The Horror Genre - Exploring Conventions

Here are some horror conventions:

Mise en scene:

• Isolated settings, domestic settings, often during the night
• Dark atmosphere, created by expressionistic lighting, shadowy lighting

Camerawork and editing:

• Cross cutting for suspense sequences
• Faster cutting for violent action
• Point of view shots for those being watched
• Hand held shots for chase scenes

Characters

• Hedonistic teenagers
• Innocent girls
• Victims become heroes
• Monsters
• Final girl
• Psychologically damaged adults

Narrative based on issues/themes emerging

• Good triumphing over evil
• Conflict played out as a battle between good and evil
• The supernatural haunting an individual
• Unfinished business with a villian coming back for revenge
• Confusion with identity
• Unsolved murders
• Unexplained events

Narrative Structure

• Conforms to Todorov's equilibrium, disruption, resortation of equilibrium
• Propp's character theory
• Binary oppositions between good and evil, life and death, supernatural and natural, leading to resolution of those conflicts but often with a twist at the end suggesting all is not well
• Victims using their skills to solve the crime and reveal / overthrow the murderer.

Icons

• Blood
• Gore
• Knives
• Shadows
• Darkness
• Masks
• Ghosts
• Deformities

Music and Sound

• Heartbeats
• Atmospheric suspense music
• Psycho strings
• Loud bangs and crashes
• Screams