1.Genre: Horror
2.Critics have pulled apart
Horror films for many years now, but the genre is one of the hardest films to
produce and is not as easy as just implementing suspense and intensity all
around. So, then what exactly is Horror? Horror is a genre that could be non
fiction or fiction which serves as a purpose to create a suspenseful atmosphere
and create a feeling of terror or fear. In a horror film there is always a hero
who fights the villain, there are always victims such as teenagers or young
women, there is always an antagonist who is evil, and sometimes a helpful force
such as police which is not always on the good side. The story line of horror
film is usually with either multiple victims, such as a group of friends, or a
single victim, in which are both put against the odds of surviving an evil
monster intending to kill. The story usually plays on usual human fears such as
death, the dark, violence, and strangers.
3.There are many techniques
involved in creating a smooth, yet terrifying film. The mise-en-scenes, such as
costume designs, lighting, set design, and location involve a big role in the
production of horror films. Lighting is used to portray that something bad is
about to occur, therefore making the audience nervous and creating suspense.
Lighting is also used to create the mood in a scene, such as when someone is
scared. Some examples of lighting include darkness in the background, shadows,
or flickering lights. In horror films, costumes vary greatly based on the
character. But in almost every horror film the antagonist/monster is portrayed
as being dark and having dull color clothing such as grey or black. The
personality of a character is created by the costume design, therefore if the
main character is women, due to stereotypes, she would be dressed in tight
clothing to make her seem inferior. The location of a horror film is typically in
isolated areas or in the middle of nowhere to create a sense that if something
happens there is no one to contact or get help from. Props such as large
paintings, bibles, candles, crucifix, and paintings are all used to create dark
and sinister scenes. The sound and audio are key when editing a horror film to
help build suspense. Diegetic sounds such as footsteps and breathing create tension,
non-diegetic sound such as music in the background can make the audience
nervous, and the element of silence creates a scary atmosphere. Based on camera
shots, horror films love to use extreme close ups to create fear, point of view
shots from the antagonist’s eyes, handheld camera shots, and very high or very
low angles. The colors of red and black
are heavily used to suggest dangers or death.
4. Audiences choose to spend
money on horror films to experience the thrill of terror in a life and death
situation and to have a good scare. The target audience for horror films range
from ages 15-25. Horror films are marketed by posters, magazines, and trailers.
They all share the same color scheme which are dull colors to create the sense
of horror. Most of the covers advertising the horror film include the
antagonist/monster or the hero and where the film will most likely take place.
The trailer of a film leaves the viewer confused and creates a mystery that tends
to hook potential viewers. More specifically, horror trailers are designed to
scare and make the audience nervous, therefore making them want to see more if
they are up for a good scare.
5.A Quiet Place (2018)-
After watching the film, it is obvious how the sound factor was crucial in this
film although it was silent almost all throughout the whole thing. Diegetic
sounds such as footsteps and breathing were used heavily to create tension and
keep the audience out of their seat. The element of silence was by far what
made the viewer uncomfortable, in a good way, creating a scary atmosphere. The
setting, like almost all horror films, was in an isolated area with no one
around to help or contact. There was also not much colors throughout the film,
most of the time it was dark and if not, the background had many greys and
blacks. A Quiet Place was very violent, intense, and had many jump shots to
give the audience what they want. Like all horror films, there was an
antagonist, in this case a monster with ultra sensitive hearing, the victims
which was the only family alive, and a protagonist who fights the monster.
6.The Conjuring (2013)-
The Conjuring is a prime example of the conventions of the horror genre. This
film takes place in an isolated farm house in Rhode Island. The house appears
to be large and dark for the most part and gives a sense that the house is
haunted. The location of the film creates suspense and gives a frightening feeling
to the viewer from the beginning of the story. Also, throughout the film, there
is always fog on the ground which adds even more suspense. A new family moves into the house and realizes
something weird is happening. The little girl in the film is constantly having
nightmares and sleepwalking which reminds us about the fear of the
supernatural. As the plot continues to develop, the horror film creates a sense
of fear for life. Crucifixes are used constantly as a prop, which in most
films, only anger the spirits of the house. Throughout the film, the music in
the background creates suspense for the audience the whole time. Silence in the
film creates mysterious atmosphere giving the audience a feeling that something
bad is about to occur, therefore making the them nervous.
7. The Shining (1980) Halloween (1978)
Saw (2004) The Exorcist (1973)
Get Out (2017) Psycho (1960)
Sources:
- Sharrott,
K. (2015, March 26). Horror Films-Typical Settings. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/rqucbxm69kbq/horror-films-typical-settings/
- Ramirez,
R. (n.d.). Secrets of the Horror Genre. Retrieved from https://storygrid.com/secrets-of-the-horror-genre/
- Wonka,
V. (2016, September 20). The Do's And Please-Don'ts Of Horror Movie Marketing.
Retrieved from https://medium.com/@Vbwonka/horror-movie-marketing-516d3c99f1fa
