Modern Day Expectations of Horror

Violence, blood, gore, and murder are seen everyday by modern society in the games we play, television we watch, movies we see, and even the advertisements we view. It is no surprise then, that when viewing things today, audiences expect bigger, better, bloodier scenes and stories. Furthermore, when today’s audiences view movies of other times, they are bored due to the quality, lack of color, and lack of contemporary action.
This thought is extremely applicable in the genre of horror. Today’s horror films include slashers, mondo-horror, and others which death of character is prominent and plot line is not focused on. These films centralize around the visual shock element of film. Yet, when audiences view horror films from the early 20th century, the lack of on screen violence and death tends to bore audiences. These films tend to be more psychological and less on-screen action.
Moreover, the technology of today has made past movies laughable instead of frightening. This is why most monster action was off-screen then. The effects were not realistic enough, and so it was left to the imagination most of the time. Today, audiences would be shocked if the action was left to the imagination. We expect to see the monster, the deaths, and so much more in even the worst horror flick.
These effects are observable. Show an audience The Bride of Frankenstein and one will probably hear a few chuckles due to special effects and other elements. Yet, show the same audience the latest slasher film and one is certain to get a few screams of terror and moans of disgust from the group.
These observations are just based on the mass reaction to such items though. There are always a select group of people who will enjoy and may even be frightened by the old horror films. I would propose that modern reactions are based on a three-fold argument. This would include a de-sensitizing of modern society, the development of technology within the cinematic companies, and a change of preference in film. These three things are interconnected in a way in which they influence one another and the society affected by them.
Because gore is shown so frequently, technology is increasingly better, and the interests of audiences concerning plot and characters have changed, old and classic horror films are laughable. There is little interest in them although much can be learned in terms of cinematography, editing, and story from these great works of art. It is possible that one day the trends of the industry will change and revert back to the old Hollywood way of doing horror. Until then though, audiences should be prepared for enough violence, blood, gore, and murder to last them a lifetime.