Horror Movies and the Modern Halloween Imagination

How cinema taught generations what Halloween is supposed to look and sound like.

Episode 27 of The Depths of Halloween. Elias, Mara and the Archivist debate the history, folklore and modern claims behind Horror Movies and the Modern Halloween Imagination. The production distinguishes documented history from folklore and later reinterpretation where the evidence is uncertain.

Estimated scripted runtime: about 15.4 minutes before performance pacing.

Topics in this episode

• Film creates shared imagery
• The Halloween film
• Fear changes by decade
• Why watch together

Sources and further reading

• Library of Congress: The Origins of Halloween Traditions
• Library of Congress: Halloween: Topics in Chronicling America
• Smithsonian Magazine: The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating
• Smithsonian Magazine: When Halloween Was All Tricks and No Treats
• HISTORY: How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth