The History of How Television Plays Into the Horror Films

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As a child of the ’80s and ’90s, I can vividly recall the days when the television set was the centerpiece of our living room, the gateway to countless adventures and terrors. The chilling tale of The Ring, with its haunting imagery and eerie connection to the box in the corner of our rooms, left an indelible mark on me.

Over the past 100 years, televisions have played a critical role in human history. These devices revolutionized how we receive vital information, discover products/services, and consume various forms of entertainment. TV played a key role in the formative years of the last couple of generations, crafting a novel content area with the development of TV shows and eventually made-for-TV films, which began to accompany and then slowly replace radio dramas. The similar thrills of stage plays and motion pictures were now in a format designed for home consumption. Soon, programs like sitcoms, cartoons, music videos, soap operas, and more came straight to living rooms. TV’s impact on all areas of pop culture is immeasurable. However, there’s one genre that boasts a special relationship with it: horror. 

In the realm of horror, it’s no secret that this genre mirrors our deepest fears, biases, ethical dilemmas, and religious undercurrents, shaping a reflection of society, whether for better or worse. As the 1960s came to a close, horror started making its mark on mainstream culture, and the humble television set found itself woven into the genre’s narrative fabric. Interestingly enough, despite its hefty cost, television ownership was rapidly increasing during that time.

This year marks the first significant use of television in horror with the groundbreaking movie “Night of the Living Dead”. George Romero, the writer, producer, and director of this film, leveraged his prior TV career to create a chilling portrayal of how TV would be instrumental during an unprecedented apocalypse. The on-screen broadcasts in the movie echoed the raw, “in-the-field” style of reporting common during the Vietnam War coverage.

In this movie, television serves as both a rapid means of delivering alarming messages and news to viewers, but also as a tool for stirring unrest in some and sowing further uncertainty in others. Indeed, it’s during times like these that people often question what they see happening around them, much like in many post-apocalyptic stories where the greatest fear arises from humanity’s own ignorance or the chaos caused by the collapse of established order. The consequences are typically dire, as people fight viciously for survival and resources. The divide between what is shown on TV and the reality often sparks debate. This theme is exemplified in the film Night of the Living Dead, through the panic that overtakes a small group of survivors.

There are numerous factors contributing to the widespread skepticism towards media. Occasionally, the content presented is blatant propaganda designed to sway viewers’ opinions or emotions towards a specific outcome. In other instances, the distrust stems from societal influences such as religious institutions or dominant cultural norms of a particular generation. Historically, there have been groups, regardless of their faith, who view television as a conduit for malevolence and misinformation, capable of corrupting individuals’ minds and souls at worst, or negatively impacting interpersonal relationships at best. At its scariest, this fear is exploited in movies that reflect the social attitudes of their respective eras.

In fact, I have two words that will set up a film that does exactly this: They’re here. 

That infamous phrase still sends a thrilling shudder down many late Boomer, Gen-X, and Millennial spines. Many of us horror-loving nerds can remember this entire scene from Poltergeist (1982) easier than we can recall what we ate for breakfast two days ago. Little Carol Anne is sleeping in bed with her family before the TV suddenly turns on. The white screen crackles and flickers with post-broadcast static (which feels ancient now), flooding the room with light as she crawls from her bed and towards the glowing screen.

In the near future, sinister entities begin to infiltrate the room, causing it to tremble as if struck by an earthquake, awakening Carol Anne’s family in terror. She addresses them with a chilling phrase, triggering a series of peculiar events. What was intended to be a peaceful suburban life transforms into a nightmare, often associated with—you correctly deduced—that troublesome gadget emblematic of materialism and emotional disconnect within the household. (They eventually discard the TV in the garbage, and I can see why.) The notion that “Perhaps TV is harmful?” is a horror trope common in ’80s movies such as Videodrome (1983). This intriguing film explores how wickedness can be disseminated through broadcast signals, manipulating a man’s mind to the edge of madness.

The movie “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” showcases an instance where the character Jennifer, aspiring for a TV career, gets pulled into a television set by Freddy Krueger. Before her death, Max, a hospital orderly, advises her against excessive TV watching and suggests reading books instead. Despite his warnings, Jennifer continues to watch TV to keep herself entertained and awake. However, her fatigue eventually overpowers her. This desire to be on, interact with, and monetize television unwittingly contributes to Jennifer’s downfall, offering a thought-provoking commentary amidst the film’s humor about the potential dangers of excessive screen time.

Leaving aside the infamous Michael Myers, let’s talk about the unique standalone horror movie Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1983). Instead of slasher elements, this film delves into witchcraft lore and a catchy TV jingle that triggers lethal microchips hidden in Halloween masks. The idea of linking Halloween with Satanic or evil forces, as well as the belief that it’s when the barrier between our world and the afterlife is at its thinnest, makes this movie’s use of a commercial as a source of fear all the more chilling. Interestingly, there’s even a commercial within the film promoting the original Halloween (1978) movie itself! This clever move distanced Halloween III from the main franchise and offered a fun Easter egg at a time when the concept was still quite novel in TV and film production.

During this time period known as the era of horror, there was also a widespread fear called the Satanic Panic, which persisted from the 1980s through the early 1990s. This collective sense of moral panic stemmed from the belief that Satanic rituals and general evil were everywhere, even in entertainment such as movies and games like Dungeons & Dragons. This fear was fueled by controversial films like “The Exorcist” (1973) and real-life events such as the Manson family murders. Various conspiracy theories spread rapidly, including some through television broadcasts. Americans became obsessed with fears of child abuse cults, perceived evil symbols, and other similar concerns, which eventually spread worldwide. As a result, it’s not hard to understand why horror continued to emphasize the idea that TVs are gateways for evil.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the intriguing role television plays in setting the tone for horror films, like in John Carpenter’s iconic “Halloween” (1978). Characters like Tommy Doyle and Lindsay Wallace are perfect examples of this. They spend their time immersed in the world of entertainment, watching classics such as “The Thing From Another World” (1951) and “Forbidden Planet” (1956), while their older counterparts grapple with terrifying realities.

In time, the holiday known as Halloween would be given a film-within-a-film interpretation through the movie “Scream” (1996). Horror enthusiast Randy and others watch this film on screen, only for real-life horror to ensue at Stu Macher’s residence. The conventions of horror movies start influencing their lives in a very literal sense. It’s quite symbolic when final girl Sidney Prescott triumphs over Macher, a murderer who has been influenced by too many scary films, by grilling his head on a television. There remains a subtle suggestion that TV mirrors the real world while also serving as a means of community and amusement.

In later installments of the “Scream” series, television plays a significant role. For instance, in “Scream 2” (1997) and “Scream 3” (2000), we see Sidney watching TV as she learns about Ghostface killings. In “Scream 3”, the killer manipulates her by making her watch news about Hollywood murders to draw her out. Notably, one of the most chilling uses of television in a horror movie from the early 2000s is the American remake of “The Ring” (2002), which was based on the Japanese supernatural thriller “Ringu” (1998).

In the style of the classic film, Poltergeist, this movie 1) embodies its era’s essence and 2) creatively portrays TV as a figurative two-way communication and malevolent gateway. At that time, no horror enthusiast could ignore its tale about a reporter exploring a video cassette filled with peculiar visuals that ultimately led to the viewer’s demise within seven days. The movie delves into the unsettling influence of television and disturbing content on viewers, adding a chilling horror twist. It also explores the connection between chain letters, urban legends, and the spread of eerie tales such as this one.

The movie depicts Samara, a child endowed with supernatural abilities, being confined in a barn by her foster parents, leaving her with just a television for company. Her isolation from family and society due to her reliance on the TV is crucial to her transformation into evil. She employs the same device that provides her solace to connect (and harm) others.

It’s clear that VHS tapes have a strong association with television, since you need one to watch the other. The V/H/S movie series heavily employs TV as the scenes of multiple found-footage horror stories unfold. As we delve into these horrors alongside different characters, it seems like there’s a fuzzy boundary between our reality and what we are observing.

In the years that have passed, television has maintained a significant relationship with the horror genre. For instance, in 2023, the show “Late Night with the Devil” delved into themes of greed, showmanship, and the thirst for attention and viewers. Starring David Dastmalchian, this found footage production presents a chilling portrayal of demonic possession unfolding live on television. Another example is “I Saw the TV Glow” (2024), which follows a pair as they become engrossed in an odd, vintage series that blurs their perception of fantasy and reality. To a lesser extent, Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” (2018) subtly incorporates television, as the protagonist Chris watches a disturbing recorded video hinting at his impending ordeal. His subsequent works, “Us” and “Nope”, are more overt in exploring TV’s impact on our fascination with spectacle.

In the story, it’s revealed that Red, who isn’t exactly evil, but more of an antagonist, had her plot significantly shaped after witnessing the “Hands Across America” campaign just before being replaced by her doppelganger in 1986. Contrastingly, the movie “Nope” opens with a popular television show featuring a chimpanzee. The animal soon reverts to its wild instincts and attacks those nearby. Despite this event, Jupe continues to interact with and misuse nature, which ultimately results in his tragic end when he’s swallowed by an extraterrestrial entity resembling a UFO.

In a more profound sense, the tradition of hidden references in films, similar to those seen in Halloween (1978), persists in modern movies like Scream (2022). This movie includes a scene where Tara watches Dawson’s Creek, a show that stars Scott Foley, who portrayed the killer Roman Bridger in Scream 3. Furthermore, the horror-comedy film The Blackening (2023) cleverly employs a television set for a villain dressed in blackface to play psychological games. He torments a group of Black friends during their Juneteenth weekend get-together, showing them both live and pre-recorded footage that heightens the fear.

The future of horror keeps shifting in many ways as viewer attitudes change. But, even in a world where many turn to their phones, tablets, and laptops to watch shows and movies, the television set will continue to be a staple in the genre. Whether the device’s purpose is fun nods to other franchises, a source of information, or a portal for sinister spirits, TV and horror are always a match made in hell.

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2024-09-26 02:03