Assignment 8: Synoptic Research Of The Horror Genre

Kelly MoralesChelsea HopkinsGelsomina De LuciaTayla Humphris

Genre Decision

History and Context of Horror Genre.• The term 'horror' first comes into play with Horace Walpole's 1764 novel, The Castle of Otranto, full of supernatural shocks and mysterious melodrama.

• The first great horror classic (Frankenstein 1818) was written by a Romantic at the heart of the movement - Mary Shelley.

• The roots of filmed horror were an extension of a genre of literature that got it’s start in the late 1700s: Gothic Horror.

Horror Emerges in Silent Era : 1896• In 1896 Georges Méliès would go on to create what is considered to be the first horror film ever made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPmKaz3Quzo#t=127

• The Manor of the Devil” – with bats, castles, trolls, ghosts, and a demon – played by Georges Méliès himself, in the clip there are clear elements of gothic horror that were already known by the public.

Why did it emerge in relation to what was going on in the world? What were the

audience like?• Silent Era of Horror began to become well known after the WW1.• People flocked to the movies because it was the only form of entertainment that

people felt they were getting their money’s worth.• The audience consisted of a variety of ages starting with young teens to middle

ages men and women.

Why did they like these films?• House on Haunted Hill in 1959 was filmed in “Emergo” which triggered a skeleton that would fly around the theatre suspended on wires. Once kids knew this was coming they’d bring their slingshots and see who could be the one to shoot it down. •And the Tingler, also in 1959, wired up movie theatre seats with joy buzzers and encouraged the audience to scream as a way of calming down the spine monster that was let loose in the theatre.•There was audience participation which would make them feel part of the movie.

Classic Horror Movies : What were they like?

• Mainly in black and white up until the 1960s.• Classic horrors contains mythical creatures which the audience of that time could

understand such as Medusa. • Most of the movies were silent until the late 1920s.• Sci fiction was introduced where ‘monsters’ were the killers but not only from

outer space.• Psycho in the 1960, created a whole new level of fear as unlike the monsters of

previous horror cycles, Norman Bates (Psycho) was rooted in reality – an every day human on the outside but a psychological monster in the mind.

• The purpose of the horror genre is to create fear among the audience.• The genre has this purpose because it makes the audience feel apart of the movie

as if they were the main character as they are sharing the same fear.• The effect on the audience is that it creates fear, tension and a sense of instability

as they do not know what is going to happen which adds a layer of thrill to the genre.

• However, some films contain conventions of multiple genres.• Therefore, the purpose of the horror (subgenre) is to show different levels of fear

and different types of ‘creatures’ in different forms.

Purpose of Horror

The Haunting 12A 1936Conventions - Existence of

ghosts - Sprits The reason why this is a horror is because its based in a big old mansion with history of violent and death and insanity

Frankenstein PG 1931Conventions :- It includes a

monster - Grave scenes the reason why this is horror is because of the fighting scene, including a doctor being strangled and a man is hanged.

House of Wax 18 1953Conventions:-Lifelike wax sculptures-Dead bodies gone from a city’s morgue.The reason why this is a horror is because a man comes back to life from being burnt after 18 months.

Nosferatu PG (10) 1922Conventions:-Strange events near a castle.-Unusual Occurrences. (Vampires)The reason why this is a horror is because it contains shipment of vampire coffins and death.

Dracula PG (10) 1931Conventions:-Vampires sucking blood. Including his dull and cold looking castle.The reason why this is a horror is because it contains the transformation of a human being to a undead.

Classic Horror Films

Film name Year Rating Subgenre

Saw 2004 18 Crime

Paranormal Activity 2007 15 Mystery

Insidious 2010 15 Thriller

The Cabin in the Woods 2012 15 Mystery

Scream 1996 18 Crime

Jaws 1975 PG Adventure

You’re Next 2011 15 Comedy

World War Z 2013 15 Sci-FiThe Purge 2013 15 Sci-Fi

20 Horror Film List

Film name Year Rating Subgenre

Mama 2013 15 Thriller

Dark Shadows 2012 12A Comedy

Shaun of the Dead 2004 15 Comedy

Jennifer’s Body 2009 15 Comedy

Sweeny Todd 2007 18 Musical

Resident Evil: Retribution 2012 15 Action

28 Days Later 2002 18 Sci-Fi

House of Wax 2005 15 ThrillerWolf Creek 2005 18 Adventure

20 Horror Film List

Contempory horror films

Year Rating Subgenre

Insidious 2010 15 Thriller/Paranormal

Mama 2013 15 Thriller/Paranormal

Paranormal activity 07-14 15 Thriller/ Paranormal

Possession 2012 15 Paranormal/

The conjuring 2013 15 Thriller/Paranormal

Sinister 2012 15 Mystery, Thriller

Grave encounters 2011 15 Paranormal/Thriller

House at the end of the street

2012 15 Mystery/Thriller

Friday the 13th 2009 18 Thriller/Gore

Cabin in the woods 2012 15 Mystery/Thriller

10 Comtempory Horror Films

Subgenre Analysis

KellyMystery: • Unclear of who it is behind the mask.•Enigma and tension is created throughout.

Crime :• Character is not a creature but a person and therefore this a crime/murder investigation.

GelsominaHorror :•There is a masked person with a knife.•Blood scenes.•Gore scenes.

Comedy :•Loads of double meaning jokes.•Jokes towards high school stereotypes.

MysteryIt has mystery conventions as the viewer is left wondering why the group are being targeted and for what reasons until the very end

Thriller

It has thriller conventions because the audience are left feeling elements of hope and are always on edge

Subgenre Analysis