Episode 1 | American Monsters

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In the 1930s, iconic monsters such as Universal’s Dracula and Frankenstein, followed by the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man, and others, launched a horror renaissance when they were reintroduced to moviegoing audiences, offering a shared escape from real-world anxieties of the post-war world and the Great Depression.

Episode 2 | Atomic Nightmares

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During World War II and the years following, people’s anxieties evolved, and the terror of monsters transformed to fears around unchecked science, nuclear annihilation, and communism (aka “the Red Scare”). Horror filmmakers responded with legendary films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Blob.

Episode 3 | Unholy Dreams

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The 1960s and 70s were defined by profound changes in cultural norms. Horror films of the era reflected the real and intangible change a younger generation demanded. A new generation of auteur horror filmmakers pushed the envelope with films like Halloween, Carrie, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Exorcist.

Episode 4 | Relentless Evil

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In the 1980s, 24-hour cable news exposed audiences to seemingly exploitative news, dominated by serial killers and the threat of a new mysterious disease, suggesting new modern terrors. Audiences embraced iconic slashers like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, and vampire films saw a resurgence. By the 1990s, as Gen X audiences’ taste in horror evolved, Wes Craven took screams to the next level.

Episode 5 | A New Horror

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In the final episode, the emergence of cellphones and other new technologies in the 2000s exposed us to new and perpetual terrors. Inventive horror filmmakers adapted, and seminal films like The Blair Witch Project opened new doors. And then Blumhouse reinvented the genre with new nightmares.