''The Haunted Castle'' (1897)

By Crusader1307

Seen by most as being the first ''Horror Film'' – the 1896 Silent Film ''The Haunted Castle'' was created by renowned early Film Maker and ''Father of Special Effects'' – Georges Melies. His experiments with early ''moving celluloid'', would be the foundation for many future film making techniques. While primitive in context and execution, the 3-minute Film centered around Visitors to a ''scary Castle'' who encounter The Devil. Every manner of (then) ''scare'' was incorporated. From ''moving skeletons, Ghosts, Demons etc.'' to the ''amazing'' Human ''turning int a Bat'' – much of these Special Effects were done with simple ''Stop Camera, Start Camera'' ideology. In other words, quick substitution for one image with another. Once put together, and ran (via hand cranked Projector), ''created the illusion''. The Film was an immense Hit in Europe and later America, due to the fact that such things had never been seen before. Melies would go one to refine His talents and create many more ''films'' of Fantasy and established firmly, the beginnings of The ''Institution'' ww know know as ''The Film Industry''.