Introducing Dizarranged’s 31 Days of Horror Movie Challenge 2023

Dizarranged’s 31 Days of Horror Movie Challenge is approaching! From monsters to supernatural forces and all elements stemming from your worst nightmare, horror films have existed since 1896. Two years after the birth of cinema, the horror genre has experienced numerous shifts and transformations throughout its evolution, and it’s still spinning around for your viewing pleasure. From its inception with George Méliès’  groundbreaking work in the late 19th century, horror has continuously evolved, shaping and reshaping itself to reflect societal fears and technological advancements.

First Horror film-ever:

Setting the course, we will acknowledge Méliès’ Le Manoir du Diable in 1896, known as the first horror movie, which introduced supernatural elements and set the stage for what was to come.

The wake of horror cinema

As the genre progressed into the early 20th century, supernatural-themed films emerged, drawing inspiration from literary classics like the works of HP Lovecraft and 1931’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Over the course of our time, through newly built cameras, special effects techniques, lighting, actors, makeup and technological advancements, the genre continues to explore not only the craft but the overall art of storytelling and how to find ways to scare audiences in the present day. From the silent film era, bringing us films such as 1920’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and 1922’s Nosferatu, to building creatures and ways to strike fear in films in the 1930s, during the wake of the “talkies,” with 1931’s Frankenstein and 1932’s The Mummy. Setting the world in the post-1947 Roswell crash, which coincidentally spiraled into rapid growth in technology, the exploration of new inventions and predicted ones were captured in the 1950s-era of horror, seen in films such as 1954’s The Creature from the Black Lagoon and 1951’s The Thing From Another World.

The growth of special effects & visual effects:

After such growth, the obsession with special effects became one masterpiece with brilliance from the art of Tom Savini, seen in films such as 1978’s Dawn of the Dead. The genre expanded globally, with horror films based on Stephen King novels, true story elements, and more becoming a big sensation, later the classic slasher films that brought this gore-porn-esque sensation throughout the eighties. As time shifted again, relying on computer graphics, which later became known as CGI and VFX, the work exploded, making it easier to manipulate your worst nightmare, not only on camera and through lighting techniques but to render out creatures, add more blood, gore and terror started to see in the nineties and early 2000s in films like 1996’s Scream, 2002’s Resident Evil, and has only expanded since then growing into films such as 2011’s Cabin In The Woods, the Saw franchise, to adding comedy to the mix with films like 2004’s Shaun of the Dead and 2009’s Zombieland.

Horror’s growing audience:

This genre has become more for cult lovers and the offbeat human enjoying some cringeworthy, torturous material, one only a masochist would feel exhilarated by the painful disturbances seen before their very eyes, but it has turned into a modern-day sensation where films are horribly remade but meant to relive the characters and stories we’ve known to love for the younger audiences, keeping this genre alive. With numerous sub-genres and an expansive history, cinematic horror remains a dynamic and ever-changing realm, leaving room for more to explore. With the rise of streaming platforms for binge-worthy shows, horror has escalated to a new phenomenon with shows like Stranger Things, Wednesday, or the Hitchcock-presents-like show Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, all available on Netflix.

Endless content:

However, with the streaming wars extensively and brilliantly explained on South Park, there are more series to dabble into per platform, and it’s only going to get BIGGER. Not all will be brilliant, while others will make history. But it’s up to you, the viewer, to watch for yourself and see where these horror stories will take you on your sleepless nights journey of the always-evolving craft of horror cinema. 

Back to our challenge:

Once the clock strikes midnight, it will be October 1st, 2023 and the launch of Dizarranged’s 31 Days of Horror Movie Challenge. The official Halloween kick-off season. Dizarranged has put lots of time and energy into introducing ourselves and giving humans well-thought-out themes displayed within the history of horror films. Showcasing different eras of the overall craft executing the same or similar theme and going into the depths as to why it was done so well or poorly.

Are you ready for 31 days of terror?

This is our first Dizarranged’s 31 Days of Horror Movie Challenge, so for those horror films and comedic Halloween films that were sadly left out, there will be much more to share for the next seasons! Welcome to Dizarranged and our thirty-one days of horror challenge. Leading up to Halloween 2023, each day, we will highlight a new theme with a list of horror films reflecting said theme. You can watch all of them, a few, or save it for later. Share your thoughts, and vote on which film did it best. Yell at us for the poor selection, whatever you want. This is a fun challenge to not only visit horror films but also take a deep dive into film history with the craft of horror.

Enjoy!

October Horror Feature Challenge 2023 31-day themes calendar:

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