Horror
Setting
Most horror films tend to be situated in either small communities or isolated places. Urban environments, dark streets and alleyways as well as run down large cities are very common in the horror genre and connote isolation and aloneness. Often places with 'dark' history, like abandoned houses and hotels are a very well-known location for this genre.
A good example of this is the 'Woman In Black' which is set in Eel Marsh House, a large forbidden mansion which is filled with mysterious paper work as well as being completely cut off from the mainland. As soon as we see it in the film, it implies an element of horror due to the dark colours and the grey mist connoting isolation and a sense of a haunted presence.
Camera Work
The camera work in horror films are very expressive and are rarely used to show everyday actions. High and low angles are often used to connote fear and nightmares because using the high angle makes the audience feel in control. Additionally, point of view shots are also useful as they allow the audience to see the world through the antagonists eyes. Normally, this happens roughly in the middle of the film as it adds to the climax of the narrative. in comparison to Todorov's theory this would be seen when the disruption occurs because it will add more of an impact and make the audience feel on edge especially in horror films. However, handheld shots are also used (rarely) to promote a sense of normality within the film; for example, in 'The Blair With Project' the entirety of the film was created with a camcorder. One of the reasons was mainly because Heather (the main character) took her two best friends into the woods to hunt down the 'Blair Witch' for a school project. Even though we never saw the witch herself, we knew she was around due to all the scary occurrences happening. By using handheld shots it allows the audiences to empathise more as we can feel more involved with the movie. Secondly,the diegetic sounds of there footsteps in all the rubble is another convention to a horror film adding more impact. Lastly, even this ending to the film allows narrative enigma to still be present as the audience questions who was the killer? why is Josh screaming?. This is a regular convention in a horror movie as it still creates an intensity for the audience and leaves them feeling uneasy after the film. As a result films like this prove that sometimes using more simple camera work can also create unsettling tension.
Types of camera shots like an ECU shot on a victims face can help the audience identification with horror and fear. You could say that this film also uses this shot to show the characters facial expressions and gives the audience an insight into how they are feeling.
For example, these ECU shots as well as being extreme close ups of Heather clearly represent the fear through her facial expressions as well as showing the time of day creating an even more tense atmosphere.
Iconography
The visual style of horror films tend to be dark colours like reds and blacks as we associate them with evil and danger as well as blood which is a key part to most horror movies. However, the colour black also links to the phrase 'black sheep' which is an outcast from a society; therefore this is often used in horror films to represent the villain as being neglected from everyone else. Similarly, the colour white is normally seen in supernatural horror movies as it has more of an unnatural element attached to it. Therefore, colour is very important in this genre as it is a powerful form allowing the audience to determine what type of horror movie it is. On the other hand, the lighting is also an expressive part of the horror genre occasionally used for dark shadows and unfamiliar shapes. Low-key lighting can contribute to this by making a certain character seem unsafe through the use of darker colours. Secondly, props are used to help the audience further identify the genre. Specific props can be used to resemble a certain villain so the audience have a clearer understanding through their supporting object (chainsaws,knifes or machetes etc.) Lastly, the costume should make the characters role recognisable for the audience. The antagonists in horror films are usually dark to fit with the typical semantic field of mystery whereas the protagonists tend to wear light tops to imply hope. Some costumes become very ironic, for example the scream mask because its very well-known and people automatically link the mask to the film.Sounds
Disturbing sounds are very important in a horror film. Ambient diegetic sounds such as loud footsteps and non diegetic sounds such as a heartbeat are typical to a horror genre. Additionally, music with a high pitch and an increasing volume tend to be used to build tension and keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It is also used to create an eerie atmosphere and change the mood for the audience. Similarly, synchronous sound is also very popular for the horror genre as its exaggerated noises create jump scares for the audience to keep them involved throughout the film. For example the well-known theme song from 'Jaws' is seen as one of the most memorable soundtracks of all time due to its sheer simplicity. It goes to show that horror soundtracks don't need to be as complex as people think. Similarly, audiences feel this theme song is a clear representation of the shark himself due to the fact that we hardly see him during the entirety of the film, therefore symbolising to the audience that this music implies the shark is around.Themes of Horror genre
- Good v.s evil
- Religion
- Childhood issues
- Revenge
- Depression
- Envy
- Suicide
- Gore
- Supernatural
- Beyond death
- Zombie apocalypse
- Self-conciousness
- Psychological
- Insanity
Studio Logos
Films use studio logos to demonstrate what company worked with their film as well as also representing the genre. For example An example of a very bold and recognisable logo is the Walt Disney logo as its very distinguishable among others. It contains a soft tune suggesting the films going to be magical. The colours suggest the film will be more for children and families. On the other hand, some institutional logos are used to suit the film so that it represents the film itself and the genre. An example of this would be harry potter which (in all the films) uses Warner Bros institutional logo to set the eerie atmosphere and demonstrate the slightly horror genre.
Why audiences love watching Horror?
When relating the horror genre to the Uses and Gratifications theory, horror films imply audiences may enjoy products which offer them opportunities to escape or perhaps even be entertained due to the idea that the events you see the characters experience in a horror film, they would never happen in real life because it's often very extreme therefore audiences like this idea of seeing something they don't expect. Also, for entertainment, some audiences go to see a horror film with the intention of getting freaked out whereas others go because they do not get emotionally affected and like laughing at the characters in the film who are experiencing these horrible events.Examples of horror films
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