In the 1930s, iconic monsters such as Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein launch a horror renaissance when they are reintroduced to moviegoing audiences, offering a shared escape from real-world anxieties.

Following World War II, Americans' anxieties evolve into fears around unchecked science, nuclear annihilation, and Communism, aka "the Red scare"; horror filmmakers respond with legendary films like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Blob."

In the 1980s, 24-hour cable news dominates the threat of new modern terrors; moviegoers embrace iconic slashers like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees; vampire films see a resurgence.

The emergence of cellphones and new technology in the 2000s exposes Americans to new and perpetual terrors; horror filmmakers adapt, and seminal films like "The Blair Witch Project" open new doors; Blumhouse reinvents the genre with new nightmares.