Claim: Bela Lugosi acted in fantasy films.

A horror film is a movie that seeks to elicit a physiological reaction , such as an elevated heartbeat , through the use of fear and shocking one 's audiences . Inspired by literature from authors like Edgar Allan Poe , Bram Stoker , and Mary Shelley , horror films have existed for more than a century . The macabre and the supernatural are frequent themes . Horror may also overlap with the fantasy , supernatural fiction and thriller genres .   Horror films often deal with viewers ' nightmares , fears , revulsions and terror of the unknown . Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force , event , or personage into the everyday world . Prevalent elements include ghosts , extraterrestrials , vampires , werewolves , demons , satanism , gore , torture , vicious animals , evil witches , monsters , zombies , cannibals , psychopaths , natural or man-made disasters , and serial killers .   Some subgenres of horror include action horror , comedy horror , body horror , disaster horror , holiday horror , horror drama , psychological horror , science fiction horror , slasher horror , supernatural horror , gothic horror , natural horror , zombie horror , first-person horror and teen horror .