Task 2.2: Genre Research

Different Horror Films:

•  Orphan - About a young girl who was 'different' to everyone else her age, as she was a very mature little girl, we then find out later that the only thing 'different' about her is that she's a devil child.

• The Devils Child - About a young boy who believes his parents don't love him and is very mentally ill, he tries to kill his whole family along with other people and has supernatural demonic powers.

• Let Me In - A young bullied boy who befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian.

• Home Movie - Documents one family's descent into darkness, using a compilation of found home-made footage. In the remote woods of upstate New York, the Poe family lives a Norman Rockwell life. Perfect house. Perfect marriage. If only the children stopped stapling frogs to trees. Something is very wrong with Jack and Emily Poe, the ten-year old twins.

Don't

Ignore

Setting

Technical

Iconography

Narrative

Characterization

Themes

Character Types

• The Main Protagonist - Often the 'Victim Hero' of the movie.
• The Villain - Often a monster, alien or serial killer.
• Non Believer - Never thinks there is a chance for anything.
• Hysterical Character - Tends to be a female, over reacts to everything.
• Loved up couple - A couple that show too much affection to each other.
• Female Victim - Tends to be the one that dies, portrayed as vulnerable and needs protection.

Iconography
Visual Style: Often dark colours like red and black (Links to evil, blood and danger).
Common Objects: Weapons, Masks, Items of Supernatural, child's toys etc.
Props: Props can help us to further identify the horror genre. Specific props can be identified with a certain villain or character (Chainsaws, machetes, knifes etc).
The Iconography of monsters help to connote fear, disgust and terror, like wear-wolves, vampires, ghosts etc.

Themes of Horrors

• Good Versus Evil
• Depression
• Religion
• Childhood Issues
• Revenge 
• Supernatural
• Beyond Death
• Science Gone Bad
• Zombie Apocalypse
• Nightmares 
• Insanity etc.

Kind of shots and sounds used in Horrors 

• High and Low angle shots and connote fear.
• POV shots from the monsters or ghosts are important because it allows the audience to see from the monsters eye.
• Handheld shots are good in a situation if the victim is running away, it shows the audience the panic and distress.
• Footsteps often show panic.
• Creaking doors.
• Moans from the monster.
• If it's a ghost kind of film, little girl laughs are frightening.