2. WHAT IS HORROR? Horror is an intense and profound fear, something that inspires dislike. Horror films are movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, horror and terror from viewers. They can have the effect of mental paralysis, working their way into the minds of viewers often making us feel frozen, unable to move. Their plots frequently involve themes of death, the supernatural or mental illness. Many horror movies also include a central villain.
3. THE HISTORY OF HORROR. The first horror movie was the silent short film ‘Le Manoir du Diable’ directed by Georges Mèliès in 1896. It was the first horror and the first vampire film. The movie only lasted two minutes, but audiences loved it, and Mèliès took pleasure in giving them more horrors. As horror film budgets rose significantly in the 1960’s, public fascination with horrors led to a series of serious, supernatural-themed, often gruesome horror movies. The Exorcist (1973) broke all records for a horror film and is, still today, said to be one of the most feared movies to watch by audiences.
4. COPYCAT THEORY Horrors have been said to influence some people to imitate the brutal methods of the killers portrayed on screen. However according to years of research into the criminal, psychological side of the mind, horrors have been shown to have the opposite effect on normal people. Watching horror films lets us encounter our secret fears, share them with other viewers and eliminate the terror by meeting it head-on.
5. SO WHAT IS IT THAT SCARES US? This is open to interpretation. However, ever noticed the high-stringed music at particular points in the film like the one playing in the background at the moment? Observe a clip in a film and think about the effects with the music playing, and then mute it, see the effects without the music playing...
6. SO WHAT IS IT THAT SCARES US? Maybe its the camera effects and costume and make-up we are able to create with today’s technology.
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8. Dumb character who falls straight into the trap or gets captured at the very beginning to provide entertainment for the audience.
14. Often dark places, old and creaky perhaps. Abandoned, ‘middle of nowhere’ buildings. Damaged structures Crumbling or run-down buildings.
15. The setting creates mood. If a murder were shot in broad sunlight it wouldn’t have the same scary impact on the audience as if it was shot in the night time.
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18. SOUND Music adds tension. There is an audio sequence in horror films that most people recognize. A long eerie musical build-up of strings or horns as the victim, for example, approaches a closed door, then this is followed by a violent orchestral hit as the victim opens the door to encounter whatever is hidden behind it. This is a type of musical cue that seems to be quite common in horror films. Whenever the audience hears this build-up, they know that something is going to happen. There are many examples of other musical cues that are almost subconsciously recognized and identified by the audience. A long deep tone might indicate tension or a rapid and bright sequence played by a set of strings may indicate stress or panic.
