Genre Conventions: Storylines

The sub-genre of our film is Psychological Horror this is because it is based upon more paranormal aspects such as spirits and possession.

Stereotypical Storylines for Psychological Horror

Psychological Horror is one of many sub-genres of horror. In many cases, this genre overlaps with the psychological thriller sub-genre purely because it is more realistic and focused on everyday life. Most Psychological Horror films focus on mental conflict. Whilst typical horror films focus more on fantastical situations such as attacks by monsters and deformed creatures; psychological horror focuses more on artistic realism and tends to keep the monsters hidden.
This genre differentiates from the other sub-genres of horror as it is more likely to occur in real life. In typical horror films the source of fear is usually derived from something physical such as monsters as well as slasher films which scares it's audience from the use or graphic violence and gore. Whereas psychological horror builds tension through the use of atmosphere, sinister music and sounds and taking advantage of the audiences' psychological fears. Our film is based around the terror and fear of the supernatural happenings and the beliefs of ghosts and demonic spirits.  Our film would be classes as a Psychological Horror as we are going to use various conventions to portray the belief that something is there, when in fact it is not, meaning we will rely much more on the build of tension.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Three students travel to Burkittsville, Maryland to produce a documentary about the fabled 'Blair Witch'. They interview an inhabitant of the town who claims to have seen the Blair Witch and describes it as a half-human half-animal beast; although she s deemed as insane. Over the course of the next few days they explore the woods. On the third day, they fail to find their car before dark, meaning they are stranded in the woods. They return to their camp to find that all of their possessions' had been trashed, they try to escape the woods by heading south but then realise they have walked in circles. One of the students, Josh, suffers a mental breakdown, and on the 6th day Mike and Heather discover he has disappeared. The next day, they hear Josh's screams and decide to go find him. They enter a derelict house, in which they hear Josh's screams coming from the basement. Mike enters the basement when suddenly something attacks him and he drops the camera. Heather enters after, where something attacks her also, causing her to drop her camera as well.

The Ring (2002)

Two high school students Katie and Becca, who are having a sleepover, discuss the urban legend of a video tape which kills anyone 7 days after viewing it. Katie confesses to Becca that she has watched it although Becca does not believe her. That night Katie dies. Rachel Keller, Katie's aunt, decides to investigate the bizarre circumstances around the death of her niece. She discovers that Katie and the rest of her friends who had died had stayed at Cabin 12 in Shelter Mountain, where she stays too find out what happened. Whilst there she discovers a videotape and watches it. Rachel find out that a woman named Anna is responsible for the death of Samara, the girl in the tape, and buries her in an attempt to put her spirit to rest. After believing she has broke the curse she returns home to discover that her ex-boyfriend Noah had died after watching the tape. Rachel discovers that the only reason she was spared was because she made a copy of the tape and told Noah to watch it, passing the curse over to him. In an attempt to save her son, she tells him to make a copy and pass it onto someone else. The film then ends with static.

These two films that I used as example storylines for Psychological Horror show some stereotypical storyline for this sub-genre. These are similar due to the fact that they strive towards creating anxiety through the use of inexplicable themes such as the speculation of ghosts or demons. Both 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'The Ring' rely on using supernatural entity's as the main 'antagonists' in order to create fear amongst the viewers and the characters themselves; relying on the fear of the unknown.

Genre Conventions - Storylines

Genre conventions - Storylines:

Genre- Horror  

The horror genre has changed a huge amount over the years that it has been around, this is mostly due to the changing of technology and the films being inspired by events happening at the time of filming.  However, in a general summary the horror genre has very typical story lines which all involve evoking a sense of fear and panic from the audience. Most horrors base the storylines around people's worst fears to ensure that the audience are specifically targeted and on edge to coincide with the 'jump-scares' that will happen later in the film. The films traditionally incorporate a vast amount of violence into the plot to make the audience more fearful. This is proven in the essay: Effects of violence in films . The horror genre can overlap into other genres such as thriller, physiological and fantasy. One thing we can be sure about in every horror story line is that they have an antagonist which usually are an evil entity, a person or a horrific event. Examples of these are:





The Woman In Black (2012)

Evil Entity: The Woman In Black (2012)

A widowed lawyer is sent to a remote village trapped in the past with their ways to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased woman. After being in the town it is clear that the villagers are keeping a deadly secret, and try to stop him from learning the tragic history of the town. Children are being killed in what looks like 'suicide' however they all have one catalyst in common 'The Woman in Black'. Nobody is safe from the woman's vengeance as she tries to find something she lost many years ago and this being the reason she died.

This film is set in the past which is a common feature in many films at the moment- horror films that involve evil entity's which are set in the past include: The Conjuring, Ouija, Insidious Chapter 3. 





Scream (1996)

Evil People: Scream (1996)

In a little town, Woodsboro, there's a killer in the midst who's seen too many horror movies, and suddenly nobody is safe.  The psychopath stalks, taunts, manipulates and then rips them to shreds. In this small town it could be anybody. The only hope is to stay one step ahead of the killer, the clues are there, they just have to spot them.

This horror takes place in a school and focuses around young people which was a popular choice for slasher horror films in the 90s, these films are: Urban legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Final Destination.





Jaws (1975)

Horrific Event: Jaws (1975)

A horrific event in horror films could be anything such as an natural disaster, the outbreak of disease or anything that humans cant predict coming - this relates to the film Jaws. This film focuses around a shark attack. A huge great white shark arrives on the shores of a New England beach resort and with bloody attacks its wreaks havoc on the towns people. This is until a part time sheriff teams up with a marine biologist and an old seafarer to hunt the monster shark down.

This is a horror based around animal attacks, this was a popular choice of film as other films like this include: Piranha, Bait, Jurassic Park. 

Our Film

As a group we have identified our genre to be a paranormal horror. This genre gained popularity in 1973 with the film 'The Exorcist'.
These types of films aim to create a deeper sense of fear from the audience by scaring them with the 'unknown'. They express the views of the darker parts of the human mind- the part that people try to hide. This genre has now escalated into a traditional horror story. These storylines are usually based around an evil entity such as a ghost or a demon, and can involve some violence however are mostly focused around a tense atmosphere which puts the viewers on edge and takes hold of their imagination as your imagination can make the film scarier than it is. These films are set up for the viewer to envision the most horrific out come and plays on their mind. This supports the definition of a horror compared to a thriller. The horror genre will scare you long after the film is over while a thriller will only scare you while watching the film. As you have to use your imagination the films rely on mise-en-scene such as lighting to create the 'spooky' atmosphere.

Storylines
Usually in a paranormal horror. A ghost is haunting the main character and the main character and friends/family/important people have to do everything in their power to get rid of the ghost. This is commonly paired with a few characters getting killed along the way to add to the dramatic effect.
These are some storylines which are very common among the paranormal genre:

• The conjuring (2013)This storyline is focused around the infamous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine warren as they are called upon to confront a powerful demonic entity and save the family that it is traumatising. The warrens find them selves in the most dangerous and terrifying case of their lives.

In my opinion most horror films link up, for example The conjuring is based around a family in an already haunted house and the ghosts/demons threaten the existence of the family. Another story like this is The Poltergeist, however in this film instead of possessing the family it drags the little girl through the TV screen. This prop was also used in 'The Ring' where the main antagonist comes through a TV screen to kill its victims.

To compare this storyline with an old film I have chosen:

• The Exorcist (1973)

This follows the story of a 12-year old girl who gets possessed by demons. A young priest takes it upon himself to save the girl at the orders of her movie star mother.

All though these films are years apart they are both pretty similar in the storylines. The paranormal horror genre has a limited storyline basis and this would mean that our films would have to have a unique factor to make it different.

 

Storylines

We have identified the sub-genre of our film to be a psychological (paranormal) horror, more specifically to do with the idea of possession.

a) Typical Storylines for a Psychological Horror.
Initially, psychological horror aims to create discomfort by exposing common or universal psychological and emotional vulnerabilities/fears and revealing the darker parts of the human psyche that most people may repress or deny. Psychological horror films differ from the traditional horror films, where the source of the fear is typically something material, (basically various creates/monsters or aliens), as well as a slasher film which derives its effects from gore and graphic violence. In psychological films however, tension is built through atmosphere, eerie sounds and exploitation of the viewer's and the character's psychological fears. The main asset to this genre of film is what isn't shown, not what is. Our film focuses on the fear of paranormal activity/belief of ghosts and what that could supposedly lead to. Like a typical horror film, we'll use various backing tracks, props and lighting and sound effects to create the belief something is there as opposed to actually showing it, therefore relying a lot more on tension, to create that 'horror' feeling.

Examples:
1) Silent Hill (2006)

Rose Da Silva's daughter Sharon wakes up every night screaming about "silent hill" as well as experiencing sleepwalking. Pursued by a police officer, suspicious of her motives, and swerving to avoid a child her adoptive mother crashes the car knocking herself unconscious. Rose awakens to find Sharon is missing. She searches the fog and ash blanketed town for her beloved daughter. In order to find her missing daughter, Rose must fight the power of the town to get her back.

2) The Ring (2002)
A disturbing videotape appears to hold the power of life and death over those who view it in this offbeat thriller. A strange videotape begins making the rounds in a town in the Pacific Northwest; it is full of bizarre and haunting images, and after watching it, many viewers receive a telephone call in which they are warned they will die in seven days. A handful of teenagers who watched the tape while spending a weekend at a cabin in the mountains scoff at the threat, but as predicted, they all die suddenly on the same night. Rachel Keller the aunt of one of the ill-fated teens, is a journalist who has decided to investigate the matter.

3)The Black Cat (1934)
Honeymooning in Hungary, Joan and Peter Allison share their train compartment with Dr. Vitus Verdegast, a courtly but tragic man who is returning to the remains of the town he defended before becoming a prisoner of war for fifteen years. When their hotel-bound bus crashes in a mountain storm and Joan is injured, the travellers seek refuge in the home, built fortress-like upon the site of a bloody battlefield, of famed architect Hjalmar Poelzig. There, cat-phobic Verdegast learns his wife's fate, grieves for his lost daughter, and must play a game of chess for Allison's life.

Each one of these storylines I used for examples, show some of the typical storylines for a psychological horror. These are all similar since they aim to create discomfort by fears such as the 'shadowy part of the human psyche' which most people repress or deny, for example the believe in ghosts or spirits. 'The Ring' in particular focus on using entities or various creatures as the main 'villain' of the film to create their fear, where as 'Silent Hill' (despite also using a variety of made up horrific 'monsters') rely on the town itself to build up the suspense to create that unsettling vibe. So basically, these films rely more or less on the 'fear of the unknown.'

A classic storyline would have a backstory to set the mood of what's going to happen, therefore immediately capturing the audiences attention. Before then skipping ahead to the present time, showing the main protagonists of the film. The characters will then have some kind of supernatural or just unsettling experience before deciding to investigate further into this, ultimately throwing them into the middle of this whole supernatural epidemic; on the way becoming acquainted with some of the entities and creatures used to create just that little bit more of fear. 

Jace Hayes Character Profile

Jace Hayes
Played by: Daniel Barbrooke-Grubb

Age: 19

Regional Dialect: Newcastle 

Eye Colour: Brown

Hair Colour: Brown 

Bio: Jace grew up in big family, having 4 brothers has made him have an outspoken and blunt personality. Moving to Barnsley from Newcastle at the age of 11 enables Jace to meet his friends Malia and Riley. His outspoken personality aids him in persuing a career in Law at York University where he met Eli and Mackenzie.

Friendship Status: Best friends with Malia and Riley (potential love interest). Good friends with Eli.

Personality Traits: Outspoken, homely, intellectual, blunt, overconfident

Purpose in film: Jace, although having brought Eli, sticks to Riley and Malia at the gathering being his usual chatty self. He helps Malia get the board out and is all for using it without any sign of doubt and urges Eli to not be so negative. When the board shows response, Jace is the least reactive, being stunned in a state of shock and keeps to himself.  

Fate: Deceased

Quote: "Don't take life too seriously, no one makes it out alive anyway."
 

Malia Myers Character Profile

Malia Myers

Played by: Hope Horsman

Age: 18

Regional Dialect: Yorkshire, Barnsley

Eye Colour: Browny Blue

Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Bio: Malia had a simple upbringing with two loving and devoted parents who delegated a lot of time into her education. She's known Riley since birth despite their difference in upbringings. She met Jace in high school and regularly hangs out with him and Riley. She studies photography and media studies at York Unversity pursuing her degree in the creative arts. This was where she met Eli and Mackenzie.

Friendship Status: Best friends with Riley and Jace. Good friends with Eli and Mackenzie.

Personality Trait: Charasmatic, carefree, laid-back, intellectual and friendly.

Purpose in film: Malia is obviously present for Riley's gathering and makes sure she has interacted with everyone in the group. She is the first to suggest a game but does not intent for it to be the ouija board. She is excited yet frightful over what the board is capable of and when it starts showing response, she suggests saying goodbye. When Riley accuses Eli of foul play, Malia stands up for Eli, angering Riley.

Fate: Survived.

Quote: 'Make notes, crack jokes.' 

Mackenzie Lloyd Character Profile

Mackenzie Lloyd

Played by: Courtney Hutton

Age: 18

Regional Dialect: Doncaster

Eye Colour: Blue 

Hair Colour: Brown

Bio: Mackenzie had a pretty straightforward upbringing, similar to Malia's. She moved to Barnsley to go to college and university where she became acquainted with Malia and Eli. She's doing a degree in law and business in hopes to better her future.

Friendship Status: Good friends with Malia and Eli.

Personality Trait: Shy, friendly, intelligent, anxious and compassionate to others.

Purpose in film: Mackenzie was dragged along by Malia despite her reluctance to participate in Riley's party. She has only met Riley once and seen Jace a few times. She sticks close to Eli to begin with and is immediately against using the Ouija board. Once it starts to work she tries to leave as soon as she can but all the doors appear locked.
  
Fate: Deceased

Quote:  'I'm pretty shy in real life but I guess in front of the camera, I focus.'

Riley King Character Profile

Riley King

Played by: Gina Allen

Age: 19

Regional Dialect: Yorkshire, Barnsley

Eye Colour: Mix of green and hazel

Hair Colour: Blonde

Bio: Riley had quite the luxurious and privileged upbringing, with her stay at home mother and full time working father. She's never had to work for anything in her life and has always been at the top of the social hierarchy. She grew up in Barnsley where she knew Malia and Jace. She's trying for a degree in business studies at Newcastle University. She met Mackenzie and Eli through Jace and Malia.

Friendship Status: Best friends with Malia.

Personality Traits: Sarcastic, fun-loving, thrill seeker and judgemental with a hidden intelligence.

Purpose in film: Riley is having a gathering for to celebrate her new home. After Malia suggests playing a game, Riley is the one that remembers finding the Ouija board in her attic. She brings it out and is the most hopeful on whether it will actually work. She appears the most excited, belittling Eli and Mackenzie for their negativity against using the board; her actions towards them rude and uncaring. However, once the board starts showing response, she retreats and accuses Eli of moving it.

Fate: Deceased

Quote: 'I'm not actually funny, I'm just really mean and people think I'm joking.'

Eli Harris Character Profile

Eli Harris

Played by: Joe Usher
 

Age: 19  
 

Regional Dialect: Yorkshire, Barnsley

Eye Colour: Blue

 

Hair Colour: Dark Brown
 

Bio: Eli is an only child, brought up by his single mother. He grew up in Barnsley where he met Jace and Malia. He studies forensic science at York University, where he was acquainted with Riley and Mackenzie.
 

Friendship Status: Good friends with Jace.
 

Personality Traits: Sceptical, intelligent, friendly, judgemental, ironic and overall a simple guy.
 

Purpose in film: Eli was forced along to the gathering by Jace who is interested in Riley despite his own disliking to her. Eli ends up spending more time on his phone, rather than being involved with the others but enages with Mackenzie most. When suggested, Eli is adamant on believing the Ouija board will not work but in the back of his mind, he is hoping it will. He appears very sceptical and against Jace's wishes to use to the board. However Eli is aware that Jace does the exact oppostie to what he says, suggesting to Mackenzie that he does in fact want to try out the board. He is also very sarcastic and demeaning to Riley while his relationship with Malia and Mackenzie is undecidedly acquainted.
 

Fate: Deceased?
 
Quote: 'I look better in person.'  

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Similar Films

1. Ouija (2014)
Synopsis:

Following the sudden death of her best friend, Debbie (Shelley Hennig), Laine (Olivia Cooke) finds an antique Ouija board in Debbie's room and tries to use it to say goodbye. Instead, she makes contact with a spirit that calls itself DZ. As strange events begin to occur, Laine enlists others to help her determine DZ's identity and what it wants. As the friends delve deeper, they find that Debbie's mysterious death was not unique, and that they will suffer the same fate unless they learn how to close the portal they've opened.

Release Date: October 31, 2014 (United Kingdom)

Director: Stiles White

Box Office: 103.6 million USD

Budget: 5 million USD

Distributed by: Universal Studios
Certficate: 15

Running Time: 89 minutes

This film was where our own film idea stemmed from, and the scene where they first use the board is what inspired our opening scene, using similar shots as well as the general plot.

2. Ouija: Origin Of Evil (2016)
Synopsis:

This film is the prequel to Ouija (2014), the film ending with a clip from the first film, linking them both together. ars to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.
In 1967 Los Angeles, widowed mother Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) unwittingly invites authentic evil into her home by adding a new stunt to bolster her séance scam business. When the merciless spirit overtakes her youngest daughter Doris (Lulu Wilson), the small family must confront unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.

Release Date: October 20, 2016

Director: Mike Flanagan
Box Office: 81.6 million USD
Budget: 9 million USD
Distrubuted by: Universal Pictures
Certificated: PG-13
Running time: 99 minutes

3. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Synopsis:
In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren come out of a self-imposed sabbatical to travel to Enfield, a borough in north London. There, they meet Peggy Hodgson, an overwhelmed single mother of four who tells the couple that something evil is in her home. Ed and Lorraine believe her story when the youngest daughter starts to show signs of demonic possession. As the Warrens try to help the besieged girl, they become the next targets of the malicious spirit.
  
Release date: June 13 2016
Director:  James Wan
Box Office: 40 million (USD)

Budget: 320.3 million (USD)
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pitcures.
Certificate: 12A 
Running Time: 134 minutes
  
Unlike the two examples, where we analysised the whole film, from this one we only found inspiration from a few scenes. The Conjuring 2 is based around the use of a Ouija board that shows the after effects of what can happen. Our film will not feature the appearance of paranormal investigators like this one, so the film will not pan out like The Conjuring, although the idea of malicious spirits will be a main feature.

Similar Films

 

Similar Films

Ouija (2014)




Ouija (2014)

Synopsis: After the death of her best friend, Debbie, who committed suicide, Laine invites her sister and convinces her friends Trevor, Isabelle and Pete to perform a séance using a Ouija board. However they unleash dangerous spirits which threaten their lives.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Release Date: 24th October 2014
Director: Stiles White
Box Office: $50,820,940

 

Similarities: One of the main similarities between Ouija (2014) and our own film, is that the film
utilizes a Ouija board. This film is based around characters try to make contact with the dead, through the use of a Ouija board, which is closely similar to the plot of our film. Another big similarity is that they are both Horror films. The scene in the movie which inspired us most, is the scene in which the 5 teenagers in the movie are sat around a table using a Ouija board and performing a séance.

Ouija 2: Origin Of Evil (2016)

Ouija 2: Origin Of Evil (2016)

Synopsis: Origin of Evil tells a terrifying new tale as the follow-up to 2014's sleeper hit that opened at number one. In 1965 Los Angeles, a widowed mother and her two daughters add a new stunt to bolster their séance scam business and unwittingly invite authentic evil into their home. When the youngest daughter is overtaken by the merciless spirit, this small family confronts unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.

Genre: Horror / Thriller

Release Date: 21st October 2016
Director: Mike Flanagan
Box Office: $34,904,885

Similarities: Ouija 2: Origin Of Evil (2016), is a prequel to the Ouija (2014) film. Because of this, it contains many similar features to the Ouija (2014) and our independent film. In the film, a Ouija board is used to perform a séance and try and communicate with the dead. Although there is not a child in this film it is similar, as it uses the same aspects of horror such as; paranormal presences, Ouija boards and demons.

Witch Board (1986)

Witchboard (1986)

Synopsis: At a party, a guest brings out a Ouija board, and they attempt to contact a spirit he knows. The spirit does appear, but it becomes apparent to the one who brought the Ouija board that this is an evil spirit that is impersonating his spirit, and despite warnings not to use the board alone, a woman uses it alone, and becomes harassed by the evil spirit, his goal to possess her so he can walk the earth again.

Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller

Release Date: 13th March 1987
Director:  Kevin Tenney
Box Office: $7,369,373

Similarities: The film is about a group of friends who utilise a Ouija board for fun, not knowing what the consequences are. Our film is similar to this, due to the fact that group of college students bring a Ouija board to a house and use it without fully knowing what they are doing.

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Synopsis: Lorraine and Ed Warren, in one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.


The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller

Release Date: 13th June 2016
Director: James Wan
Box Office: $102,461,593

Similarities: This movie is filmed in very dull and eerie lighting, and is based around the use of a Ouija board and the effects of what can happen after. The idea of malicious spirits haunting the little girl and her family, is vaguely similar to our plotline which containing ghosts haunting the five characters in out film.

Other Films which are similar:

1. The Unleashed
2. Ouija (2010)
3. Paranormal Activity 2
4. Insidious Chapter 3

Similar Films

Similar Films

Ouija

One of the films that inspired us to do a Ouija board horror was the film Ouija. This came out in 2014 and was directed by Stiles White. In this film the main character Laine convinces her friends to use the board after the recent suicide of her best friend Debbie. The board unleashes evil spirits and in turn the friends are met with tragic deaths. As this film came out in 2014 it is quite new and the special effects work well- this film was also a low budget film and therefore is easily doable by
my team.
The scene which inspired us the most and which we are going to base our film around is the séance scene, this scene revolves around the use of a Ouija board and talking to the spirits. This is how we are planning to start our film. This film includes 5 teenagers much like are film as five is a suitable group to make the story line extensive and interesting.

Facts about the film

Release date: 24 Oct 2014 (United States)
Director: Stiles White
Language: English
Production companies: Hasbro  · Platinum Dunes · Blumhouse Productions
Certificate:  15
Year:  2014
Time:  1 hr 29 min
Genre: Horror

Ouija-2014- contacting Debbie

Insidious Chapter 3 

The second film which is similar to our is Insidious Chapter 3, I have chosen the third film as this is based around talking to the dead more than any of the other films. This film was released in 2015 so is very recent for a good horror film. Our film could not be as detailed as this, as the film is based around special effects and had a large budget.

This film was directed by Leigh Whannell and is about teenager Quinn Brenner trying to contact her late mother after she sense that she is trying to contact her, she seeks the psychic Elise however he is no longer in business and cannot help. An entity starts to attack Quinn and after Quinn being in a tragic accident it makes her very vulnerable to the attacks. It finally becomes a threat to her life so Elise steps in to venture in to the further to contact the dead and rescue Quinn.

The scene in this film which inspired us is the ending scene when Elise is trying to rescue Quinn from the evil entity. This features the main characters sat in a circle taking part in a séance.

Facts about the film

Release date: 05 Jun 2015
Director:  Leigh Whannell
Language: English
Production companies: Blumhouse Productions · Entertainment One
Certificate : 15
Year:  2015
Time:  1 hr 37 min
Genre: Horror

Insidious Chapter 3 

The Conjuring 2

The conjuring 2 is based around the use of a Ouija board shows the after effects of what can happen. This is a similar film to ours as it shows how the board can effect you in your every day life. It is about  paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, going to London to help a family which desperately needs to be saved from the spirits. Our film will not feature the appearance of paranormal investigators so the film will not pan out like The Conjuring, although the idea of malicious spirits. will be a main feature.

Facts About The Film:

Release date: 13 Jun 2016
Director:  James Wan
Language: English
Certificate: 12A 
Year: 2016
Time: 2 hr 14 min 
Genre: Horror

The Conjuring 2

History of Horror

 History of Horror

Horror is an ancient art form with a purpose to terrify with tales that trigger the less logical parts of our imaginations for as long as stories have been told. They deliver thrills, as well as telling us stories of the dark, forbidden side of life and death. They also provide a revealing mirror image of the anxieties of their time. Horror can be expressed through novels, comics, stories, TV shows but the majority of horror is released through films. Each generation gets the horror films it deserves, and one of the more fascinating aspects of the study of the genre is the changing nature of the monsters who present a threat. The 20's and 30's were the first decades to really show films that intended to scare the audience. Generally the 20's and 30's saw remakes of the classic stories such as Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' and Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'. 

In the 1940's however, there was a serious drop in the amount of films made in general due to war circumstances. But, a few classic horror films such as 'House of Frankenstein', House of Dracula' and 'Wolf Man' (1941)


The 50's and 60's had many advances in technology and this resulted in a shift from Gothic Horror to more contemporary concerns. The horror genre split in half to reveal two subgenres: Doomsday film and the Demonic film. Doomsday films suggested the collapse of Earth's technological civilization whereas Demonic films suggested that the world was miserable because of evil forces the constantly undermining the quality of existence. The nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki influenced Godzilla (1954) this featured the effect of nuclear radiation.

From the 1960s on we begin to see a massive variety of styles into the horror genre as it gained a lot of popularity. It was 1960’s Psycho that shocked audiences into believing horror could be more than B-Film Fare. Unlike the monsters of previous horror films, Norman Bates was rooted in reality – an every day human on the outside but a psychological monster in the mind. Hitchcock would deliver another natural horror with The Birds in 1963. The UK began rebooting Universal’s Gothic Monsters – but adding a lot more gore. Shot in full colour, Hammer’s first Gothic horror reboot was Terence Fisher’s The Curse of Frankenstein with Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the monster. For the first time in a Frankenstein film, blood was shown on screen and in full chilling colour.

During the 1970's and 80's, due to the success of low-budget horror films during the early parts of the 20th century, more horror films with occult themes were released during the 1970s. Possession, reincarnation and evil-children became popular themes in horror movies. One popular occult horror film was 'The Omen' released in 1976; which was one of the highest grossing films of that year. Also in the 70s many novels started to be adapted as moving pictures, this included the author Stephen King, who wrote novels such as 'Carrie' and 'The Shining'.This was the era where Slasher' films became more popular. Slasher films include a series of violent murders, often using a knife or sharp object by a murderer. One of the most popular slasher movies of all time is Halloween (1978) which went on to create a franchise which has sprouted 7 sequels to date.

When the 90s came around, the slasher cycle had pretty much run its course and was starting to fall into parody. Wes Craven’s self aware slasher film Scream in 1996 about a killer among a group of kids that already know all the rules of slasher films rebooted a new Teen Horror cycle which led to I Know What You Did Last Summer directed by Jim Gillespie and Final Destination directed by James Wong. Today's films are much like the early 2000s with many remakes still being made however the newer films such as Insidious get more horrific as the films go on with Chapter 3 being the most horrific. This applies to many films such as The Conjuring 2 (2016) and Woman in Black 2 (2015). Many of the actors and films from the past are now thought of as cliché and therefore the horror genre has taken on a more realistic attitude to create the sense that its real. Recent Zombie films feed our fears of a medical pandemic and the break down of society fears brought on by the financial meltdown in the mid 2000s. Still going strong with films like World War Z and the long form Television melodrama The Walking Dead, the Zombie Cycle may be seeing it’s fade out as comedic outings like Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead have poked fun at the formula.