Surround Sound

By Emily Pearce

Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or not, the indelible mark that the horror genre has left on public consciousness in recent decades is undeniable. Iconic characters, such as Pennywise the Clown, Count Dracula, Freddy Krueger, and Norman Bates, are all fixed staples in popular culture and the stuff of nightmares for both children and adults alike. The growing omnipresence of the horror genre has also given rise to the ‘scream queen’ label. Actresses like Jamie Lee Curtis, Jenna Ortega, Vera Farmiga and Mia Goth have similarly gained recognition for their recurring roles in ghostly thrillers and violent slashers. 

Whilst these characters and actors serve as visible emblems of this beloved genre, horror fans may not have ever considered the behind-the-scenes creatives who work to make their favourite movies as gruesome, terrifying, and exciting as possible. Horror SFX artists are an integral reason why this genre has flourished in mainstream culture, despite the critical disregard that these types of films seem to incur. Their work, like the horror genre itself, has consistently advanced to suit the tastes and expectations of audiences in any given period. Horror films require a special kind of synergy, blending visual illusions and auditory effects to most effectively deliver scares and find new, innovative ways to shock audiences. To properly dissect the evolving contributions of these unsung horror heroes, we must begin at the genesis of Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age.’ 

The Golden Age showcased the boundless possibilities of filmmaking, both in terms of creativity and social impact. The period produced some of the most famous American movies to date, such as The Wizard of Oz and Gone With The Wind (1939). It also shot stars like Grace Kelly and Gregory Peck to stratospherics heights of fame. For horror films, the emergence of sound films was an important development during the Golden Age. Whilst silent and expressionistic works predated the codification of the horror genre, Dracula (1931) is largely considered the first ‘proper’ horror film and was the first sound-film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s influential novel.

Given the practical limitations of this era of filmmaking, the production team successfully used visual trickery to convey the bloodthirsty Count Dracula in the scariest way possible. Dracula’s transformations from bat to vampire were carried out off-screen, but still feel realistic. Fog and lighting effects were also used to bring Stoker’s gothic vision to life, with frequent tight frames and close-ups implemented to amplify the tension. Whilst Dracula uses several techniques that horror fanatics will be accustomed to by now, this film is a testament to the creativity and adaptability of early SFX teams. It’s a great point of reference to highlight how far special effects have come since. 

Other early horror films tested various imaginative methods of scaring and thrilling audiences. King Kong (1933), for example, used stop-motion technology to depict the titular gorilla and other creatures on Skull Island. Stop-motion is notoriously difficult and time-consuming, and the special effects team were reportedly required to film all day for the sake of retaining lighting consistency. The painstaking efforts of the SFX team did not go unnoticed, however, with the film being critically lauded for its use of groundbreaking visual deception.

Heavy makeup and prosthetics also emerged as a means of convincingly representing nightmarish characters. Lon Chaney, an American actor dubbed ‘The Man of a Thousand Faces’, rose to prominence for his portrayal of grotesque and horrifying figures in the 1920s. Thanks to makeup artistry and practical effects, Chaney was able to morph from ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ to ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ with ease. Additionally, Frankenstein’s monster, portrayed by Boris Karloff in Frankenstein (1931), was brought to life through makeup artist Jack Pierce’s clever use of gum, cotton and green greasepaint. Jack Pierce’s vision is now an iconic horror archetype, with the creature’s towering frame and shrivelled face being replicated by SFX artists in later adaptations of Mary Shelley’s seminal work.

Even in an age of CGI and AI tools, prosthetics and makeup tricks are still used widely today, as seen with Nicolas Cage’s portrayal of the eponymous serial killer in Longlegs (2024) for example. We may take horror character designs for granted now, but creative makeup artists are the brains behind some of the genre’s most recognisable stock figures. 

Sound effects in horror productions are just as important as visual tricks, with renowned classics like Psycho (1960) The Shining (1980) using unsettling strings and chilling crescendos to leave viewers on the edge of their seat. A significant development in horror movie sound effects was the theremin, patented by Leon Theremin in 1929. Its ability to conjure disquieting frequencies and unnatural auditory illusions proved a crucial component of filmmaking for directors like Alfred Hitchcock, who featured the instrument in his 1945 thriller Spellbound. Gruesome effects like stabbing sounds or broken bones were often achieved practically, with sound effect designers (known as Foley artists) using props like fruit or wood to craft an illusion of gore. Atonal scores, referring to pieces of music without a fixed tone or rhythm, are frequently incorporated into horror films to alarm viewers and subvert their expectations. A lack of sound can be equally as hair-raising as it prompts audiences to focus solely on the visual terrors in front of them. The success of the Quiet Place franchise (2018-present) is clear evidence of this technique’s effectiveness.  

In the mid to late twentieth century, horror SFX progressed to more gory lengths. Slasher films and ‘splatter cinema’ became more popular, with movies like Night of The Living Dead (1968), The Thing (1982), Alien (1979) and The Fly (1986) pushing boundaries to craft some of the most famously grotesque scenes in cinematic history. John Carpenter’s The Thing, in my opinion, is one of the finest examples of practical gore at work.

The film follows a group of American researchers in Antarctica, who are plagued by an extraterrestrial lifeform that can imitate humans. The creature reveals itself in many disgusting and believable ways, mainly due to the meticulous work of SFX artist Rob Bottin, and the effects still hold up over forty years later. Bottin and his team used a variety of substances , including mayonnaise and microwaved bubble gum, to replicate the gratuitous blood and bodily fluids outlined in the film’s storyboard. Unfortunately, Bottin was hospitalised for exhaustion and pneumonia due to the high-pressure production environment, but his fantastic work on this film and others has earned him Academy Award and BAFTA nominations. 

CGI usage in horror films has significantly risen in recent years, although sometimes technology and practical effects are used  in tandem. Some modern horrors incorporate computer-generated images to enhance scares, but not replace practical effects completely. James Wan’s The Conjuring (2013) and Insidious (2010) both use this combination well. The possession of the Perron family by the demonic entity Bathsheba in The Conjuring was depicted through clever use of makeup, wires and rigs. CGI effects were then added on top to accentuate and polish the movie’s visual quality. The ‘Lipstick Face Demon’ and ‘The Bride in Black’ from Insidious are played by real actors who rely on wigs, costuming and heavy makeup to believably portray these malevolent entities. Even the set design in Insidious was practically built, including the astral-plane known as ‘The Further’. The production team utilised old-school horror tools, such as fog machines and specialised lighting, to intensify the fear factor. 

On the flipside, some modern horrors overuse CGI, which can detract from the immersive feeling that scary films should possess. For example, a 2011 prequel to The Thing garnered major criticism for its excessive use of CGI. As discussed, John Carpenter’s film is best known for its incredible effects so to replace that with computer graphics simply diminished what made the original so legendary. The pendulum seems to be swinging back in very recent years, however, with the release of Weapons (2025) and the upcoming Return of The Living Dead (2025) notably making a commitment to practical effects. By utilising real human brainpower and creativity, as well as classic production techniques, horror films can feel more tactile and authentic, making for more realistic scares. If filmmakers are able to cleverly blend ever-evolving technologies with practical SFX, this will ensure horror remains a terrifying, innovative and engaging genre for all.