Transcript Horror Genre - Somerset Academy

Horror Genre
Mr. Oporta
Fear
• Fear is the most
basic human
instinct.
• Fear is the most
powerful teacher.
• Some people love to
be scared.
Fear as a Teacher
• Origins of the horror
genre come from
teaching of children.
• Parents would often tell
stories of children who
did not listen to their
parents and were taken
away by evil spirits.
• The Bogeyman
Fear as a Teacher
• Malta cave, is a cave
somewhere in England.
• The cave leads to a
system of tunnels that
were a labyrinth
• Children would play
there and get lost, so
the parents of a nearby
town “created” a
monster that lived in the
cave and ate children.
Legends
• More remote places in Europe would
then “readapt” the stories that taught
children and enhanced the world those
would be “monsters” lived in.
• They then became legend and soon
people began to believe it.
Legends: Werewolves
• At first werewolves
were just bigger
wolves that lived in
the forest and would
eat children would
would wander into
the woods alone at
night.
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Legends: Vampires
• Vampires at “first”
simply took blood
from young/beautiful
women to keep
them from being
promiscuous.
• Can be traced as
far back as the
Ancient Greeks.
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Real “Vampires”
• Vlad the Impaler,
Count of the House
of Draculesti.
• Prince of Romania
what would be
Transylvania
• He was a fierce
warrior and drank
the blood of his
fallen victims.
Real “Vampires”
• The Vampire Countess Lady Bathory she had
Anemia
• She was obsessed with
her looks.
• Killed her own servants.
• Murdered over 1000
people.
• The Servants who
escaped told of her
story
Vampire Kits
Victorian Horror Stories
• Stories were meant
to keep woman from
being promiscuous
• Ankles and wrist
considered sex
symbols.
• Gothic Fiction
Victorian Novels: Gothic
Fiction
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•
Frankenstein
The Vampyre
The Wolfman
Dr. Jeckle and Mr.
Hyde
• The Invisible man
• The Phantom of the
Opera
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The Horror Genre
• The audience experiences/feels fear or disgust.
• Stories often have an evil force, event or supernatural
character.
• Settings are usually in small town America, in quiet
neighbourhoods and in woods.
• Shadows and darkness play an important part.
• The color red is often symbolic.
Horror Through the Ages
• Audiences today aren’t easily
frightened. Directors need to come up
with a new angle or use comedy.
• Can you think of any films that have
done this successfully?
History of Horror
• 1890s-George Melies’
‘Monster Movies’
• 1922-German Vampire Flick
• 1930s-Gothic Horror from
Universal Studio
(Frankenstein, Dracula)
• 1950-Alien Invasions (Body
Snatchers, Thing from
another World)
• 1960s-Hammer Films
History of Horror-1960-1970s
• Late 1960s-Psychological
Horror from Hitchcock
(Psycho). Michael Powell’s
‘Peeping Tom’.
• Late 60’s-70s-Occult horror
(Rosemary’s Baby, Exorcist)Walking Dead (Romero’s
1968 ‘Night of the Living
Dead’.
• 1970s-Gore fests such as
Carpenter’s ‘Last House on
the Left’, Tobe Hooper’s
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’
History of Horror-Late 70s/80s
• 1978-Carpenter’s
tension filled
Halloween.
• Romero’s Zombie’s
continued to shuffle
along in ‘Dawn of
the Dead’ and the
‘Day of the Dead’
History of Horror-1990s
• Post-modern, self
aware horror from Wes
Craven and Kevin
Williamson (Scream
Trilogy)
• 1999-Blair Witch
mockumentary
• Japanese Horror floods
the market with ‘Ringu’,
‘Ju-On’ (The Grudge)
History of Horror-2000+
• American remakes
of Japanese Horror
(Ring, Grudge, Dark
Waters)
• Revisiting of old
villains in a new
guise (Freddy V
Jason, Halloween
H2O, Alien V
Predator).
Characteristics of a Horror
• Although all horror films are vastly
different and can encompass several
different possible plots and endings,
there are some characteristics that can
be seen in several if not all horror films.
Settings
• a deserted (or sparsely
inhabited) castle or
mansion in a state of
ruins or semi-ruins
• labyrinths/mazes, dark
corridors, and winding
stairs
Settings
• castles or mansions
which have hidden
tunnels/staircases,
dungeons, underground
passages, crypts, or
catacombs
 threatening natural
landscapes, like rugged
mountains, dark forests,
or eerie moors,
exhibiting stormy
weather
Lighting
• Low lit scene
• High contrast
• limited lighting such as
moonlight (usually a full
moon), candles, flashlight,
lantern
Lighting
• often the light disappears:
clouds hide the moon, candles
go out, flashlights/ lanterns
are dropped and broken
• if electric lights exist, they
usually mysteriously go out
Atmosphere
• Dark scenes filled with
disturbing shadows and
strange and alarming
props are typically seen
in horror movies.
• A characteristic
foreboding shot is a
tight shot of footsteps
coming closer to the
main character, who is
trying to hide from this
threat.
Sound
• Horror films typically
turn normal sound
effects into "creepy"
sound elements.
• With good timing, a
sudden loud bang or
a falling object
crashing to the floor
will deliver a shock
factor.
• It can also involve a
jittery scene set in
dead silence, which
makes the
anticipation of what
comes next more
hair-raising.
Elements of Horror
Graphic Scenes
• Most horror films
include graphic scenes
of explicit gore
• These elements
typically feature
violence caused by
humans, monsters or
supernatural beings
• The graphic special
effects are often used
as thrill and climax of
films.
Emotional Response
• Most horror movies attempt to elicit a specific
emotional response. The obvious emotions
associated with horror are fear, terror and
dread
• Horror movies do scare people, whether that
fear comes from a supernatural element in
the story or knowing that what happened in
the film could happen to you. Other emotional
elements that come from a horror film include
revulsion and a sense of helplessness
Monsters
• Although not all
films have
“monsters” in
particular there is
always some
antagonist that
draws the plot
forward: EX:
Monster, Serial
Killer, Evil Spirit etc.
Violence
• Violence is, depending on the film,
either the climax or plot of the film.
• All horror films encompass some form
of violence
• EX: Saw vs. the Strangers
• Saw is considered a “cheap” thrill in
violence
Evil Force
• ghosts, werewolves, vampires, demons,
vicious animals, cannibals, zombies,
masked killers and deranged beings.
Other Elements
• dark secrets
surrounding some
tormented soul who is
left to live in isolation
• ominous omens and
curses
• magic, supernatural
manifestations, or the
suggestion of the
supernatural
• a damsel in distress
• the damsel’s
rescuer; usually a
lover
• horrifying (or
terrifying) events or
the threat of such
happenings
What makes Horror, Horrifying?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Absence
The Unknown
The Unexpected
The Unbelievable
The Unseen
The Unconscious
The Unstoppable
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Presence
Helplessness
Urgency
Pressure
Intensity
Rhythm
Release
All Horror is Based on a True Story
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The Amityville Horror
The Exorcist
Silent Hill
Silence of the Lamb