How come almost every horror movie in the 1980's involved an ancient Indian burial ground?

Question

How come almost every horror movie in the 1980's involved an ancient Indian burial ground?

Answer 1

Because in the 1980's, many were interested in American Indians or Peruian Indians. There were many articles of the raiding of these burial grounds in the news, so many filmmakers copied that information

Answer 2

I actually have a theory about this one which I was discussing with someone about a year ago.

Stephen King's "Pet Sematary" was published in, I believe, either 1982 or 1983. It was an instant hit, as most of his books are. If you haven't read it, it involves an ancient Indian burial ground, and the wicked things which happen when you bury things there. A movie based on the book wasn't made until 1989, but the book was already wildly popular before the film was made.

I have often wondered if he didn't plant the idea of the "evil" ancient Indian burial ground in the minds of a gazillion screenwriters who were desperate for ideas. It wouldn't be the first time that someone planted an idea which took on a life of its own and spread like wildfire.

I wondered about that again when I read "The Ruins," by Scott Smith. King himself called it one of the best horror novels of the new century. I don't really think it was quite that good, but it was good enough. The curious thing is that the movie based on the novel, which was released last year, really played up the whole Indian burial ground idea. That's not really how it is in the book--the place they go to where the horror plays out is actually an old mine and supposed archaeological dig, but the movie changed the setting to an ancient Mayan temple, and the tagline was something like: A thousand years ago, this was an ancient site of sacrifice; perhaps it still is. (That's not a direct quote--I cannot remember what the direct quote was.) The whole connection to ancient Indian ruins and human sacrifice and all that jazz was made up for the film--it doesn't really figure in the book. I wondered why they changed it. Maybe the filmmaker misses the 80s?

Answer 3

exacately how many horror films are you refering to?

I could name a 100 that have nothing about indians or burial grounds

Answer 4

Give a great big Thankee Sai to Steven King.  

Answer 5

it was a winning formula. the producers saw there was a market for it and mass produced.

Answer 6

because stone cold said so.

and the movie studios thought everyone was into that sorta thing.

Answer 7

why do the chicks in scary movies always wander off alone when they know they are supposed to stay with everyone else?