Horror movie facts for kids

Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster in the 1935 Bride of Frankenstein.

A horror movie is a type of movie made to scare people. These films often tell stories about scary things. They might feature supernatural powers, like ghosts or magic. Or they might have characters who are very bad or evil. Sometimes, people confuse horror movies with thrillers. Thrillers are similar because they also create suspense, but they usually focus more on crime or spies than on scary monsters.

Many horror movies feature monsters or other frightening creatures. Early horror films often got their ideas from famous old books. For example, movies like The Mummy, Dracula, and The Wolf Man were all based on classic stories.

What are Comedy Horror Movies?

Comedy horror movies mix scary parts with funny parts. In these films, you might feel scared and laugh at the same time! This genre often uses a type of humour called black comedy. Black comedy finds humor in dark or serious topics.

Some well-known examples of comedy horror movies include Zombieland (2009). Others are The Raven (1963) and Shaun of The Dead (2004).

Famous Horror Film Directors

Many talented directors have made amazing horror films. Here are some of the most notable ones:

• Dario Argento
• Mario Bava
• John Carpenter
• Roger Corman
• Wes Craven
• David Cronenberg
• Terence Fisher (who directed for Hammer Films)
• Lucio Fulci
• Tobe Hooper
• F. W. Murnau
• Hideo Nakata
• George A. Romero
• Leslie Stevens
• James Whale

Famous Horror Film Actors

Vincent Price in House on Haunted Hill

Some actors are very famous for their roles in horror movies. They often played scary characters or heroes who fought against evil.

• Lon Chaney and his son Lon Chaney, Jr.
• Jamie Lee Curtis
• Peter Cushing
• Robert Englund
• Boris Karloff
• Christopher Lee
• Peter Lorre
• Bela Lugosi
• Donald Pleasance
• Vincent Price

Images for kids

• 

  Max Schreck as Count Orlok in the 1922 film Nosferatu. This movie helped set the standard for horror films.

• 

  This image shows how mirrors are sometimes used in horror films.

• 

  Filmmaker and composer John Carpenter performing in 2016. He has directed and scored many horror films.

• 

  Bela Lugosi in Dracula (1931). This film inspired many American horror movies in the 1930s.

• 

  George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968) influenced many thoughtful horror films in the 1970s.

• 

  Some cast and crew members of The Blair Witch Project (1999). It was one of the most successful horror films of the 1990s.

• 

  A still image of Madhubala in Mahal (1949), an early Indian horror film.

• 

  Park Chan-wook, the director of Thirst (2009). He is known for his varied Korean horror films from the early 21st century.

• 

  French director Julia Ducournau (center) won an award for her horror film Titane. She is pictured with actors Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon.

• 

  Jörg Buttgereit in 2015. He was a very well-known German horror director in the 1980s and early 1990s.

• 

  A still from Dario Argento's Suspiria (1977). This film brought new artistic ideas to Italian gothic horror.

See also

In Spanish: Cine de terror para niños