1. Settings/Locations.
The locations of a horror film can be varied and can be at any time, at any place,
on any year. Horrors such as Halloween, A Nightmare On Elm Street and Friday
The 13th are set within suburban areas. Suburban areas are often within a piece
of ordinary life, Halloween is set within a cul-de-sac and A Nightmare On Elm
Street is set within a small town.
Some horror films are set within a future period, such as Alien. These
often take place within a time in the future and, like on other planets such as
Alien. These often include an increased knowledge in weapons and other things.
Other locations include places such as castles (Dracula, Frankenstein), a
forest (The Blair Witch Project), and claustrophobic atmosphere (Saw). Snowy
landscapes are used in films such as Dead Snow and The Thing, the ocean and
water-like settings are used for films like Jaw and Piranha 3D.
Iconography.
Horror films often include an iconic villain who is recognizable which is often
because of a mask or a weapon that the character often uses. Iconic horror film
villains that are iconic are Michael Myers (Halloween), Freddy Krueger (A
Nightmare On Elm Street) and Jason Voorhees (Friday The 13th).
Blood is often seen as an iconic piece of horror film history. This is often
because the death of a character is represented by the use of blood. Blood can
also be used to create a sense of mystery and to be used in an over-the-top style.
Themes.
Themes of the horror film genre are often death, blood, gore and tension. Death,
blood and gore are key elements often shown in many films. They can be used to
create tension and they are often used to produce a sickness feeling within the
audience. Tension is often a key element, which is used to make the audience be
on the edge of their seats and feel uncomfortable when watching the film.
Narrative.
Horror films can be narrated by using a first person narrative. This is when a
character of the film narrates the story and guides the audience through the film.
Another type of narrative is Device. This is when a piece of technology is used to
record events, such as The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. Omniscient
Narrator is also used, which is a character outside of the film tells the story and
explains the setting and characters, although this is rarely used as the audience
prefers to focus their attention on the characters within the film.
Visual Style.
Dutch angles are often used to create a sense that something is not right and to
create a sense of distortion. Gore is often used in modern films, such as in the
Saw franchise. Close-ups are also used to show the characters emotions and they

2. are a main part of modern horror films. They are used in Saw to create a feeling
of claustrophobia. Shadows are also used to create a sense of mystery
surrounding a character or a setting. Shadows are often used when a
villain/killer reach or step out of the shadows to kill someone/thing.