British silent horror
British silent horror films is a sub-category of horror films made famous in Britain, and is characterized by the feature of the absence of sound. British horror drew its influence from gothic literature of the nineteenth century.[1] Influential works during the nineteenth century include Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1823), and the gothic horror novel, Dracula (1897), written by Bram Stoker.
The rise of British silent horror cinema coincided with World War I. The War and the associated prevalence of violence and death had a profound impact on films produced in the subsequent years and decades.[2][3] As time went on, spiritualism continued to be a prominent thematic focus, largely due to the British public's mourning of their deceased. British silent horror films began to be a depiction of the public's efforts to maintain a spiritual connection with the deceased.[4] Specifically, filmmakers drawing inspiration from Christianity, utilizing religious uncertainties and the surrounding perceptions of the after-life to create dramatic effect.[3]
Examples of British silent horror films[edit]
Short silent films had become an increasingly common cinematic form of entertainment during the time of the surge in popularity of gothic horror filmmaking.[2] Such films include Dr. Trimball’s Verdict (1913), directed by Frank Wilson, and The Basilisk (1914), directed by Cecil Hepworth.[3] It is could be suggested that these films drew a focus upon establishing narrative themes of the soul and religious spiritualism that defined early British silent horror films.[3] Later, Will Barker directed the film, The Beetle (1919), that was based on Richard Marsh’s novel, Beetle.[2][5] Barker's film tells the story of an Egyptian princess whose soul is transformed into a monster and is able to possess the commoners.[6]
As the British horror genre expanded, American horror cinema began to draw influence from the wave of British spiritualistic horror films. In 1913, American director, George Loane Tucker, travelled to Britain to produce the film, The Man Without a Soul (1916).[3] The film was inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The film depicts a protagonist attempting to create life by reanimating a man who would live without a soul.
References[edit]
- ↑ Conrich, Ian (2001). "Horrific films and 1930s British cinema". In Chibnall, Steve; Petley, Julian. British Horror Cinema. Routledge. pp. 58–70. ISBN 9781134582570. Retrieved 10 December 2018. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fryer, Ian (2017). "2: From the Silents to the Thirties". The British Horror Film: from the Silent to the Multiplex. Fonthill. Search this book on
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Brown, Simon (October 2010). "The British Silent Horror Film and the First World War". Offscreen. 14 (10). ProQuest 2064750337.
- ↑ Hazelgrove, Jenny (2000). Spiritualism and British Society between the Wars. Manchester, United Kingdom: Manchester University Press. pp. 13–41. Search this book on
- ↑ Gifford, Denis (2016). British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set - The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film, Volume 2. Routledge. ISBN 9781317740636. Search this book on
- ↑ Rigby, Jonathan (2006). English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema. Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 9781905287369. Search this book on
Sources[edit]
- Showalter, Elaine. 'Blood sell.' The Times Literary Supplement (London, England), Friday, January 8, 1993; pg. 14; Issue 4684.
- Laner, Barbara (Fall 2012). "The Vampiric Film: Intermedial Incorporation in 'Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror'". Post Script. 32 (1): 28–38. ProQuest 1432965487.
- Fyne, R J (2000). "McFarland Medley: A Review Essay". Film & History. 30 (2): 80–84. ProQuest 2148665.
- "Tiger-beetle, The". Treasures from the Film Archives. ProQuest 1745663142.
- "THE HORROR! THE HORROR!". Film Ireland (69): 32–34. 1999. ProQuest 194678014.
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