NATIONAL HORROR MOVIE DAY
National Horror Movie Day happens on October 23 on the National Day Calendar. If you love a good fright, today is the perfect day to promote the beauty and cathartic thrills of being scared by great horror movies.
#NATIONALHORRORMOVIEDAY
Halloween is in the air bringing together fans of witches, ghouls, zombies, monsters, spiders, and pumpkins. Stores are filled with everything Halloween fans love. In fact, Halloween is a time when an abundance of horror movies are available for viewing in theatres and on streaming apps.
Horror movies have been around since about 1886 when French filmmaker Georges Melies created a short film called "Le Manoir du Diable" or The Haunted Castle. The film was a mere three minutes long and included witches, demons, and special effects that created supernatural occurrences. Since then, horror movies have evolved into different genres that consist of common elements.
3 Main Horror Movie Genres
Fear and suspense horror movies aim to make the audience feel fear or anxiety. They often use suspenseful build-ups, jump scares, and eerie atmospheres to achieve this.
Supernatural or paranormal horror films involve supernatural or paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, demons, monsters, vampires, zombies, or otherworldly forces. These elements often serve as the source of fear.
Psychological horror movies delve into the psychological aspects of fear by exploring themes like insanity, obsession, or the breakdown of the human psyche. Movies like Psycho and The Shining are examples of psychological horror.
Horror films have been a significant part of movie culture with classic and influential works that continue to captivate audiences. The goal of any good horror movie is to elicit strong emotional responses from the audience, including fear and anxiety to shock and disgust. While some people watch horror movies for the adrenaline rush and excitement, others enjoy them for the psychological aspect horror movies offer.
What makes a good horror movie?
Every horror moviecapitalizes on the fear of being isolated or trapped in a terrifying situation with no escape. Locations are always isolated or remote, like haunted houses or remote cabins. The survival of a character or characters depends on their resourcefulness and how resilient they are while finding and escape.
A good horror movie knows music plays a critical role in creating unnerving tension. In fact, the right kind of music and sound can heighten a scene and scare anyone who is watching. One of the most defying moments in horror movie history was the music and sound effects playing during the film Psycho. Without the effects of spine-chilling sound and music, Psycho would have been just another film.
All horror movies carry a dark theme that explores death, taboo, madness, or the afterlife. Oftentimes, horror movies also include social fear and anxiety with characters to heighten the fear factor. However, dark themes are never complete without the effect of makeup and visual effects to create terrifying creatures and gruesome scenes for the characters. A combination every horror movie requires.
5 Popular Horror Movies of All Time
The Exorcist (1973) is a classic horror movie that follows the possession of a young girl and the attempts to perform an exorcism on her to remove a demon from her body.
Halloween (1978) introduced the iconic slasher villain Michael Myers, who follows a babysitter on Halloween night. This iconic horror movie would eventually transition into 12 additional films.
The Shining (1980) is a movie based on the Stephen Kings novel The Shining. The movie tells of a writer who goes mad while taking care of a remote hotel during the winter.
The Conjuring (2013) is a movie based on a true story by the real-life investigations of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Hereditary (2018) is a psychological horror flick that enters the theme of family trauma and the supernatural. Hereditary has received critical acclaim for its unsettling atmosphere and earie portrayal of characters.
Why do people celebrate horror movies?
Scary stories have been told around campfires and gatherings since the dawn of humans. These stories have been the fabric of human survival. In addition, for over 100 years, horror films have been one of the most thrilling popular forms of all entertainment. Legendary filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, George Romero, Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, John Carpenter, and Dario Argento have created masterworks of art that will stand the test of time. Horror films provide a cathartic experience, allowing the viewer to experience facing their fears and conquering them, providing a sense of euphoria without the actual dangers.
Watching horror movies can give you a profound appreciation of your life. By seeing characters in precarious situations, you learn to react to those situations, reminding yourself of your inherent primal knowledge of survival. Horror fans are some of the most gentle, loving, and accepting people in the world. They accept anyone who loves to be scared, especially those who see themselves as the outsiders in their community.
7 SPOOKY HORROR MOVIE DAY CELEBRATIONS
Celebrating National Horror Movie Day can be a fun and exciting experience for fans of the movie genre. However, celebrating this National Day should always be an enjoyable one for the participants. We recommend only including people who are fellow horror flick lovers to celebrate with you.
Plan a horror movie watch party with friends and family. Pick a new movie every night starting October 23 through Halloween.
Throw a costume party in celebration of the Halloween season and have guests dress up in their favorite horror movie character. Remember to prepare your food and drinks around horror movie inspiration.
Attend a horror movie convention or film festival, you’ll experience love and acceptance unlike any other place.
Visit a haunted house and see how many of your favorite horror movie characters are scaring the jeepers out of you.
Read a horror book that has been adapted to the big screen. Authors like Stephen King are favorites among readers and horror movie buffs.
Support independent horror by watching an indie horror film or short horror movie created by independent filmmakers. Independent horror often brings fresh and unique perspectives to the genre.
Share your love for horror movies by connecting with others who love horror, too. Share your favorite films and horror movie party ideas on social media using #NationalHorrorMovieDay.
Spooky History Behind National Horror Movie Day
National Day Calendar and Black Vortex Cinema formed a coloration in the fall of 2023 to form National Horror Movie Day. Each year on October 23, we gather together to promote the beauty and cathartic thrills of being scared by great horror movies. National Horror Movie Day is celebrated on October 23 in honor of the birthday of a horror director who stands amongst those giants: Sam Raimi.
Black Vortex Cinema chose October 23 in honor of the birthday of legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi, who went on to direct massive films like the Spiderman Trilogy, Oz the Great and Powerful, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and their personal favorite, Drag Me to Hell!
When realizing there wasn’t an official celebration day for horror films, National Horror Movie Day Founder Christian Ackerman presented the idea to his Black Vortex Cinema collaborators Chuck Foster, Felissa Rose, Joshua McKevitt, and Sean Decker, who all voted on October 23rd as the perfect day just before their favorite day of the year, Halloween!
About Sam Raimi
In the early ‘80s Raimi and his young friends created one of the most beloved franchises in all of horror, The Evil Dead. Ever since, he went on to direct massive films like the Spiderman Trilogy, Oz the Great and Powerful, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and our personal favorite, Drag Me to Hell!
About Black Vortex Cinema
Black Vortex Cinema is an alliance of creators passionate about finding beauty in the creepy. When making horror films like Night of the Bastard, Halloween events like Joe Bob’s Haunted Drive-In, or the revered trilogy of books like My Favorite Horror Movie, their goal is to spread the love of horror throughout the world so that it can be enjoyed by all!
Horror movie connoisseur Ackerman has produced over 35 feature films seen around the world. After appearing in the legendary Sleepaway Camp at age 13, Rose has starred in and produced over 100 films and is a world renowned face of the genre. Foster was raised in Hollywood royalty and is now a horror screenwriter and electronic musician. McKevitt is a graphic designer who has leant his design eye to American Horror Story, Hulu's Into the Dark Series, Vida, The Mindy Project, and Perry Mason. After a celebrated career in horror journalism, Decker has gone on to produce many films and continues his reign as one of the world's foremost Ministers of the Macabre.
