Horror 101

Welcome to Horror 101, a refresher course in the basics of horror villains and films.

Horror Movies & Villains

The classic monsters are archetypes for many of the horror movie villians that we see reincarnated in today's films. These include werewolves, witches, Frankenstein, mummies,and of course your vampires (True Blood or Twilight anyone?). For any horror fan, these movie legend classic villains represent the modern fears through the ages. They embody the phobias of death, the unknown, and legends of what could be in our modern-day reality.

Monsters:

Dracula

Witches

Zombies

Frankenstein

The Mummy

Werewolves

Creature From the Black Lagoon

Would you like to play a game? We all know the popular saw series and many films like it that not only are creepy, gorey, and shocking, but they also make you think. Put mind games and death together and you have your psycho-thrillers. The villians here are clever and usually have some motive or complex history. Others, don't give you a motive, and to be honest, they really don't need one to get a good scare out of audiences either.

Slashers & Psychopaths:

"Silence of the Lambs"- Hannibal Lecter

"Halloween"- Michael Myers

Friday the 13th- Jason Whorhees

"Scream"

"Nightmare on Elm Street"- Freddy Krueger

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre"- Leatherface

"American Psycho"- Patrick Bateman

"Saw"- Jigsaw

How about those creatures that go bump in the night? I am taking about your fear of what not always can be seen. These are your classic paranormal horror films. Sometimes you never know who is actually dead and who is alive. Either way, you can always count on a good ol' possession.

Paranormal Flicks:

White Noise

Stir of Echos

The Exorcist

Dark fantasies are action-oriented and usually involve a supernatural hero and villian relationship set in an entirely different world. These films are meant to take you on a journey and sometimes, the concept of good and evil is elusive.

Dark Fantasy:

Blade

Resident Evil

Underworld

Silent Hill

Ready to advance to your next course? Check out Horror 102.

© 2011 Latasha Woods