List of horror films of the 1930s explained

A list of horror films released in the 1930s.

History

The American horror film was properly created in the 1930s, most notably the Universal Horror film productions. White Zombie is considered the first feature-length zombie film and has been described as the archetype and model of all zombie movies. A number of Hollywood actors made a name for themselves in horror films of this decade, in particular Bela Lugosi (Dracula, 1931) and Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, 1931). Fredric March won an Academy Award for Best Actor in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 1931.[1] Films of this era frequently took their inspiration from the literature of gothic horror and more often dealt with themes of science versus religion rather than supernatural themes.

Many horror films of this era provoked public outcry and censors cut many of the more violent and gruesome scenes from such films as Frankenstein, Island of Lost Souls and The Black Cat. In 1933, the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) introduced an "H" rating for films labeled "Horrific" for "any films likely to frighten or horrify children under the age of 16 years" and only a year later Hollywood initiated a strict production code limiting the violence and sexuality that could be portrayed in films.[2] In 1935, the President of the BBFC Edward Shortt, wrote "although a separate category has been established for these [horrific] films, I am sorry to learn they are on the increase...I hope that the producers and renters will accept this word of warning, and discourage this type of subject as far as possible." As the United Kingdom was a significant market for Hollywood, American producers listened to Shortt's warning, and the number of Hollywood produced horror films decreased in 1936. A trade paper Variety reported that Universal Studios abandonment of horror films after the release of Dracula's Daughter was that "European countries, especially England are prejudiced against this type product ."

At the end of the decade, a profitable re-release of Dracula and Frankenstein would encourage Universal to produce Son of Frankenstein (1939), starting off a resurgence of the horror film that would continue into the mid-1940s.

List

Horror films released in the 1930s
TitleDirectorCastCountryNotes
1930
1931
DraculaUnited States
DraculaUnited States [3]
FrankensteinUnited States
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeUnited States
The PhantomUnited States [4]
1932
Castle Sinister[5]
Doctor XUnited States
FreaksUnited States
Island of Lost SoulsUnited States
KongoWilliam J. Cowen United States [6]
The Mask of Fu ManchuUnited States
The Monster WalksUnited States
The Most Dangerous GameJoel McCrea, Fay Wray, Leslie BanksUnited States
The MummyUnited States
Murders in the Rue MorgueUnited States
The Old Dark HouseUnited States
Unheimliche GeschichtenPaul Wegener, Harald Paulsen, Roma Bahn Germany
VampyrJulian West, Maurice Schutz, Jan Hieronimko France
Germany
White ZombieUnited States
1933
La LloronaMexico
The GhoulUnited Kingdom
The Invisible ManUnited States
The Monkey's PawUnited States [7]
Murders in the ZooUnited States
Mystery of the Wax MuseumUnited States
Night of TerrorUnited States
SupernaturalUnited States
The Vampire BatUnited States
1934
The Black CatUnited States
Black MoonUnited States
Chloe, Love Is Calling YouUnited States [8]
House of MysteryEd Lowry, Verna Hillie, John Sheehan United States
ManiacBill Woods, Thea Ramsey United States
The Phantom of the ConventMarta Roel, Carlos Villatoro, Enrique del Campo Mexico
The Tell-Tale HeartNorman Dryden, John Kelt, Yolande Terrell United Kingdom
1935
The Black RoomUnited States
Bride of FrankensteinUnited States
Condemned to LiveFrank Strayer Ralph Morgan, Maxine Doyle, Russell Gleason United States
The Crime of Dr. CrespiUnited States
Mad LoveUnited States
Mark of the VampireUnited States
OuangaFredi Washington, Sheldon Leonard, Philip Brandon United States
The RavenLew Landers, Louis Friedlander United States
The Student of PragueNazi Germany
Werewolf of LondonUnited States
1936
The Devil-DollUnited States [9]
Dracula's DaughterUnited States
Fährmann MariaNazi Germany
The GolemCzechoslovakia
France
The Invisible RayUnited States
El Baúl MacabroEsther Fernández, Ramón Pereda, René Cardona Mexico
The Man Who Changed His MindUnited Kingdom
Revolt of the ZombiesDorothy Stone, Dean Jagger, Roy D'Arcy, Robert Noland United States
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetUnited Kingdom [10] [11]
The Walking DeadUnited States
1939
Buried AliveUnited States [12]
The Cat and the CanaryUnited States
The Dark Eyes of LondonUnited Kingdom
The Face at the WindowUnited Kingdom [13]
The GorillaUnited States [14]
La Herencia MacabraMiguel Arenas, Consuela Frank, Ramón Armengod Mexico
The Man They Could Not HangUnited States
The Return of Doctor XUnited States [15]
Son of FrankensteinUnited States
Torture ShipUnited States [16]

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) . . June 4, 2013.
  2. Doherty, Thomas "The Code Before 'Da Vinci'" Washington Post (May 20, 2006)
  3. Web site: Dracula (Spanish Version). Allmovie. August 7, 2011. Erickson, Hal.
  4. Web site: The Phantom. Allmovie. August 7, 2011. Wollstein, Hans J.
  5. Web site: Castle Sinister . 75 Most Wanted . British Film Institute National Archive . October 18, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110514023053/http://www.bfi.org.uk/nationalarchive/news/mostwanted/castle-sinister.html . May 14, 2011 . dead .
  6. Web site: Kongo. Allmovie. Brennan, Sandra. August 7, 2011.
  7. Web site: The Monkey's Paw. Allmovie. Brennan, Sandra. August 7, 2011.
  8. Web site: Chloe. Allmovie. Firsching, Robert. August 7, 2011.
  9. Web site: The Devil-Doll. Allmovie. Erickson. Hal. August 7, 2011.
  10. Web site: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Allmovie. Hobart. Tana. August 7, 2011.
  11. Web site: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. DVD. Allmovie. Hobart. Tana. July 25, 2011.
  12. Web site: Buried Alive. Allmovie. Blaise, Judd. August 7, 2011.
  13. Web site: The Face at the Window. Allmovie. Binion. Cavett. August 7, 2011.
  14. Web site: The Gorilla. Allmovie. Blackburn, Steve. August 7, 2011.
  15. Web site: The Return of Doctor X. Allmovie. Brennan. Sandra. August 7, 2011.
  16. Web site: Torture Ship. Allmovie. Eder. Bruce. August 7, 2011.

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