Horror Genre Research

Research into the horror genre

Storylines – One specific example of a horror movie plot is the typical psychological horror storyline. This storyline generally begins with a seemingly sane person who may show developing signs of insanity. Throughout the film this person becomes increasingly agitated and more mentally unstable. An example of this storyline is that of Jack in the film “The Shining” which features Jack as a mentally unstable father who attempts to kill his family.

Characters -

Protagonist - The protagonist is a typical character within many different horror movies. The protagonist in a horror movie is somebody who the audience relates with or sympathises with. They are usually trying to escape danger and murder which is inflicted upon them by the antagonist. The protagonist can be anybody regardless of age and gender however the role is typically filled by teenagers and young adults who are morally good in order for the audience to sympathise with.

Antagonist – The antagonist can take many different forms, such as: a serial killer, a possessed character, a ghost, a monster, and a mentally unstable person. What these characters all have in common is that they instil fear into the audience due to their unattractive appearance and they are also seemingly immune to normal injuries. For example if they are stabbed or even set on fire they are able to carry on as if nothing has happened to them which makes the audience acknowledge how inhuman they are. This character helps bring fear and suspense to a film.

The sex appeal – This character is normally filled by an attractive promiscuous woman and is often one of the first people to be killed. The sexually appealing character is usually the one to scream the most. Screaming is a common convention within the horror genre due to it being a reaction associated with danger, and when somebody screams the audience will associate that with fear. This character also helps to attract a wide male demographic.

The irritant – This character is conveyed as being annoying and a 'know it all'. This character is often portrayed by a man who is partnered with the 'sex appeal' character. Due to their behaviour the audience are usually happy when they are murdered.

Music – The music that is used in horror movies is often of a low pitch and slow tempo giving an eerie and creepy effect. When there are any scary parts coming up in a film the music normally goes very slow and quiet and once the scare has happened the music usually speeds up again. This adds to the suspense in a film and makes the audience more likely to be scared.

Settings – A typical horror movie setting is in an isolated location, for example in a wood. The woods connote danger and vulnerability and if there are a lot of dense tall trees this can add the sense of the unknown. The weather in these settings is usually very stormy, raining and generally cloudy in order to justify the darkness in the film. When all of these conventions are used together the film becomes more scary due to the fear of the unknown that people associate with darkness.

• An abandoned house
• A warehouse
• An isolated town/city
• Countryside