In the 1980s, 24-hour cable news was dominated the threat of new modern terrors. Moviegoers embraced iconic slashers like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees; vampire films saw a resurgence.

In the 1960s and ‘70s, horror films reflected the real and intangible change younger Americans demanded. A new generation of auteur horror filmmakers pushed the envelope with films like Halloween, Carrie, Rosemary's Baby, and The Exorcist.

Following World War II, Americans' anxieties evolved into fears around unchecked science, nuclear annihilation, and Communism (aka "the Red Scare"). Horror filmmakers responded with legendary films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Blob.

In the 1930s, iconic monsters such as Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein launch a horror renaissance when they are reintroduced to movie-going audiences, offering a shared escape from real-world anxieties