Horror films: Reflections of society's deepest fears and cultural anxieties

When you delve into the eerie world of horror films, fear isn’t always just entertainment. According to Michelle Martinez, underneath the dark layers and beneath the screams, they reflect our deepest social anxieties, mirroring society's moral panics and cultural fears.

Martinez is an instructor at Arizona State University and teaches courses for the Film and Media Studies program through ASU Online. With a background in English, creative writing, literature and cultural studies, Latino/a and Indigenous studies, and film and media studies, she brings a unique perspective to her courses.

She explores the intersection of narrative, fear and cultural reflection in horror films, encouraging students to analyze how these films challenge societal norms and reveal underlying anxieties.

Her interdisciplinary approach fosters conversation and encourages students to engage critically with classic and contemporary horror.

ASU News spoke to Martinez about horror films and how society has been reflected in them throughout the decades.

Question: How do horror films make a statement about the state of the world?

Answer: Horror films tend to have their finger on the pulse of what society is fearful or anxious about at the time they’re made. Moral and social panics often show up in horror films as monsters or as metaphors. Sometimes, horror films push against cultural norms or even serve as a cautionary tale regarding difficult situations, be they emotional or societal.

Q: Can you talk a bit about how horror films can shed light on the social and moral panics of the moment?

A: A couple great examples would be “The Exorcist” (1973) and “Carrie” (1976). Both films were released around the time the Roe v. Wade decision was made and at a time when women gained new rights, thanks to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Both films touch on anxieties about female autonomy during a time when women were experiencing historical empowerment. Both films center the male gaze on girls in their stages of puberty and project a monstrous cautionary tale on the potential of women’s power.

Another powerful example is “Night of the Living Dead” (1968). In 1968, you have the Civil Rights Movement and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the movie, the protagonist, a Black man, (spoiler alert) is mistaken for a zombie and killed by law enforcement. In retrospect, it’s such a marker of the moment. Also, at the time of its release, it was considered very progressive and cutting edge.

Q: What other significant moments in history, in your opinion, influenced horror films?

A: Natural disasters and climate change are reflected in films like “Twister” (1996), a pivotal decade for climate change discussions and a period where we saw the establishment of critical international frameworks and a surge in environmental activism and very few women in STEM positions. The early 2000s were a period of profound global political upheaval, which was mirrored in horror films like “The Purge” (2013).

Q: Can we trace world affairs and social commentary through the decades in horror films?

A: We can definitely use trends in horror films through the decades to track the zeitgeist of the moment. For instance, the rise of slasher films like “Halloween” (1978) and “Friday the 13th” (1980) explores the idea of violence invading seemingly safe spaces. In the 80s, the suburbs were seen as a safe place where suburban life marked the manifestation of the postwar American dream with the white picket fence, backyards and kids walking to school with no problem; but in this cycle of horror films, this is the hunting grounds where serial killers hunt their prey.  

The 90s bring us “Candyman” (1992), which delves into the history and socioeconomic conditions of Cabrini-Green, a public housing project in Chicago. By blending supernatural horror with real-world issues, it taps into anxieties surrounding race and urban spaces that were prominent in the '90s.

In the early 2000s, we had the Human Genome Project, restrictions on stem cell research and growing anxiety around cloning and genetic tinkering. “28 Days Later” (2002) captures those fears of what could happen when science interferes with nature, unleashing unknown risks on society.

With “Jennifer’s Body” (2009), we see a reflection of the developing conversation during the 2000s and 2010s around the objectification of women. Both the screenwriter and director are women, and my students often write about how it activates the male gaze in order to critique the male gaze. So it explores issues related to female empowerment and friendship, and functions as a kind of revenge fantasy for sexual abuse and the treatment of women in media and culture.

More recently, Jordan Peele’s movies explore social issues around race and class. Look at “Get Out” (2017), “Us” (2019) and “Nope” (2022). He incorporates urban myths and ties them to real-world historical contexts, which creates really powerful and thought-provoking horror.

Q: You talk about the female-directed movie "Jennifer’s Body." How do female directors — and diversity in general — bring a different perspective to the horror genre?

A: Women in horror bring different perspectives and offer fresh takes on some of the classic horror themes. Take the “final girl” trope, for instance — the last female character left alive who confronts the killer and often escapes or defeats them. In “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974), Sally Hardesty escapes Leatherface and his bloody chainsaw. Sigourney Weaver’s character in “Alien” (1979) is tough and capable and the sole survivor, and “Jennifer’s Body” goes further and takes this idea that women’s sexuality is consumable and flips it, making men the ones who are (literally) consumed. Historically, women in horror films were exploited, but then we had a shift where women began to take more empowered roles in real life. They wanted the same in stories.

Q: As we become desensitized to certain aspects of horror, where do you see the future of this movie genre headed? Will society continue to be the inspiration for this genre?

A: I think what makes horror films so popular is that they go straight to the human condition. Everybody experiences fear at some point, but the things that scare us might be different. Watching horror films in a dark theater with other people allows us to have a cathartic experience with the very things that scare us while our bodies remain safe in the theater.

Yet, we’ve been desensitized to a lot of gore and body horror, and I think that’s what made space for the “Saw” movies and the “Hostel” movies. I think we'll see a return to more psychological horror, like “The Blair Witch Project" (1999), where the focus is on the characters' reactions rather than the actual crime, as we never see the witch/monster. I think that because humans have a capacity for compassion and empathy, that is precisely why psychological horror works so well.

I also think we’re going to see more genre-blending in horror. Horror-comedy like “Shaun of the Dead” (2004), horror-sci-fi like “Alien: Romulus” (2024) and action-horror like “Train to Busan” (2016). Laughter and fear together heighten that cathartic experience.

Q: What are some typical horror film tropes, and what films break out of those classifications?

A: Traditionally, as the genre grew in popularity, horror films used conventions and techniques such as the use of low-key lighting, gloomy and gothic settings, certain figures, symbols and images, such as the dark cabin in the woods, the slasher or axe murderer, the zombies or ghouls and the occult or demonic entity. Then you have a film like “Midsommer” (2019) where it’s bright, there are flowers everywhere and everyone is dressed in white; it completely bucks the typical expectation of a horror movie. But it works. I’m excited to see what the next generation of horror filmmakers will bring.