Lo4 Research

Horror Genre
http://thehorror2010.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/how-horror-films-have-changedand.html
How the Horror genre has changed over time
1930s- horrors were based on literature and films such as Dracula

and Frankenstein were made
1950s/1960s- alien and monster movies were created to take away
some of the nations fear during the cold war, by allowing human
kind to seem in control and as wanting and achieving peace
allowing them to escape from realities of fear of nuclear attacks.
During this era movies such as Godzilla and THEM! were produced.
1970s- realism was introduced to the genre. More relatable films
generated more fight during this time. Films such as the legendary
Psycho and Halloween were created.
1980s- in the 80s slashers were the most popular of horror films
such as Nightmare on Elm Street. Also special effects were used
more and more during this decade creating monsters as the villains
resulting in films such as An American Werewolf in London and The
Thing.
1990s- psychological thrillers are introduced and fear of the
unknown is used widely. Films such as The Blair Witch Project, which
was the first of its kind and changed the horror game completely,
introducing a completely unique style. Also films such as seven had
a lot of religious connotations, the victims having to pay for their
sins.
2000s- religious connotations followed into the noughties, with films
such as Saw being made. Also predictions for world chaos and
destruction such as The Day after Tomorrow and 1012, as well as
inescapable and unprovoked deaths such as in the film Final
Destination. More recently films such as Paranormal Activity and The
Orphan have reintroduced psychological horrors.
http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/horror-genre-codes-conventions
Codes and Conventions
Split into sub genres (see below), often hybridised
Primary target audience male, 16-24, Mainstreamers
15 or 18 Certification (promises of pleasure) debates on passive

consumption
Uses and Gratifications (active audiences) theory can apply
Extensive use of Narrative enigmas
Exploration of Narrative Themes
Slow pace of Editing, builds tension. Long takes
Three act narrative structure
Predictable narrative content (follows format)
Clear binary oppositions e.g. good v evil
Use of low key lighting
Use of CGI, FX
High production values but many low budget horror films
Dominant, hegemomic representation of gender: The Female Victim
Extensive use of close up
Incidental non-diegetic sound
Distorted diegetic sound
Extensive use of narrative off-screen space
Young/teenage characters
Use of hand-held camera: audience identification/realism
Point of view shots
Low angle shots
http://elliotrobinsmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/generic-codes-andconventions.html
Codes and conventions
Code: A system of signs which can be decoded to create meaning.
In media texts, we look at a range of different signs that can be loosely
grounded into the following:
Technical codes all to do with the way a text is technically

constructed camera angles, framing, typography etc
Verbal codes everything to do with language either written or
spoken
Symbolic codes codes that can be decoded on a mainly
connotational level all the things which draw upon our experience
and understanding of other media texts, our cultural frame of
reference.
Codes can create feelings to the audience through effects and

techniques, for example rain in a film and a woman looking upset
can make the audience feel bad for the woman and be emotional.
Convention:
Is what you would expect to see in a certain genre, for example: in a
fantasy genred film you would expect to see maybe unicorns, demons,
heros/villians, strange settings, basically things that are fictional and
unreal in our world.
The codes and conventions in media can be separated into 3 groups
Technical (e.g. camera angles, movements & shots)

Symbolic (e.g. clothing, colours)
Written and audio (music ect)
These three distinct groups give the text meaning and determine the
response of the viewer.
https://screampsychohorror.wordpress.com/representation-of-women-inhorror-films/
Representation of women
Traditionally women are represented in horror films as the damsel in
distress and are usually being attacked by the killer because they have
committed a sinful act. This idea is supported by the website
bellaonline.com as they say that Horror films, and the slasher
subgenre, are famous for portraying women as hypersexual damsels in
distress who are usually murdered within the first five minutes as
punishment for their indiscretions. The stereotype of the dumb blonde
is supported by the book Studying the media an introduction by Tim
OSullivan and co say that the dumb blonde stereotype might include:
blondness, seductive body language, strong makeup- page 129. This is
supported in Scream by the character Tatum Riley who gets killed in the
most stereotypical way. This is shown in the scene where Tatums Death.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3_sdD1ecmg
Narrative structure
Horror films also tend to follow the same narrative structure of a male
killer on the rampage that kills his victims one by one until he is killed by
the remaining female victim. This is also supported by the book Men,
Women and Chainsaws by Carol J Clover A phychokiller who slashes to
death a string of mostly female victims, one by one, until they are
subdued or killed, usually by the one girl who has survived. Page 21.
This suggests that when a female character is the hero and survives the
killer to kill or capture the killer herself that women are represented as
strong and powerful and therefore that women have empowerment over
men; which is feminist ideology. This happens in the film Scream when
the character Gail Weathers shoots the killer as well as Sidney the main
female character manages to overpower the killer for a period of time.
This is a modern ideology of how women should be represented in horror
films, which has been influenced by feminism as well as modern culture.
The narrative structure of horror films is parodied in Scream. This is
supported by the websitehttp://www.scope.nottingham.ac.uk Scream also
revitalized the genre by making the very conventions of the genre the
subject of the film The films parodic double-coding allows Scream to be
both a horror-film-proper and a meta-film about horror films, seeking to
incorporate the texts first critical commentary within its narrative
structure. This technique of revealing the narrative structure of horror
allowed audiences in on the secret of the narrative. The film Scream by
revealing the narrative structure changed the genre and industry.

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Horror Genre

How the Horror genre has changed over time

1930s- horrors were based on literature and films such as Dracula

Split into sub genres (see below), often hybridised

Primary target audience male, 16-24, Mainstreamers

15 or 18 Certification (promises of pleasure) debates on passive

Extensive use of Narrative enigmas

Exploration of Narrative Themes

Slow pace of Editing, builds tension. Long takes

Three act narrative structure

Predictable narrative content (follows format)

Clear binary oppositions e.g. good v evil

Use of low key lighting

High production values but many low budget horror films

Dominant, hegemomic representation of gender: The Female Victim

Extensive use of close up

Incidental non-diegetic sound

Distorted diegetic sound

Extensive use of narrative off-screen space

Use of hand-held camera: audience identification/realism

Point of view shots

Low angle shots

Technical codes all to do with the way a text is technically

Codes can create feelings to the audience through effects and

The codes and conventions in media can be separated into 3 groups

Technical (e.g. camera angles, movements & shots)

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