What is the definition of the genre horror?
Horror is a genre of film that is meant to scare, startle, or shock audiences. Using film techniques, horror films strive to develop an atmosphere where the audience is put on edge. We usually define “fear” as a negative emotion, however many enjoy the adrenaline rush that horror films present.
What are the contents of the genre horror?
Physical violence is an important technique that film makers use to scare their audience. Foe example, slasher films, a sub genre of horror, focuses omen graphic portrayals of violence on order to scare their audience. These films focus on the feeling of vulnerability and pain, rather than fear of the unknown. A lack of order is often present in these types of films, throwing the audience off. Juxtaposition and fast movements are other qualities that drive horror films.
Fear of the unknown is a common terror that most individuals experience. For example, people are afraid of death because they don’t know what comes afterwards. People are afraid of the dark because it could inhabit anything they can imagine. Clearly, this trope is a popular one because it is common fear in society. In these scenes jumpscares are used to startle the audience. There is often a character labeled as the “psychotic” one who is usually right about the evil terrorizing them.
Small communities or isolated places is a common setting in horror films. Often, places with “dark history,” such as abandoned houses or asylums are used to further scare the audience.
Some filmmakers make the movie's antagonist an innocent child. The tale is made more creepy and unpleasant for the audience by using a young child who engages in terrifying and supernatural actions. The audience is completely taken aback when the child who used to be the victim turns out to be the criminal. Since we generally identify children with joy, playfulness, and innocence, the idea of a child acting in an adult-like manner is unsettling. The Exorcist, for instance, is a movie about a young girl who is controlled by the demon.
What production techniques do film makers from this genre use?
In horror movies, cinematography frequently utilizes perspective shots, tracking shots, wide angles, and intense close-ups. The use of distorted pictures , hand-held camera shots to simulate shaky subjectivity, and a hazy quality create unreal suspense.
Close-ups of character faces help the spectator identify with the protagonist's fear. The extreme close-up shot fills the entire screen, highlighting the scene's dramatic significance by amplifying the character's emotion and evoking empathy in the audience. However, to convey feelings without using words, filmmakers in many horror movies often take an extreme close-up view of a certain face feature, particularly the eyes. Extreme close-ups intrude on the personal space of the character, as opposed to medium close-ups, which often cover the subject's head and shoulder.
Extreme close up of eye from Psycho (1960)
Shooting a character through an object creates the unsettling sensation of being "watched." High angle shots can make the protagonist appear vulnerable by making them look inferior to the higher power. This same effect is also achieved by low angle shots by making the antagonist appear more threatening. Tracking or panning shots can make the character appear to be followed or watched, creating suspense in the audience. Extreme long shots or wide shots give viewers the impression that the setting is isolated and deserted, creating an uneasiness about the protagonist's safety. Horror films use hand held camera shots to give the audience a sense of reality. Hand held shots help the audience feel connected to what is being presented. To add on to this, using a dutch angle or shaking the camera can help create a sense of panic.
High angle used in The Shining (1980)
Foggy textures in horror films can create an eerie mysterious tone, further conveying the “fear of the unknown.”
Foggy textures from The Exorcist (1973)
Editing, the juxtaposition of sounds and images, is a unique expression that many use to create new meanings in horror films. The editor positions each shot in order to generate a specific emotion in the audience. Often, editors connect two shots in order to imply horrific events. For example, a shot of a character about to jump off a cliff can be quickly cut to the character on the floor bleeding.Although there is no footage of the fall, the process of editing implies that the character has died by means of suicide.
In horror films, costumes and makeup are essential for creating a terrifying image of the antagonist. Pennywise the clown from Stephen King's “It” gives off an uneasy atmosphere. Perhaps clowns can arouse fear because their make-up conceals their true facial emotions, preventing our instinctive desire to read other people’s minds and creating an “uncanny valley” effect. Masks in films, such as in The Purge, portray an unsettling effect, due to the human-like nature of the characters being contradicted.
Props are essential to the storyline of many horror movies. For example, if there was no tape in The Ring, or no razors in A Nightmare on Elm Street, the plot would be lacking. Clearly, props are crucial to conveying a horrifying, memorable story.
The razor claws in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Music and sound effects are important components in the success of a film. A lot of background music is used, and foley sound effects can be used to heighten the intensity for the target audience. A sound motif is a type of music that is usually composed for a specific character or idea in a film. This allows the audience to identify how t]he film will progress.
How are horror films marketed?
Building a mystery, through the use of teasing a character or an idea, is an essential marketing strategy most horror film use. However, revealing parts of the film can cause the audience to feel that the plot has been spoiled.
Marketing on different medias such as social media, articles, television, and offline marketing(posters and billboards), can increase the popularity of ones film. This is because a wider target audience is appealed to: a younger audience (through the social media) and a nostalgic, or older audience (through the posters and billboards). It is almost impossible to hide from becoming familiar with the film due to the extensive marketing.
A memorable imagery to associate with your film can help the audience communicate with each other about it easier. For example, by using religious symbols in The Nun, audiences at likely to know the said film just from the symbolism . Making a film easier to merchandise can also increase the popularity and profit of it.
It (2017) Poster
How does Smile(2022) embody the horror genre?
The movie Smile (2022) has many tropes that represent the genre “horror.”The main character works in a mental hospital, a common location for horror films due to the feeling of isolation and unpredictability established. The simplistic deign of the set, using light colors such as pink and blue, contrasts the events in the film. The mise-en-scene misleads the audience, heightening the startling aspects in the film. There are a couple of hints of red in the set design, such as the red phone, which can suggest that the events in that occur in that room, or after the call, will be dangerous
The dutch angle used in the movie connotes psychological panic as the character has just witnessed a disturbing event. There are many close up shots of the characters faces, creating a connection with the audience, and intensifying the “smile.” The lack of light present in multiple scenes creates a sense of mystery and fear of the unknown, a large theme present in horror movies.
The main protagonist, who is depicted as the victim of the movie, goes through severe depression and psychosis after she witnesses the suicide of a possessed individual.The trademark characteristic linked to the killings is the smile they make right before committing suicide. Suicide, mental illness, and past traumas are common themes in horror films. “Smile” in particular conveys the message that if you suppress your traumas, it will all unleash eventually.
Smile (2022) mise-en-scene
How does The Ring(2002) embody the horror genre?
Conventions of traditional horror films are used in The Ring to keep the audience on the edge of their seat. For example, the atmosphere in The Ring is menacing. This is created by the gloomy, rainy weather that accompanies the character at all times , implying that nowhere is safe.
In horror films, it is common for there to be a child who is seen as innocent at first, but as the story evolves, the child is revealed to have a sinister attribute. After they find Samara’s body and bury her, they realize that she didn’t seek closure, but revenge. Revenge is a prevalent theme in The Ring; the deceased girl who haunts the protagonist seeks it through the use of a video tape, which is a memorable item in this film. The initial victims, two teenagers alone in a suburban house, fits in to the common theme that teenagers are the most vulnerable out of all the age groups. This traditional theme is also apparent in films such as The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Shining.
The camera angles used in The Ring demonstrate conventions of the horror genre as well. For example, a point of view shot in the killers perspective creates fear within the audience. The Ring uses a dark, gloomy lighting in order to create a daunting atmosphere. This atmosphere suggests that there can be danger lurking in every corner. A blue-green tint is applied to the entirety of the film, conveying a feeling of sadness.
Sounds, such as the noise the telephone makes, has the potential to jump-scare the audience. There are also non-diegetic sounds such as screams that can make the audience uncomfortable.
The Conjuring(2013)
Halloween(1978)
