It is not often that a film, especially a low-budget flick with guerilla-style filmmaking tactics, kicks off an entire new sub-genre - but Night of the Living Dead (1968), directed by George Romero, is now considered a touchstone in the horror genre as the first zombie movie. The slow-moving, yet terrifying, ghouls threaten a group of people seeking shelter in a remote farmhouse and the story focuses just as much on the interpersonal conflicts as on the villains growing in numbers and strength on the outside. Incredibly progressive in its diverse casting, the film not only launched Romero’s career, spawned a long-lasting franchise, but also inspired untold numbers of zombie cinematic tales. The first film in our Horror Marathon is a bit of homework before the official kick-off - dipping a toe into the genre with the first zombie movie!

With the successful wrap of the Western Marathon, it is time to turn our attention to the Horror Marathon - and boy, am I nervous about it! I am not a huge Horror film fan and tend to avoid these films whenever possible - but that time is over as I dive into Filmspotting’s next marathon, focusing on the Horror genre. In this introduction, I will touch on the basics of the genre, summarize the history, explore my own experiences with horror films, and lay out the list of films we will be watching. Here I go - holding my breath in suspense, closing my eyes in terror, and tiptoeing towards the Horror!