Conventions of horror

Horror

1. Conventions of horror

2. Genre is a term which is used to categorise films which use a certain formula which consists of the same narrative, set/location and characters .

3. Genre is important for both Audiences and Institutions. Audiences: want to be able to know if they will like the film, as they are paying to see it. They also like the familiar , the ritual and having a broad idea of what might happen. Institutions: it is easier for them to create the marketing materials , as they know what sort of thing to include. Horror has specific iconography, settings, music, colour palettes.

4. A conventional horror narrative is… when an individual or group of people are being pursued or persecuted by an antagonist. This group of people are either, conventionally, teenagers or a family (a mother, father, son and daughter). The film typically ends with the rest of the group being killed or tortured, leaving more often than not the ‘final girl’. This theory will be explained more later in the presentation.

5. Narratives with a group of people as the protagonists, can be seen in: - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Teenagers - The Conjuring (2013) Family - The Others (2001) Family - Scream (1996) Teenagers

6. Iconography for the Horror genre is very distinctive.

7. Dark ( low key lighting and setting ) seen often in horror films conventionally Red (fire or blood) colour pallets for horror A figure (face masked or hidden) Locations: Isolated (houses, town…) Every day settings (towns, cities, work places) Props: Weapons (knives, axes, chainsaws, guns…)

8. So the conventional horror genre consists of: A group of people being pursued or persecuted by an antagonist Murderers and violence A family or group of teenagers as the protagonist and stock characters An isolated or every day location Weapons in some form as props Low key lighting

9. So… over time genres change. This is because of the fact that viewers got bored of watching the same thing over and over again. So films changed and developed to keep the interest of consumers. “ difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre” Steve Neale

10. There is no longer fixed elements for the horror genre, which fit all films. Sub genres are the result of this. They work with repertoires of elements instead

11. Horror sub-genres can be anything from: gothic slasher psychological paranormal gore found footage

12. Gothic In Gothic horror, there is usually a supernatural being or animal which comes to life and preys on an innocent person or group of people. Usually set in a castle or another isolated area and unexplainable events occur This is different to the generic horror film genre because these films focus on supernatural and unrealistic events and beings. examples: The curse of frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958).

13. Slasher A Slasher follows the narrative of a group of people being pursued, tortured or killed with props such as knives,axes, chainsaws, nails…Slashers can usually be distinguished as it shows the killing and more importantly blood! Usually the ‘final girl’ is left at the end. Examples:Scream (1996) Texas chainsaw massacre (1974) Psycho (1960) Halloween(1978)

14. It has been argued that slashers are misogynistic… Women were often the victims of violent acts in films during the 1980s. This became more intense when the Yorkshire Ripper (a serial killer who preyed upon mostly prostitutes) was not caught. Public concern was mirrored in the films around this time. Three main theories have been talked about to do with women and Misogyny: Molitor and Sapolsky (1993) Carol J Clover (1992) Linz, Donnerstein and Adams (1989)

15. Molitor and sapolsky (1993) In this theory, Molitor and Sapolsky recorded the number of second male and female victims in slasher films who were victimised. Females were found to be shown in fear or terror significantly longer than the male co-stars. A difference of 2 minutes for men per film, compared to 9 minutes for women. This shows that women were being preyed on a lot more than men. Perhaps because of the fact that the majority of slasher audiences are male, and there is further audience pleasure for men in watching women suffering. This can be seen clearly in Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), where the final girl endures terror for around 30 minutes of the 1 hour 30 minute film.

16. Carol J clover (1992) Oppositely to the ‘Final girl’ idea, Carol Clover proposes that the girl who is conventionally the last living victim in Slasher horror films, she argues that these characters are actually the ‘resourceful heroes’. Alike in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the final girl Sally eventually, after her 30 minute terror, escapes leather face and is driven away from the antagonist. This argues against the view that horror films in general are misogynistic, as the only character who escapes from the hands of leather face is intact a woman. The male characters are actually two of the first characters to be killed, so Texas Chainsaw massacre completely disagrees with the misogyny theory.

17. Linz, donnerstein and Adams (1989) As a result of slasher films, social scientists have argued that audiences, which is predominately of the male genre, are being effected in negative ways. The ‘hypodermic syringe’ goes into effect. This is when male audiences have watched violence and sex put together in scenes, and now believe that this is normal and acceptable behaviour. Audiences are bombarded with violence and sex against women over and over again. Linz, Donnerstein and Adams looked into this however, not many people agree with it, as it is seen as unrealistic to agree with the fact that men would be influenced by such disgusting and unrealistic events against women.

18. Psychological and Paranormal: Psychological horrors work on audience’s every day terrors, by interpreting some sort of haunting or possession of a person into every day lives of normal people. In the form of ghosts, spirits or the undead. Paranormal focuses on ghosts and hauntings. Examples: The sixth sense (1999) The shining (1980) The evil dead (1981) The poltergeist (1982)Paranormal Activity (2007)

19. Gore: Gore is very much like the generic horror film however, the actual torture and murders are shown, VERY graphically. Blood is the motive to go and watch this sub-genre of film. Audiences want to see the characters killed in the most brutal and inhumane way possible. Examples: The human centipede (2009) Hostel (2005) The saw Franchise (2004) dawn of the dead(1978)

20. Found footage This is less a sub-genre but more a camera style of filming. This style brought the fear into the hearts of audiences, as this made them believe, even more, that what was happening is true and could actually happen to you. Examples: The blair witch project (1999)Paranormal activity (2007)

21. So why do audiences like horror films? According to Rick Altman (1999) audiences’ primary pleasures come from cultural rules and regulations. Viewers are able to distance themselves from normal life and enjoy watching scenes and films which break morals and legal boundaries. Otherwise known as counter-culture attraction. Other audience pleasures include: Visceral pleasures: the jump/shock scares, the build up and tension and the screams. Intellectual puzzles: when the audience tries to guess who will die/survive/who the murderer is/how they die/ what the motive is. Emotional : films designed to make an audience feel emotions (happy, frightened, sad…

22. richard Dyer: This theory suggests that specific genres offer escapism , which is encodes in texts and opposes social tension. Basically horror goes against any social morals which are in day to day normal life. This escapism is given to all audiences of any sub genre, because it is so far away from the ‘norms’ of reality. Jackie stacey On the other hand, it is argued that categories for Horror need to be more specific . As we have identified, genres change over time according to social and historical changes. As a result, film genre must be studied with the contexts of the time in which the film was made. It must be more finely tuned to the specific time it was made in addition to what the narrative, location and settings and iconography.