Conventions of

the Horror

Genre

• Conventional Character types- generic

characters like the main character an attractive

hero, a villain, sometimes a monster or mutilated

'freak, stupid or immoral teenagers who are

killed etc..

• Common Themes- Good vs Evil,

Childhood issues, Revenge, Supernatural,

Science gone bad, insanity etc.

• Supernatural Beings- E.g. Vampires,

ghosts, aliens, werewolves, zombies, evil

witches or monsters.

• The Dark Side of Humanity- Cannibals, stalkers, gore, torture etc.

• Main Characters forgot about the major

threat briefly only for it attack them while

they are unsuspecting.

• Dark Settings- places with negative

connotations, evoking fear and making the

audience anxious e.g. abandoned houses,

asylums, hospitals, dark woods, alley

ways etc.

• Pathetic Fallacy- the use of weather to

create a mood e.g. cloudy skys, rain etc.

• Chase sequences where very little of the

killer/creature is shown to build tension

and create a sense of hysteria.

• Abstract Camera Angles- High and low

shots or P.O.V angles to create fear.

• Music- music with a fast tempo to build

tension and make the audience anxious