Horror By Rahel Fasil

Horror Establishment

• Disturbing films designed to frighten audience• Many of the first horror films were created by

German film makers in 1910-1920s

Horror Changes

• Horror movies have changed a lot over time.• In the early 20th century horror films were

completely gory and violent.• Now horror films still have the scary features

but they are funny as well.

Horror examples

Dracula

• Director: Tod Browning• Distribution Company: Universal Pictures• Released: 1931• Plot: Solicitor travels to Count Dracula’s castle

to give legal advice for an estate transaction. The solicitor’s employee is watching. After being charmed by Dracula, he realises he is a prisoner in the castle.

Frankenstein

• Director: James Whale• Distribution Company: Universal Pictures• Released: 1931• Plot: Scientist Henry Frankenstein and

assistant Fritz put together a human body. Frankenstein’s desire is to produce human life through electrical machinery which he has perfected.

When a stranger calls

• Director: Simon West• Distribution Company: Screen Gems• Released: 2006• Plot: A teenage babysitter receives more and

more threatening phone calls from a serial killer who she first thinks is just a prank caller.

Case 39

• Director: Christian Alvart• Distribution Company: Paramount Pictures• Released: 2010• Plot: A social worker has to investigate the

family of a 10 year old. She then suggests the child should be put into foster care. Until she finds a suitable place, the social worker offers to look after her. This has scary consequences.

Scary Movie

• Director: Keenan Ivory Wayans• Distribution Company: Dimension Films• Released: 2000• Plot: Following a group of teenagers accidently

hit an old man with their car and they dumped his body in a lake. After a year, a person with the same mask kills them one by one.

Friday the 13th

• Director: Sean S Cunningham• Distribution Company: Warner Bros• Released: 1980• Plot: While attempting to re-open an

abandoned campsite, a group of teenagers are killed one by one.

How do the films fit in with the conventions?

• Dracula - the character is very frightening and calculated which meets the conventions of horror genre.

• Frankenstein – an evil main character and a handy side kick.• When a stranger calls – viewer is in suspense because they don’t

know the stranger’s identity.• Case 39 – the viewer is given the wrong impression of the girl at

first but then they see a terrifying twist in her nature and what she is capable of.

• Scary movie – the group do something that the viewers know will have major consequences which makes the viewers frightened about what happens next.

• Friday the 13th – expected setting – dark abandone place.

Horror sub genres

Science Fiction

Gothic

Supernatural

Comedy Horror

Comedy-horror

• Comedy-horror is a horror sub genre containing elements of both horror and comedy.

• Comedy-horror films provide the audience with chances feel frightened and also to laugh at their fears.

Science Fiction

• Science fiction is a horror sub genre that deals with imaginary content such as futuristic settings, science and technology. Also, space travel.

The earliest horror films were gothic in style.Usually set in spooky mansions, castles etcDas Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, made in 1919. One of the first gothic horror films.

Horror

Gothic

• The earliest horror films were gothic in style.• Usually set in spooky mansions, castles etc• Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, made in

1919. One of the first gothic horror films.

Supernatural is a horror sub genre which usually contains gods/godesses, spirits and miracles.

Supernatural

Still shots

vulnerable woman(victim) is unaware of the scary male villain.

Dark setting and the character has an evil expression

DRACULA DRACULA

Dark background. The character looks inhuman – skeleton figure, unnatural face

FRANKENSTEIN

Character stares at the separated body part(hand) – typical gory image.

FRANKENSTEIN

Audience is left in suspense, caller’s identity is unknown

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS

Extreme close up of the curtains. They aren't fully drawn suggesting somebody's looking on

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS

Violence and aggression

CASE 39

Close up of innocent child

CASE 39