The Sound of Screaming: Early Horror Films

Today, horror is one of the most popular genres in both film and television, blossoming in all sorts of creative and creepy directions. But as long as movies have been around, filmmakers depicted the darkest things imaginable: nightmarish monsters, evil motivations, and every possible violent act. Following the widespread adoption of sound in cinema Hollywood entered what is now called the Pre-Code era—a time known for more frank depictions of sex, violence, social ills, and general weirdness. Before it all came to an end in 1934 with the enforcement of the restrictive Production Code, Hollywood produced some of the most outlandish horror films ever put to celluloid. Celebrate spooky season with these handpicked, early horror gems that continue to inspire today’s best filmmakers.

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Clockwise from top left: Island of Lost Souls, courtesy of Universal Pictures; Freaks, Mystery of the Wax Museum, Doctor X, courtesy of Warner Bros.; Dracula, Murders in the Rue Morgue, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

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• Feature: “The 10 Best Pre-Code Horror Movies, Ranked,” David Caballero, Collider
• Feature: “The First Horror Movie & The History of The Horror Genre,” New York Film Academy