Why Do Horror Films Have Such a Hold on Our Imaginations?
An exhibition at the Academy Museum explores the transgressive power of scary movies, channeling our deepest fears about life, death, and the unknown.
LOS ANGELES — Horror films may have historically been relegated to second-class status in the cinematic canon, viewed by some critics as vulgar fright fests that lack the gravitas of “serious” filmmaking. But there is no denying the captivating power they have exerted over audiences, channeling our deepest fears about life, death, the world around us, and the unknown onto the silver screen. Now on view through July at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, The Horror Show takes a broad look at the history of the genre, exploring why scary movies have had such a hold on our imaginations — and prompting a reconsideration of their place in the filmic pantheon.
It all began with a single object: Dracula’s cape. That is, the original iconic cape worn by Bela Lugosi in Todd Browning’s Dracula (1931), which the Academy acquired from the Lugosi family in 2019. “It’s been a family heirloom for several generations,” Jessica Niebel, senior curator at the museum, told Hyperallergic. “We knew we wanted to highlight it in a special way.”
Once they had this cornerstone of the exhibition, curators began to assemble a wide range of material, including costumes, props, concept art, film posters, and scripts, from horror classics (The Shining, Psycho), contemporary masterpieces (Midsommar, Get Out) and underrated gems (Tales From the Hood, The Stuff). Centering both visual and narrative artistry, the curators drew heavily on the Academy Museum’s own robust collection, as well as objects and archival materials borrowed from dozens of lenders.
