• Horrors are made to create fear within the audience, to Horrors are made to create fear within the audience, to build up suspense and perhaps even make people aware of build up suspense and perhaps even make people aware of frightening the real world is, for instance, The Strangers.frightening the real world is, for instance, The Strangers.

• This film states at the beginning that it is based on a true This film states at the beginning that it is based on a true story and appears to be fairly common in America; story and appears to be fairly common in America; therefore, before the plot is revealed the audience is therefore, before the plot is revealed the audience is alarmed which is scarier since it creates a sense of reality.alarmed which is scarier since it creates a sense of reality.

• A horror is an unsettling film which is designed to:A horror is an unsettling film which is designed to:

- Frighten and panic - Frighten and panic

- Cause dread and alarm- Cause dread and alarm

- Invoke our worst hidden fears- Invoke our worst hidden fears

- Entertain us- Entertain us

• Horrors are made for various audiences, such as The Blair Horrors are made for various audiences, such as The Blair witch project is a 15 certificate, but is mainly aimed witch project is a 15 certificate, but is mainly aimed towards teenagers. The Exorcist however, is of an 18 towards teenagers. The Exorcist however, is of an 18 certificate and is aimed towards more mature adults as it certificate and is aimed towards more mature adults as it contains many disturbing scenescontains many disturbing scenes

• There’s always a lead character, the protagonist, There’s always a lead character, the protagonist, that survives the villain/ killer/ monster that survives the villain/ killer/ monster throughout the filmthroughout the film

• The killer/ villain/ monster often has a trademark, The killer/ villain/ monster often has a trademark, for instance the way in which they kill their for instance the way in which they kill their victims, or the weapon they use to kill themvictims, or the weapon they use to kill them

• There is usually a good versus bad binary There is usually a good versus bad binary opposition, where there are conflicts between the opposition, where there are conflicts between the two characters two characters

• The plots are usually based on murders, strange The plots are usually based on murders, strange visitors with masks and dark secrets which tend to visitors with masks and dark secrets which tend to be revealed towards the end… be revealed towards the end…

† The setting tends to be in dark, isolated and The setting tends to be in dark, isolated and ordinary places to create a realistic effect for the ordinary places to create a realistic effect for the viewers, otherwise it doesn’t appear to be that viewers, otherwise it doesn’t appear to be that scary.scary.

† For instance, The Strangers is set in an isolated For instance, The Strangers is set in an isolated cottage near the woods this is fear-provoking since cottage near the woods this is fear-provoking since many unknown things come out of the woods and many unknown things come out of the woods and not much is visible when it’s dark making it easier to not much is visible when it’s dark making it easier to them to hide… them to hide…

¢ The characters in horror films are The characters in horror films are not clear to identify with, since not clear to identify with, since some tend to be two-faced, so some tend to be two-faced, so they may appear to be kind and they may appear to be kind and helpful, but in fact they might helpful, but in fact they might possibly be behind the mystery; possibly be behind the mystery; this creates twists in the plot as this creates twists in the plot as well as enigmas as to who is well as enigmas as to who is actually behind it all…actually behind it all…

ξ The props contained in The props contained in horrors tend to be objects horrors tend to be objects that the viewers would be that the viewers would be afraid of, such as knives, afraid of, such as knives, guns, chainsaws and masks.guns, chainsaws and masks.

ξ In Saw, there are many props In Saw, there are many props such as hand cuffs and such as hand cuffs and chainsawschainsaws

# In horror films the shots In horror films the shots mainly consist of long shots mainly consist of long shots and over the shoulder shots, and over the shoulder shots, this is because they tend to this is because they tend to have scary images in the have scary images in the background, and since it is background, and since it is less visible they easily scare less visible they easily scare the audience the audience

# In The Strangers, there are In The Strangers, there are various long shots where the various long shots where the ‘Strangers’ appear from ‘Strangers’ appear from behind which causes the behind which causes the viewers to jump viewers to jump

©MirrorsMirrors©Learning Lessons – such as in Learning Lessons – such as in

Saw Saw ©““Death is a shortcut” – so films Death is a shortcut” – so films

stretch things out stretch things out ©Children who see ghostsChildren who see ghosts©Bad NightmaresBad Nightmares©Helpless VictimHelpless Victim©Stumbling Female VictimStumbling Female Victim©The Sixth SenseThe Sixth Sense

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/the-strangers/trailerTrailer of ‘The Strangers’

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/the-ring-two/trailerTrailer for ‘The Ring 2’

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/saw-6/teaser-trailerTrailer for ‘Saw Vl’