Researching A Genre: Horror

Researching genres: Horror

In the genre horror the most important and popular films are:

·         The exorcist (1973)

·         Psycho (1960)

·         Night of the living dead (1968)

·         Halloween (1978)

·         The Texas chain saw massacre (1974)

Horror has changed over the years as horror is based on society and whatever the threat is in society has an influence in the horror genre. Early horror films were more based on monsters, murderers, demons, beasts and ghost stories. Then sound transformed the horror genre as they were able to make the audience scream through the use of sound. Then Unlike the monsters of previous horror cycles, Norman Bates was rooted in reality, an everyday human on the outside but a psychological monster in the mind. Hitchcock would deliver another natural horror with The Birds in 1963. Then different types of horror were made each taking a scarier step.

The key conventions of horror:

·         Isolation is key, making the audience feel like the characters are alone. For example Alley ways, run down houses, hotels & Insane Asylums.

·         Dark Scenes

·         A victim

• High and low angles can suggest nightmares/surrealness.
• POV shots allow the audience to see through the characters eyes therefore putting themselves within the film.
• Depth of field allows things to approach the camera slowly therefore causing suspense.
• Handheld shots can help disorientate the audience.
• Exaggerated diegetic sound will allow tension to build within the film world.
• Fast and loud non diegetic sound can add to making the audience jump or feel scared.

The target audience for horrors is usually 16-40 year olds.