Here we go again, friends. It’s time to look back at the moments in time that helped shape the face of horror that we know and love today. I hope you’re wearing your big person pants, because this week in Horror History is chalked full of freaky goodness and you’re liable to have an accident.
May 9
I don’t think 1980 was ready for what spawned on this day, and I’m not just talking about the over sexed camp counselor premise that has been copied to death. I’m talking about the birth of modern day horror’s most successful franchises. A franchise that gave us one of our most recognizable and iconic monsters, Jason Voorhees. Sure, his mother was the big bad in the inaugural Friday the 13th flick, but it was the movie that started it all.
Friday the 13th released theatrically – 1980
May 10
Back on this day in 1994, our hard earned tax money stopped giving this dude 4 square meals a day and a roof over his head, and finally gave him a lethal injection. Stephen King’s, “IT” pulled influence from this maniac, so I guess every “rapist and murder of 33 young men and boys” has a silver lining.
John Wayne Gacy (serial killer, partial inspiration for the prevalence of evil clown imagery in horror) executed – 1994
May 11
I was only 6 when Firestarter was released in theaters back in 1984, but even at that age I knew two things. I wanted pyrokinetic powers, and I wanted to push Drew Barrymore into the tanbark (aka, developed a crush).
Firestarter released theatrically – 1984
May 12
I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Franco looked down at the face of their new baby boy, Jesus, and thought, “he’s going to be responsible for so many fear boners.” Don’t act like you’re too good to know what I’m talking about. I used to get in trouble for looking at the covers of his movies on the shelves of my local video stores. For you youngsters, video stores were like physical Netflix locations you’d have to go to just to look for something to watch. You’ll never know the struggle.
Jesus Franco (director of sexually-charged horror films) born – 1930
May 13
Can we just forget this day in 1988, please? For those who know, this installment in the Friday 13th franchise is not one of its stronger outings. Jason was at the bottom of Crystal Lake, minding his own business, when he is released from his watery grave by a telekinetic girl. It also features one of the lamer endings/ways Jason is killed off. I won’t mention any more, but if you haven’t, watch it yourself and let us know what you thought.
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood released theatrically – 1988
May 14
This well known Italian poet escaped the womb way back in 1265 on this day. If his name doesn’t ring any bells, maybe his “Divine Comedy” will. The well know poem/story is split up into three separate parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. Yes, as in, “Dante’s Inferno”. You may now resume acting cool, and like you knew who we were talking about.
Dante Alighieri (author of The Divine Comedy) – born 1265
May 15
Yo dawg! We heard you liked Vampire movies, so we put a Vampire movie inside a Vampire movie! No, really. Shadow of the Vampire tells the story of the filming of Nosferatu (1922). In this tale, Willem Dafoe’s character, Max Schreck (Nosferatu), causes multiple delays in filming due to various reasons. All of which are tied to Schreck’s on set antics. Antics rooted in his belief that he is a real vampire (talk about method acting). Dafoe was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Schreck.
Shadow of the Vampire released theatrically – 2000
This week in Horror History is a wrap! Make sure to stop by next week as we take another step back in time, and focus on the happenings that contributed to the delightfully unpleasant world that is everything horror!
