Classic conventions of horror films
- Dark, darkness, dark scenes
- Supernatural - ghosts, vampires, werewolves, demons etc
- Shock
- Sound effects - suddenly, screaming, creaking, crack of twigs, wolf noises
- Jumpy scenes
- Creepy music - eerie, not upbeat (Prom Night challenged conventions having a pop song over the top
- Lack of sounds - scarier, builds up tension
- Blood, gore, natural disasters, storms
- Isolation (houses, areas, mind etc)
- Element of mystery
- Sinister animals - birds, cats, rats, bats, spider
- An element of romance?
- Woman villains - scared more - the unexpected
- Death, killing, violence
- Victims vs Villains
- Monsters
- The unknown
- Good vs evil
- Weapons
- Chase sequences
Identity codes and conventions
Codes and Conventions help to define what genre a film is. Developments in technology, and the use of iconography and a films plot lines throughout the decades has changed what is acceptable to show to a modern audience. 'Torture Porn' has become quite popular in modern Horror films, where the killer/ psychopath enjoys torturing and playing with its victim before they kill it, like Jigsaw in Saw.
Conventions of Horror films include:
Conventions of Horror films include:
- The Paranormal - Paranormal Activity (2007), Blair Witch Project (1999), Ouija (2014)
- A Psychopathic Character - The Shining (1980), Silence of the Lambs (1991), Psycho (1960)
- A Murderer/ Killer - Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), The Purge (2013)
- A Monster - Frankenstein (1931), Dracula (1931), Alien (1979)
- Zombies - 28 Days Later (2002), The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
iconography
These all connote what the film will be about, and encourage the audience to go and see the film. Furthermore iconography also helps, iconic images such as the masks from The Purge and Jigsaw from Saw. There are also iconic scenes such as Johnny's face through the door in The Shining, and iconic music like in Psycho's shower scene. These all make a film easily memorable, and will remind the viewer of the film if they see a similar image or hear the music. This ensures that films will be popular years after their original release, an example is the way the music from Jaws has been used many times in spoofs, such as in The SpongeBob Movie.
Stock characters
Like other genres, Horror films have the same stock characters to help tell the story. Propp has his own stock characters for fairy-tales and similar ones exist for the Horror genre which are:
- The Stranger - A character that is new to the town, or other characters. They usually arrive at around the same time as the killings and are suspected to be the murderer by others.
- The Wanderer - The curious character that goes off on their own, saying that they will be 'right back'. These are usually the first characters to be killed, when they decide to go off on their own.
- The Popular Girl and The Jock - The main characters which are usually a couple, not the brightest pair and one of the first characters to get killed.
- The Final Girl - The smartest one, who is left standing at the end. Usually the main one the killer is going after, though she doesn't normally get killed at the end.
- Pandora - The character that is never suspected, they look quite innocent and yet usually turns out to be the killer and secretly evil.
- The Non-Believer - Over confident character, don't think the killer is a threat to them and usually wind up dead. This is when the storyline starts going wrong for all the characters and it is employed to the audience that anyone could be killed - no one is safe.
- Villain - Evil Protagonist, normally have a reason behind the kilo ins and have a weapon that is only associated with them. Individual to different films.
stock plots
Under Horror films there are many different types of plot lines that divide the Horror genre into different sub-genre's. Though each sub-genre has their own conventions, each has a similar base plot.
- Slasher Plots - Often include a psychopathic killer who is on the loose and after a numerous amount of victims, systematically killing them off until only one, or sometimes none are still alive. The Killer normally gets away with it at the end, these types of films have the most obvious stock characters. There is a change in location and weapon choice which differentiates these films from others in the same sub-genre.
- Gothic Plots - Generally have a sense of romance during the film, and link with Barthes enigmatic codes. The audience would want to see if the killer and their potential lover could end up together at the end of the film.
- Psychological Plots - Play on the fear, guilt and emotional instability of a character. These often include a family moving into a new location, and a possible paranormal beings taking possession of a character that leads to dire consequences.
- Other Plots - Repeatedly include lost or stranded characters in a unknown location. This normally leads to them being hunted by the killer or accidentally stumbling into something worse. This can be a result of failed technology, such as a broken down car or a phone dying which leads a character to an unsafe location.
stock Locations
Locations in a Horror film are very important to the storyline. They have to be dark and sinister to make it believable to the audience that this is a Horror film rather than a happy, sunny field. Many Horror films play around with the idea that the location is unexpected, as it makes the film more exciting and unpredictable. Stock Locations include:
Stock Props and Signifiers within Horror films are usually the weapon, within many famous films these have been: chainsaws, machetes, knives, hooks and many varieties of guns. These props denote to the audience the genre of the film with the possibility of death and gore. Fog is also a key Signifier in Horror films, as it connotes the ideas of being lost and not knowing what is out there. Dolls are also well used Signifiers within Horror films, such as Chucky in Child's Play. This makes a normally innocent toy, which many people have once owned in their life, portrayed to be something sinister and evil.
- Woods - Usually at night, where a chase scene occurs. This gives a sense of being lost and unable to see where your going, or what could be out there with you, trees are used to give a sense of obscurity.
- Seemingly Deserted Cabin - Anything could have happened within the cabin, at first gives a sense of security, but then connotes a sense of being lost and isolation.
- Old Houses - Usually found in Paranormal films, play upon the idea of what could have happened there in the past, and what could still be lurking there. They normally have dark, dimly lit corridors, locked doors and cobwebs.
- Seemingly Normal Neighbourhood - Can cause an adrenaline rush for the audience who see a similar location to where they live, but all the bad things are happening there, giving the idea that bad things can happen anywhere.
- Basements/ Attics - Gives a similar sense to the Old Houses, of what knowing what could have happened there or what could possibly still be there. Normally there is a curiosity to explore it and find out more about this location which usually leads to the unveiling of the events of the film.
Stock Props and Signifiers within Horror films are usually the weapon, within many famous films these have been: chainsaws, machetes, knives, hooks and many varieties of guns. These props denote to the audience the genre of the film with the possibility of death and gore. Fog is also a key Signifier in Horror films, as it connotes the ideas of being lost and not knowing what is out there. Dolls are also well used Signifiers within Horror films, such as Chucky in Child's Play. This makes a normally innocent toy, which many people have once owned in their life, portrayed to be something sinister and evil.