The Conventions

Slasher has many clear conventions that feature constantly throughout films in the Slasher genre

In Slasher films, the antagonist is a masked killer who is usually psychotic

For example, in the Scream franchise, Ghost Face is the masked killer who rings and torments his victims before he kills them. In the first Scream film Ghost face is Billy and Stu, two psychotic teenagers who decide to murder a number of their friends because “it was fun.”

Another convention of Slasher films is that a final female survives till the end despite being pursued by the killer. She is brave, intelligent, resourceful and a virgin

For example, Laurie is the final girl in Halloween. She manages to out smart Michael Myers on a number of occasions, using a hanger to injure him and escape. Unlike her promiscuous and reckless friends, she is bright, responsible and shies away from drink and casual relationships.

Another convention of Slasher is lots of gruesome gore filled deaths occur throughout the film. This is usually caused by another convention of the killer using a weapon such as a knife or a chainsaw, rather than a gun which wouldn’t cause much gore or blood or prolonged suffering.

For example, in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leather face brutally kills his victims using a chainsaw which leads to slow and painful deaths for his victims.

Another convention of Slasher is that the victims are always teenagers who drink, take drugs and have casual sex. This is a convention evident in both Scream and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This creates an idea that the characters are being punished for their behaviour and perhaps due to the fact that they have reduced awareness and are less able to protect themselves

A Convention that features heavily in Psychological horror films is that the antagonist seems normal. They look completely normal, but it becomes evident throughout the film that they have a twisted mind.

For example, in Misery the antagonist is Annie Wilkes who seems kind and maternal at first. Physically-speaking she looks harmless and completely normal. She offers to nurse Paul to health when he is in a car accident. However, her twisted and psychotic mind is revealed throughout the film, creating a chilling fear for the audience..

Another convention of Psychological is that the audience may be fooled into thinking that the antagonist is innocent and harmless. Often the narrative will feature ‘Red Herrings’ that lead the audience in the wrong direction, making them think that the cause of the trouble is someone else of even something supernatural.

For example, the antagonist in the film Orphan is Esther, a ‘little girl’ who looks completely normal and innocent. The fact that she appears to be a child emphasises the audience’s and the characters reluctance to think that she is dangerous. However throughout the film her twisted mind is revealed. In Gothika, meanwhile, the audience is lead to think that a supernatural force has something to do with the death of Miranda’s husband.

Psychological films nearly always feature a twist. It is a shocking twist that will surprise and scare the audience and is usually used to explain the psychotic behaviour of the antagonist. It is also common for the twist to be that the innocent character is, in fact, the antagonist. For example, Esther is revealed in Orphan to be a 30 year old woman rather than the child she claims to be.

Another convention of Psychological films is that the twisted nature of the antagonist’s mind will scare the audience. This serves as the main source of horror in psychological. It is also a more sophisticated style of horror and offers intellectual stimulation which is a regular convention.

Deaths will occur in Psychological films but will not be as regularly as in Slasher films. For example, in Orphan, Esther kills her adopted father and Sister Abigail. Whereas in Slasher films such as Halloween, the number of deaths is usually about 5 or 6. In Psychological horrors, the deaths often happen in the latter part of the narrative when the true monstrous nature of the antagonist is revealed. In Slashers, they take place all the way through the film.

Another convention is the use of Flashbacks. Flashbacks are common in Psychological films and are used to explain the antagonists past to the audience. They are used to help the audience understand the antagonists actions and help them to understand the film. They can also be instrumental in allowing the audience to see the true nature of the antagonist. For example, in Hide and Seek, Flashbacks reveal how David killed his wife rather than her death being the result of a suicide.

For example, in Gothika and number of flashbacks are used to explain Miranda’s past and the events that the audience didn‘t see.

A convention of supernatural films is that the narrative focuses on the presence of an evil spirit that cannot be controlled or defeated easily.

For example, in The Conjuring, the narrative focuses on an evil spirit of a witch that cursed the house and torments anyone who lives there. By the end of the narrative, it becomes it very clear that the spirit cannot be done away with.

Another convention of supernatural is that characters try to make contact with the spirit through Ouija boards and séances. The characters may also call upon Psychics and mediums to help get rid of the spirit. Both of these conventions always seem to make the situation worse

For example, in the Paranormal Activity franchise, the characters always use Ouija boards to try and contact the spirit. In each film this repeatedly angers the spirit even more, making life even worse for the family.

Another convention of supernatural films is to use contrapuntal sounds such as nursery rhymes. The use of contrapuntal sound increases the scare factor of supernatural films as it uses things that the audience would see as innocent, creating an effect that is very unnatural and, therefore, very terrifying.

The use of a suburban family home is another convention of Supernatural. In almost all supernatural films, the action takes place in a family suburban home that seems perfect. It is common for the family to move in at the start of the film into this perfect house that is at a reduced price. Despite this, the family remain unaware of what the house contains and the terrors to come.

For example, in Amityville horror, George and Cathy Lutz move their family into a large suburban house that is very isolated. The Amityville house is at a very low price for its size and appears to be the perfect place for the family at first.

Another convention is that mirrors, windows and baths are commonly used within jump-scares. This is a common convention as they are household things that the audience are bound to use, while it is also common for supernatural horrors to transform innocent, everyday objects into something sinister and dangerous. This creates the fear that this could happen to them and draws the audience in more.

For example, in Grave Encounters, one of the characters is suddenly pulled into a bath by a supernatural presence before disappearing into thin air.

Possession horror has very similar conventions to that of supernatural horror. However it as a few distinct conventions that distinguish it as a possession film more specifically

A key convention of possession films is that, like supernatural films, a normal suburban family are targetted by a supernatural force. However, specifically in possession films, the force takes over the body of one of the characters. It is common for a child to be the one who becomes possessed as they are naive and innocent. This makes them an easy target

For example, in Insidious, the character who becomes possessed by the demon is a young boy called Dalton. The film consists of his father trying to find ways of saving Dalton from the demon who possessed him.

Another convention of possession films specifically is the that religious objects and symbols feature strongly. This convention is used to create the contrast between good and evil. It also helps portray the idea that the spirit is the devil. Religious experts such as a priest or a rabbi are usually drafted in to help. Their attempt is usually unsuccessful.

For example, in The Possession, Emily’s father requests the help of a Rabbi once he discovers the box containing the spirit has Hebrew carvings on the side.

Another clear convention of Possession horror is exorcisms. They are performed as efforts to get rid of the evil spirit. However, they are generally unsuccessful. In the cases where the exorcism is successful, the film often shows the spirit moving on to another victim.

For example, in The Possession, and exorcism is performed on Em to rid her of the demon. However, something goes wrong and the demon moves into her father instead.

Another common convention is the use of contortion of the body and levitation. This is useful iconography in showing the control the demon has over the victim

A convention of the Gothic sub-genre is that the film is often set in a far and mystical land.

For example, Dracula is set in Transylvania. This is a far-away fictional land that would frighten the audience. This is because the a number of gothic horror films were made in the 1930s when people never really travelled so the idea of other countries frightened them. Transylvania also featured in the horror literature that was popular in the early days of horror and so would have been associated with terrible events and monsters.

Another convention is that the settings are largely uninhabited and the mise-en-scene used is usually very dark and gloomy. Fog and mist also pervade the air adding to the overwhelming sense of foreboding. This is common in gothic horror to give the film are dark and gothic feel.

The setting of gothic films usually feature Castles, mansions, Graveyards and forests.

For example, in The Woman in Black, the village it is set in is very dark and gloomy with dark, old buildings. The weather is constantly grey and foggy creating a feel of inevitable doom. The action takes place in a mansion where the Woman in Black torments anyone there.

Another convention of gothic horror is that mythical monsters usually feature as the antagonist. Unlike in other sub-genres, the monster in gothic horror can usually be defeated.

For example, in Sleepy Hollow the antagonist is a headless horsemen who continuously murders and torments villagers. Also, their has been antagonists such as Vampires in Dracula, Werewolves in the Wolf Man and Frankenstein.

Gothic films are usually set in the past. They feature a protagonist who ‘saves the day’ and is generally male. Females play the role of the damsel in distress. This may be due to the difference in the roles of men and women in the time period gothic films are set in.