What Was the First Horror Movie to Be Shown on TV?
The first known horror film to air on television was The Phantom Creeps in 1949. A horror serial that was previously released in theaters, the 1949 version was a 78-minute edit of the original 265-minute serial.
At the time that televisions were making their way into the homes of the people, most genres were fighting amongst themselves to keep their audience.
Horror, on the other hand, worked well together to create a formative time for the genre.
What is The Phantom Creeps?
Produced by Universal Pictures, a forerunner in the horror genre, in 1939, The Phantom Creeps followed mad scientist Dr. Zorka (played by Bela Lugosi) in his quest to rule the world.
His inventions of mass destruction and warfare are sought after throughout the series.
The program also brought about the advent of the scrolling synopsis at the beginning of the serial, which would later inspire George Lucas in the making of Star Wars.
How Did Horror Translate to Television?
The first horror programs to reach the small screen were TV adaptations of popular radio shows at the time like Lights Out and Inner Sanctum. This would later morph into well-known series such as The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Just as the genre was changing in the theater, as television continued the horror programs followed along.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the United Kingdom show Mystery and Imagination featured hour-long adaptations of stories such as Dracula and Frankenstein, following the creature film model of the 1950s.
How Did Horror Television and Film Work Together?
Television lacked the funds or camera set up for convincing monsters and camera work, which led to an increase in more psychological stories.
These stories were more focused on character work and narrative-driven horror.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is an interesting study of this symbiotic relationship.
Released in 1960, well after television horror began, that film spends a lot of time with the characters and on steady focused shots. The horror comes from the events unfolding rather than simply a horrifying monster.
The Boom of Horror Genres in 1950 Came from TV As Well!
While not directly broadcast, the need to draw audiences back into the theaters began a renaissance of inventive horror films.
This time is when we see genre star Vincent Price starring in a number of films, the advent of the Creature Feature era, and horror in science fiction.
The variety in horror films at the time can thank television!
Horror Television Continues to Shape the Genre
From 1950 to now, the different approaches used in horror television continue to inspire the next generations.
From those that grew up with the classic Universal Monsters, to those who watched Elvira at night–they all continue to reimagine the horror genre.
Television can be a difficult place to navigate the complexity and overall rating system of horror.
You need to find a way to balance a horror story while still being able to broadcast the story. TV Horror: Covering the Television Horror Landscape by Lorna Jowett and Stacey Abbott goes into detail on how this genre was shaped over time.
