A red, blood-soaked carpet has been rolled out for Hollywood’s scariest ghosts, slashers, demons and the films that made them famous as the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opens “The Horror Show” exhibition.
Located on the fourth floor of the museum, the exhibit looks at horror films from classics like the 1922 movie “Nosferatu,” to modern classics like the 2013 ghost tale “The Conjuring” with hopes of exploring the popular genre’s emotional, cultural, and symbolic power. And one of horror’s biggest villains opened the exhibition by talking about the immense popularity of these films.
“It was Wes Craven who taught me how to respect the fans and the essence of the horror films, which I believe in fact now probably has taken the place of the Western and the gangster film in the cycle of film genres that we see released all the time,” said Robert Englund, better known for playing Freddy Krueger, the blade-wielding star of the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” films, as he addressed an audience during a preview of the exhibition on Thursday, Sept. 24 at the museum.
“Practically every other week there’s a horror film or a horror sci-fi or fantasy film in the top ten films, so I think we’ve finally arrived,” he said.
Made up of more than 100 objects including props, costumes, videos and interactive displays that all lead to an inevitable bloody exit, “The Horror Show” opens to the public on Saturday, Sept. 26 and runs through July.
“I think there’s something in horror films where we recognize something about ourselves. We can connect with horror films because they hold up a mirror to ourselves basically,” said Jessica Niebel, senior exhibitions curator for the museum as she stood in a room covered wall to wall in blood-soaked plastic that made it look as if a psycho killer had gone on a gory murderous spree. Dubbed “The Blood Room,” it’s the only way out of the exhibition.
But first people must get through six “chambers,” which are separate rooms that focus on different types of horror cinema that include slasher films, psychological thrillers, science and gothic horror as well as haunting religious-based films and of course ghost movies. But don’t worry, you’re more than likely to live through the chambers.
“Horror is a highly emotional type of filmmaking. You can go through the experience of fear while knowing you’re safe,” Niebel said.
Visitors enter The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The actual cape worn by Bela Lugosi in Dracula on display at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Slasher chamber at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Movie props in the slasher chamber at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Movie props and costumes at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Various artifacts from slasher movies at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chucky and Tiffany puppets on display at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Visitors can get selfies with other-worldly props at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Visitors must exit though a bloody room at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The mask worn by actor Ricou Browning in “The Gill-Man” on display at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A prop from “Annabelle Comes Home” at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A visitor gets a selfie in a life-size coffin at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Aliens come to life in the science chamber at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The outfit worm by Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs on display at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Academy staff make final preparations for the opening of The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Shinning axe and costume on display at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Jessica Niebel, Senior Exhibitions Curator, emerges from a bloody room at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Visitors pass by a screen playing “The Shinning” at The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger, welcomes media to the preview of “The Horror Show”, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures that opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Show Caption
1 of 19
Visitors enter The Horror Show, a new exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opens on September 26th and features all things scary in the movies. Visitors can visit cinematic “chambers” featuring different genres of the theme. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Visitors will enter these chambers after walking through a darkened space engulfed by macabre music, voices, and sound effects. They’ll emerge into a long hallway lined with classic horror film posters from the Academy Collection and other lenders.
Then it’s off to the chambers including the Gothic section where, in a darkened room meant to resemble a crypt, they’ll explore the world of vampires with items like a recently restored cape worn by Bela Lugosi in 1931’s “Dracula” as well as costumes from more modern films like the black leather costume and sword used by Wesley Snipes in 1998’s “Blade.” But one of the most striking items on display, since it stands out among the black attire preferred by vampires, is the red armor suit worn by Gary Oldman in the 1992 hit “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”
The lights are turned up bright but the mental state of these characters is still dark as night in the Psychological Horror section where visitors are greeted with Norman Bates’ mother, or at least what’s left of her, sitting in a rocking chair. Near her is an exhibition of costumes that include the jacket worn by Jack Nicholson in “The Shinning,” a dress worn by Kathy Bates in “Misery,’ and the straitjacket and outfit worn by a masked Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs.”
Other highlights of the exhibition include a life-size figure of the monster in the Alien films and an original mask from the 1954 movie “Creature from the Black Lagoon” in the Science chamber and the flower costume in the 2019 movie “Midsommar” in the Religion chamber.
Two of the most popular chambers will likely be the Slasher and Ghost rooms. In the latter, horror fans can get up close with the Annabelle doll from the “Conjuring” franchise. But don’t worry, she’s in her glass-enclosed cage. Also locked up behind glass is the menacing clown from “Poltergeist.” But be warned, there’s something from the 2002 movie “The Ring” screaming in a closet on the other side of the room. Well, at least she was screaming before her unfortunate passing.
The Slasher room is where all the superstars are represented, with figures dressed in costumes worn by characters such as Art the Clown from the Terrifier films as well as Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and Ghostface. Made to look like an old house, the room also includes a cabinet filled with masks and weapons used to, well, slash victims.
“I hope people take away a new recognition of horror films from this exhibition, like really understanding how much horror films mean to people,” Niebel said.
The exhibition includes a series of films and programs scheduled throughout the year.
‘The Horror Show’
When: Through July 25, 2027
Where: Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
Information: Academymuseum.org