Undead, Unseen or Howling at the Moon? Quiz

Answer: Vampires

The concept of the vampire originated in Eastern European folklore, where it was associated with revenants: undead beings who returned from the grave to harm the living. These early vampire legends were often associated with disease, improper burials and moral transgressions. During the 18th century, vampire beliefs spread to Western Europe and influenced Gothic literature in the 19th century. Important early works included John Polidori's "The Vampyre" (1819) and Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (1897), which established many of the conventions of the modern vampire story.

Vampires entered the cinema in the early 20th century. "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" was directed by F. W. Murnau and released in Germany in 1922. It was an unauthorised adaptation of Stoker's "Dracula", with character names and details changed: Count Dracula became Count Orlok, Jonathan Harker became Hutter, and so on. Despite these changes, the Stoker estate sued for copyright infringement, and a court ordered that all copies of the film be destroyed. Several prints survived, however, and the film has become one of the most studied examples of early horror cinema.

The film was produced by the small German studio Prana Film, founded by occultist Enrico Dieckmann and Albin Grau, an artist who served as the film's producer and designer. As a result of the copyright dispute, Prana Film went bankrupt shortly after its release. Contemporary reception was mixed: While some praised the film's eerie visuals and atmosphere, others criticised its departure from conventional dramatic storytelling. Today it is regarded as a landmark in silent and horror cinema.

Answer: Vampires

"Dracula" (1958), released in the United States as "Horror of Dracula", was directed by Terence Fisher and produced by Hammer Film Productions in the United Kingdom. It was Hammer's first colour adaptation of Stoker's novel and established the studio's reputation for gothic horror. Christopher Lee starred as Count Dracula, while Peter Cushing played Professor Van Helsing. The film deviated from the original novel in several ways, including characters and plot, but retained the central conflict between Dracula and his pursuers.

"Dracula" was released to both commercial and critical success. It was praised for its performances, production values and more dynamic portrayal of Dracula than previous film versions. The film popularised gothic horror in the late 1950s and 1960s, and led to a series of sequels and spin-offs in the Hammer "Dracula" franchise, with Lee reprising his role in several films.

Answer: Vampires

Vampire fiction underwent a significant shift in the 1980s, influenced by changing cultural attitudes and trends in entertainment. Whereas earlier vampire films often portrayed the vampire as an isolated, aristocratic figure, newer works showed vampires in contemporary settings and sometimes mixed horror with elements of comedy or romance.

"The Lost Boys" was directed by Joel Schumacher and released in the United States in 1987. The title refers to the "Lost Boys" from J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan", drawing a parallel between eternal youth and the undead. Set in the fictional coastal town of Santa Carla, California, the film follows two brothers who encounter a gang of vampires disguised as rebellious teenagers. The cast included Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest and Corey Feldman.

Answer: Zombies

The modern concept of the zombie is very different from its folkloric origins. In West African and Haitian traditions, zombies were believed to be reanimated corpses controlled by witchcraft. These beliefs entered the Western world in the early 20th century, often filtered through sensationalist or colonialist interpretations. Early films, such as "White Zombie" (1932), depicted zombies as mindless slaves under supernatural control. The transformation of the zombie into a cannibalistic, flesh-eating creature associated with apocalyptic narratives began in the late 1960s.

"Night of the Living Dead" was directed by George A. Romero and released in 1968. It is widely credited with redefining the zombie genre and establishing many conventions that persist today. The film follows a group of people trapped in a farmhouse while the dead inexplicably return to life and begin attacking the living. Although the word "zombie" is never used in the film, the reanimated dead exhibit behaviour - such as cannibalism - that became standard in later depictions.

Produced independently by Image Ten on a modest budget, the film was shot in and around Pittsburgh. The decision to cast an African-American actor, Duane Jones, in the lead role was unusual at the time and contributed to later critical interpretations of the film's social commentary. Its grainy black-and-white cinematography, graphic content and bleak ending were notable departures from earlier horror films.

"Night of the Living Dead" was controversial for its violent imagery, but achieved significant commercial success and developed a lasting legacy. It is considered a landmark in independent filmmaking and horror cinema.

Answer: Zombies

The zombie genre never completely disappeared, but experienced a decline in the 1980s and 1990s. In the early 2000s, however, there was a notable increase in higher profile, globally successful zombie and infection-themed films, often with faster pacing and modern settings.

One example is "REC", a 2007 Spanish horror film directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. It uses a found-footage format to follow a television reporter and her cameraman as they accompany firefighters to an apartment building in Barcelona. Once inside, they are quarantined as a mysterious infection spreads, turning residents into violent, zombie-like figures.

The film was produced by Filmax and starred Manuela Velasco. It was shot primarily in a single location with handheld cameras to create a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere. "REC" was a critical and commercial success in Spain and abroad. It led to three sequels and inspired the American remake "Quarantine" (2008).

Answer: Zombies

Another example of a modernised zombie story is "Train to Busan", directed by Yeon Sang-ho and released in South Korea in 2016. The film follows passengers on a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan as they struggle to survive a viral outbreak that turns infected people into aggressive, fast-moving zombies. The main characters include a workaholic father, his young daughter, a pregnant couple and a group of high school students.

The film was produced by RedPeter Film and Next Entertainment World. Upon release, it received widespread critical acclaim and was a major box office success both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the highest-grossing Korean films of all time. The film was followed by an animated prequel ("Seoul Station", 2016) and a sequel ("Peninsula", 2020).

Answer: Ghosts/Spirits

Ghosts - spirits of the dead who appear to the living - have been a recurring theme in global storytelling and religion for centuries. In film, ghost stories gained popularity in the early 20th century and have taken various forms, from gothic horror to psychological thrillers. These films often deal with grief, guilt, the afterlife and the boundaries between the seen and the unseen.

"The Innocents" is a 1961 British psychological horror film directed by Jack Clayton. It is an adaptation of Henry James's 1898 novella "The Turn of the Screw", with a screenplay co-written by Truman Capote and William Archibald.

The film follows a governess, Miss Giddens, who is hired to care for two orphaned children at a remote country estate. She comes to believe that the house is haunted and that the children are being influenced by the evil spirits of former employees. The story leaves open the question of whether the ghosts are real or a figment of the governess's imagination.

Shot in Cinemascope and black and white, the film is notable for its use of lighting, sound and minimal visual effects to create psychological unease. It was critically acclaimed and is considered a landmark in gothic horror. Its ambiguous approach to the supernatural influenced many later ghost films.

Answer: Ghosts/Spirits

"The Haunting" is a 1963 supernatural horror film directed by Robert Wise. It is based on Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel "The Haunting of Hill House". The plot revolves around a small group of people who are brought in to investigate a supposedly haunted mansion. The story focuses on Eleanor, a vulnerable woman who may be particularly sensitive to the house's influence.

Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the film was a commercial and critical success and is now regarded as one of the most influential ghost films in cinematic history. It has been remade and adapted several times, including in a 1999 film and a 2018 streaming series.

Answer: Ghosts/Spirits

"Poltergeist" is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg. The screenplay was written by Spielberg, Michael Grais and Mark Victor. The story follows a suburban family whose home becomes the site of increasingly disturbing paranormal activity, centred on the youngest daughter, who is eventually abducted by malevolent spirits.

The title refers to a type of ghost or spirit known in folklore for causing physical disturbances such as loud noises and moving objects. "Poltergeist" was a major commercial success and was nominated for three Academy Awards. It spawned two sequels and a remake. It is credited with helping to popularise ghost stories in mainstream cinema in the 1980s and remains one of the best-known examples of the haunted house sub-genre.

Answer: Werewolves

Werewolves are people who turn into wolves or wolf-like creatures. They have been part of European folklore for centuries. In film, they appeared as early horror characters in the 1930s and 1940s, most notably in "The Wolf Man" (1941). Since then, the theme has been revisited in various styles, often associated with dual identity or uncontrollable change. The early 1980s saw a renewed interest in the genre, characterised by advanced transformation effects and darker, more adult themes.

An example is "The Howling", a 1981 American horror film directed by Joe Dante. It is based on the 1977 novel by Gary Brandner. The story follows a television news anchor who, after a traumatic encounter with a serial killer, is sent to a rural retreat that turns out to be inhabited by werewolves. The film was produced by Avco Embassy Pictures and featured special effects by Rob Bottin, with uncredited contributions from Rick Baker. Its transformation scenes were considered groundbreaking at the time and contributed to a renewed interest in werewolf films during the early 1980s. Released the same year as "An American Werewolf in London", it was part of a brief surge in werewolf horror.

Answer: Werewolves

"Silver Bullet" is a werewolf horror film directed by Dan Attias, based on Stephen King's novella "Cycle of the Werewolf". Released in 1985, it tells the story of a series of brutal murders in a small American town and two siblings - a paraplegic boy and his sister - who discover that the killer is a werewolf.

The title has a double meaning. It refers to the boy's customised motorised wheelchair, called the "Silver Bullet", as well as the traditional method of killing a werewolf using an actual silver bullet. The screenplay was written by King, and the film stars Corey Haim, Megan Follows and Gary Busey.

Produced by Dino De Laurentiis, the film combines supernatural horror with a coming-of-age story and features practical effects for the werewolf design. "Silver Bullet" received mixed reviews on release, but has since achieved cult status among fans of Stephen King adaptations and 1980s horror cinema.

Answer: Werewolves

"Dog Soldiers" is a 2002 British horror film directed by Neil Marshall. It follows a squad of British soldiers on a training exercise in the Scottish Highlands who are attacked by a group of werewolves. The unit takes refuge in a remote farmhouse and must fight to survive the night.

Produced on a modest budget, the film was largely shot in Luxembourg as a stand-in for the Highlands. It relies on practical creature effects and limited locations to create tension. The title refers both to the soldiers' role as combatants ("dogs of war") and to the literal threat posed by the werewolves.

"Dog Soldiers" was Marshall's directorial debut and received positive reviews for its blend of horror and dark humour. Although it was not widely released in cinemas, it became a cult favourite on home media and is often cited as a standout entry in modern werewolf cinema.