This survey of the pivotal horror films produced in America examines the history of the genre as a reflection of cultural changes in the United States. It explores the origins of the genre and follows it to the present, using various films to document the evolution of Hollywood horror flicks and illustrate their cultural significance. A second part focuses on eight directors whose personal visions helped shape the genre - from early pioneers like Tod Browning and Alfred Hitchcock to modern masters like John Carpenter and Wes Craven.