Guest Guide to Classic Horror...

Richard Gladman runs the Classic Horror Campaign, which operates with the double aim of uniting classic horror fans and persuading the BBC to reinstate late-night horror double-bills to its broadcasting schedule. A life-long horror fan, the campaign is, as Richard states, the culmination of 30 years of collecting monster movie magazines, writing the Cyberschizoid movie blog and writing for various publications, including Shock Horror and Mad Scientist. For our guide, he has picked five iconic horror flicks, one from each decade from the 1930s to the 1970s, presented here in chronological order. Don't have nightmares...

Words: Richard Gladman

Television has become so bland in the last decade that it has become impossible to find any of the classic old horror films being screened anywhere, even on the BBC. Years ago, BBC2 in the UK would broadcast regular horror double bills on Saturday nights, which featured cult movies from Universal, RKO, Hammer Films and beyond. The Classic Horror Campaign was originally set up over a year ago in order to bring fans of classic horror films together to persuade the BBC to start screening these iconic monster movies on primetime television once more. An ongoing petition was started, along with a website that gives regular updates on the campaign as well as daily horror news bulletins and an ever-growing A-Z of classic horror film reviews.

Our criteria for what constitutes a classic horror film uses as a starting point any film from before 1980 and can date as far back as the silent-era. There is a lot of blurring of boundaries when analysing genre movies and arguments as to what constitutes horror, science-fiction, thriller and suchlike but we prefer to be pretty easy-going when it comes to a film's inclusion on our site. So, for example, you will find Frankenstein rubbing shoulders with The Thing From Another World and Hammer's controversial Never Take Sweets From a Stranger sitting alongside the Doris Day thriller Midnight Lace. Personally, I would even consider the low-budget gore fests of Herschell Gordon Lewis and the golden turkey moments of Ed Wood as eligible for inclusion.

I started this campaign and website as a life-long horror fan who would love to see these classic horror films made available to a whole new generation, many of whom have not only never had the opportunity to see these iconic movies but have never even heard of them.

Five Ultimate Classic Horror Movies

1. Bride of Frankenstein (dir. James Whale, 1935)

When asked to select a "Top 5" based around the concept of classic horror movies, I decided to pick five iconic films, each one from a different decade from the 1930s to the 1970s. Bride of Frankenstein was chosen because of its iconic imagery, particularly of the bride herself as well as for being a sequel that totally outdoes the original (Frankenstein in 1931) in terms of script, acting and production design. Boris Karloff brings an intense sympathy to the character of the monster and the whole production treads a fine line between humour, pathos and horror. As a starting point to appreciating classic horror you'll find it hard to find a better example that covers so many diverse elements.

2. Cat People (dir. Jacques Tourneur, 1942)

For the 40s, what better film than Cat People, which takes the then popular film noir genre and mixes it with both creepy horror and subversive sexuality? In many ways this film was ahead of its time with its storyline being a metaphor for loss of virginity and its hints at a lesbian sub-culture, something which could not have been openly discussed back in that era. Most impressive though is the film's power to frighten an audience while not actually showing anything overt; something that many of today's film makers would do well to learn from.

3. Dracula (dir. Terence Fisher, 1958)

Known in the States as Horror of Dracula, this is actually the second of the British Hammer Films's full colour gothic horror adaptations which changed the face of horror movies forever. After the success of Curse of Frankenstein the year before Hammer began systematically remaking the classic monster movies of the 30s and 40s, but added colour, blood and gore and a liberal helping of sex into the mix. This became almost a template for many of the horror movies throughout the 60s and 70s for Hammer as well as its many imitators and rivals. Christopher Lee's performance as the count was iconic, and even today he is still associated with playing Bram Stoker's blood-thirsty count, both in this production and its many sequels. Let's not overlook, however, the equally impressive Peter Cushing as Dracula's nemesis, Dr Van Helsing. 

4. Night of the Living Dead (dir. George A. Romero, 1968)

Another game-changing movie which totally reinvented the zombie subgenre and pushed the envelope yet further in terms of what modern horror films could show on screen in the way of blood and gore. Director George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead introduced the concept of the living dead as cannibals and actually eating the flesh of their victims. This film has also been praised over the years for its political subtexts relating to both racism and the Vietnam war, although Romero has since stated that this was not his original intention. The aftershocks of Night of the Living Dead are still being felt in genre cinema today with countless homages and imitations still being made. 

5. The Exorcist (dir. William Friedkin, 1973)

The final film of my top five classic horrors had to be The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin. Based on the novel by William Peter Blatty this movie brought horror to the mainstream and the masses in a way that defied all expectations and helped make the horror genre much more respected and highly regarded worldwide. The Exorcist broke new ground in special effects with its realistic portrayal of a 12-year-old girl possessed by a malevolent demon, supposedly based on a true story. Countless rip-offs, spoofs and sequels followed over the years, but even they can't detract from the immense power this film still has to shock, disturb and frighten an audience. 

We asked Richard a few questions...

Is there a danger that younger audiences used to the extremities of ‘modern' horror might find classic horror films a bit tame in comparison?

I think there is a tendency for the older generations to be more passionate about classic horror because of the nostalgia vibe. However, younger horror fans would also be interested in the older films if they were actually given the opportunity to see these films on television, hence the Classic Horror Campaign.

I'm not generally impressed by most modern horror films, particularly the dreadful Hollywood remakes. Even the low-budget indie scene bores me with its emphasis on over-the-top gore and "torture porn". There seems to be limited imagination or creativity out there right now.

Social commentators often see horror films as a reflection of society's fears and attitudes. Is this where their cultural import lies?

Horror movies have always reflected the society and cultural influences of the eras they were made in. Let's not forget that the main criteria for watching horror films are to be scared and entertained!

Has horror been a key genre of cinema from the medium's birth? Any thoughts on why? 

Yes, horror has been an important part of cinema from the days of the silents onwards. I think there are various reasons, one of which is that horror and fantasy films are in many ways less restrictive in terms of ideas, stories and concepts, which makes the genre an attractive one for creative people to work in. Also, horror movies can be made fairly easily on a low-budget and many years ago (before the major studios muscled in on the act) they offered audiences things they couldn't see in mainstream Hollywood films or on television.

Did the decline of Hammer have a big impact on the genre? And are you optimistic about the company's ‘rebirth'?

I think by the time Hammer went down the tubes in the mid to late 70s, the horror genre had already moved on. The whole of the British film industry was virtually dead by this point. I think the few new Hammer films I've seen have been excellent, quality products (last year's Let Me In, for example) and there is a lot of love out there for Hammer films. However, they need a really massive worldwide hit in order to cement themselves in the general public's eyes as a relevant source for modern horror films.

What's the next step for the campaign?

At the moment the Classic Horror Campaign has evolved so that it now encompasses the petition, the classic horror website and ongoing horror double bill screenings around the UK. The next steps are to evolve the website into a major source of reviews, news and information for classic horror fans. The petition needs to reach 2000 signatures so that we can present it to the BBC in a major publicity campaign. And the double bill screenings are to be bigger, better and even more fun over the next few months with support and sponsorship from various writers, film makers and publications around the world.

How can people get involved in the campaign?

The best ways to get involved are:

- Sign the petition and encourage friends to do the same.

- Join the Facebook group.

- Write to/email the BBC to ask that they bring back BBC2's Horror Double Bills.

- Discuss and promote the Classic Horror Campaign on as many horror, film and media forums online as possible.

- Attend the Classic Horror Campaign double bill screenings in London, Brighton and Manchester.

-  If you're a writer or film reviewer you can write about the campaign on your blogs, websites or printed publications as well as getting in touch with us and writing some classic horror reviews and articles for our website.

Read more about the Classic Horror Campaign here and follow it on twitter here.

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