Horror films: a chilling cultural history
Roger Luckhurst explores the ways in which horror movies have reflected social changes and cultural anxieties through the 20th and 21st centuries
Ever since the shadow of Count Orlok crept up the staircase in 1922’s Nosferatu, and Fay Wray emitted her iconic scream in 1933’s King Kong, horror films have captivated and scandalised audiences in equal measure. Speaking to Matt Elton, Professor Roger Luckhurst explores how scary films have reflected changing social anxieties in the 20th and 21st centuries, and nominates the ten horror movies he thinks are most representative of their time.
Authors
Matt Elton is BBC History Magazine’s Deputy Editor. He has worked at the magazine since 2012 and has more than a decade’s experience working across a range of history brands.
Start the year with a subscription to BBC History Magazine - £5 for your first 5 issues!
As a print subscriber you also get FREE membership to HistoryExtra.com worth £34.99 + 50% London Art Fair 2024 Tickets