Horror has long occupied a distinctive place in cinema, turning fears of mortality, the unfamiliar and the unknown into stories that captivate audiences. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles examines that enduring appeal in The Horror Show, an exhibition exploring the genre's history and artistry.
The exhibition began with a landmark object: the cape worn by Bela Lugosi in the 1931 film Dracula. Acquired by the Academy Museum from the Lugosi family in 2019, it inspired a broader presentation of costumes, props, concept art, posters and scripts.
Materials from classics such as Psycho and The Shining appear alongside more recent works including Get Out and Midsommar, as well as lesser-known titles. Together, they show how horror blends visual craft and storytelling to explore cultural anxieties and human imagination.
By placing the genre within a wider artistic history, the exhibition may encourage future audiences to recognize horror as an evolving form of cultural expression.
