13th - watering down the same story.
The series soon introduced its audience to Jason Voorhees, the silent murdering behemoth that remains in the woods surrounding Camp Crystal Lake (where he drowned when he was a child). Jason, who likes to keep his face covered by a hockey mask, kills his victims with whatever is at his disposal and moves on to the next kill. Although very similar to Michael Myers (both wear masks, never talk, and walk very slowly), Jason became a modern horror icon due to Friday's volume of sequels, simple plots, large body count, and topless women. Friday the 13th is the true Son in our horror trinity.
Serial Killer (n): A person who attacks and kills victims one by one in a series of incidents.
THE UNHOLY SPIRIT:
What if dreams could kill? What if the killer was behind your eyes every time you closed them? This was what writer/director Wes Craven presented in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Unlike the previous characters discussed, Craven gave his audience a more memorable character: Fred Krueger. The concept Craven used is much different then what was used before (in the horror genre): his villain came in your Nightmare, if you died in your dream, you were dead in the waking world as well. Though the concept is original enough, Craven built his villain to be as memorable as possible too. A unique look was given to Freddy Krueger, which included his red & green sweater, a brown fedora, burnt skin, and the most original weapon: a worker's glove with metal talons on the four main fingers. Though mostly silent in the first film, Freddy began to speak his mind more and more as the Nightmare on Elm Street series continued.
Working on many different levels, Craven's first Nightmare film became a huge success. New Line Cinema, knowing that they had a hit concept, soon began making sequels to show off their new horror icon. Ever growing, the Nightmare series was the first horror series to become a franchise. Not only did Freddy begin to dominate horror, New Line began to market Freddy everywhere: Posters, Glasses, Stickers, Books, Home Video collections, Soundtracks, Comic Books, Toys, a TV show and more. It didn't take long before Freddy made his way into every corner of the modern pop culture mindset. As the New Nightmares states: "Everyone knows who Freddy is". An unholy spirit indeed!
night·mare (n): A dream arousing feelings of intense fear, horror, and distress. An event or experience that is intensely distressing. A demon or spirit once thought to plague sleeping people.
What if dreams could kill? What if the killer was behind your eyes every time you closed them? This was what writer/director Wes Craven presented in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Unlike the previous characters discussed, Craven gave his audience a more memorable character: Fred Krueger. The concept Craven used is much different then what was used before (in the horror genre): his villain came in your Nightmare, if you died in your dream, you were dead in the waking world as well. Though the concept is original enough, Craven built his villain to be as memorable as possible too. A unique look was given to Freddy Krueger, which included his red & green sweater, a brown fedora, burnt skin, and the most original weapon: a worker's glove with metal talons on the four main fingers. Though mostly silent in the first film, Freddy began to speak his mind more and more as the Nightmare on Elm Street series continued.
Working on many different levels, Craven's first Nightmare film became a huge success. New Line Cinema, knowing that they had a hit concept, soon began making sequels to show off their new horror icon. Ever growing, the Nightmare series was the first horror series to become a franchise. Not only did Freddy begin to dominate horror, New Line began to market Freddy everywhere: Posters, Glasses, Stickers, Books, Home Video collections, Soundtracks, Comic Books, Toys, a TV show and more. It didn't take long before Freddy made his way into every corner of the modern pop culture mindset. As the New Nightmares states: "Everyone knows who Freddy is". An unholy spirit indeed!
night·mare (n): A dream arousing feelings of intense fear, horror, and distress. An event or experience that is intensely distressing. A demon or spirit once thought to plague sleeping people.
