This document outlines the author's research on the development of the horror genre from the 1920s to 2010. For each decade, the author analyzes one film, discussing its genre, themes, characters, narrative, techniques used, and audience appeal. The analysis of 10 films in total will help the author create an effective opening sequence by understanding how elements like protagonists, antagonists, camerawork, editing, and sound have appealed to audiences over the years.

1. Development of Genre (Horror)
I will research the development of the genre of horror from the years 1920 until 2010. For each film I chose in a decade, I will speak about the genre,
themes, types of characters, the narrative of the movie, the techniques each movies use and how each movie it appeals to the audience. It is very important
to this research as I feel it will help me with my opening sequence in order for my opening sequence to be good quality and appealing to my target
audience.
Date
Film Title and
Certification
Themes
and
Genre
Characters Narrative Technique Audience appeal
1920
The Phantom of
the
Opera
Certification: PG
Horror
Love,
Murder,
Revenge,
Ghosts
Antagonist: The
Phantom- He opposes the
hero and falls in love with
Christine Daee.
Protagonist:
Vicomete Raoul de
Chagny- Handsome good
looking character.
Princess of prize:
Christine Daee
A crazy disfigured
music composer
who lives in a
dungeon beneath
the opera house
seeks love with a
young opera singer
and tries to find
revenge after
realising this love is
unsuitable and
doesn’t want
anyone to have her
if he can’t have
her.
Sound- There was no sound used
at all throughout the movie. It
was a silent film; however, the
sound track was enough and
overcame the visual information.
Mis-en-scene- The costumes and
makeup that was presented
throughout the film stood out in
order to be more appealing and
overshadow the use of a silent
film.
Camera- very few variations in
camera shots because there was
not much equipment used as it
was filmed in the 1920’s.
The audience at the time of the
1920’s may have been really
appealing to them due to the
fact that narrative is expected
and realistic for something to
happen at the time. This film
may be more appealing to
middle/high class people as the
opera is considered a wealthy
leisure.
Additionally, in the 1920’s it was
expensive to watch movies and
therefore only the higher class
people are able to watch it.
1930
Night of Terror
Certification: PG
Horror/
Thriller
Murder,
Haunted
house,
spooky
Antagonist: Arthur
Hornsby- He fakes his
own death and then
commits multiple
murders.
Victims: Many people
The heirs to a
family fortune are
required to attend
a séance at a
spooky old
mansion, however
Camera: There are various
camera shots used in order to
show all the scenery in depth to
the audience.
Editing: The use of jump cuts
speed up the pace in order to
The audience may watch this
movie and use it as some sort of
distraction. There is so much
going on throughout the film of
people dying and therefore the
audience is distracted from

2. house,
family
feud
throughout the film due
to the fact that the
antagonist has murdered
them all.
throughout the
night; members of
the family are
being killed one by
one.
build up suspense after the death
of each character.
their personal life.
Audience from the higher class
may find this movie more
appealing as it is about rich
Families and it is set in a
mansion.
1940 House of Horrors
Certification:
Approved
Horror/th
riller
Revenge,
Murder,
Psycho.
Protagonist: Marcel De
Lange-
He is a sculptor who is
depressed about his life
and decides to commit
suicide. However, ends
up saving the antagonists
life.
Antagonist:
The Creeper- Ends up
killing the critics.
A struggling
sculptor is
depressed about
his life and
therefore decides
to commit suicide.
However, as he
was about to do so,
he spots and saves
a madman called
‘The creeper’ from
drowning. After the
creeper is saved,
Marcel has the
creeper as the
subject of his
sculptures. As the
reviews come in,
Marcel has The
Creeper murdering
the critics.
Sound: The use of the non-
diegetic cake helps build
suspense and awareness
throughout the film. The non-
diegetic sound also gives a more
abrupt tone throughout the
movie.
Editing: The use of jump cuts
builds up a faster pace
throughout the film which
highlights the fact that this
movie is a horror/thriller.
Male audience may find this
movie appealing as it is about
murder and included many
male characters. However, due
to the fact that the main
characters are good looking, the
female audience may also be
attracted in watching this
movie. As the main character
wanted to commit suicide,
some of the audience may
relate to this character and
therefore feel better about
themselves as they are not
alone in that situation of stress
and depression.
1950 Horror Protagonist: John Dr John Holden Camera: As this is a black and This movie may be mostly

3. Curse of the
Demon
Certification: PG
Cursing,
Death,
History,
Danger,
Religion.
Holden- he aims to
expose the witchcraft and
devil worship.
Antagonist: Julian
Karswell- Portrays
threatening and violent
behaviour and is the cult
leader.
travels in London
with the intentions
to expose a devil
cult leader.
However, Holden is
a sceptic and
doesn’t believe in
the powers Julian
Karswell has.
Karswell then
curses Holden with
his satanic powers.
white movie, the use of close-up
and long shots allow the audience
to identify the characters more
and feel as if they are part of the
movie.
Sound: The use of the non-
diegetic sound of the voice over
which creates the effect of
storytelling and can also be used
to aid continuity in the film so the
audience can gain a better
understanding of what is going on
between scenes.
appealing to the upper class
due to the events that happen
throughout the film. For
example, the fact that John
Holden travels to England in the
1950’s may attract the upper
class as only the upper class
were able to travel to other
countries at that time.
However, the working class may
also be attracted to this movie
as they would see it as a form of
escapism from the real world.
1960 Psycho
Certification: 15
Psycholog
ical
horror
Theft,
Mystery,
Money,
Crime,
Death
Protagonist:
Victim: Marion Crane-
Runs away with $40,000
and ends up being
murdered by the
antagonist ‘Norman
Bates’.
Antagonist: Norman
Bates- He is found guilty
for murdering Marion
Crane. Later on in the film
a psychiatrist discovers
that he has a split
personality and that he
murdered his mother
from young age.
A secretary steals
$40,000 of a client
who has given her
the money to put
in his bank
account. She then
ends up running
away with the
money and bumps
into a young man
Norman Bates who
has a split
personality and
ends up murdering
this woman.
Editing: There was slow build ups
to sudden shocks. This is used for
effect as it keeps the audience
focused and excited; it alarms the
audience and highlights the fact
that this film is a horror.
Mise-en-scene: Hitchcock used
significant and colourful scenery.
This encourages the audience to
watch the film and it is more
shocking that such negativity can
happen in colourful scenery’s.
The film Psycho may appeal to a
passive audience. As it is
directed by Alfred Hitchcock,
one of the top directors within
the horror genre, so therefore
the audience may want to
watch it for this purpose only.
The fact that the female
protagonist is murdered so
early on in the movie may be
appealing to men as it would
make them feel superior.
Additionally, the fact that
Marion Crane runs away with
$40,000 may be appealing to
the lower class as they would
feel as this is something that
would help their economic
state.

4. 1970 Halloween
Certification: THX
Horror/th
riller
Murder,
Childhood
, Death
Protagonist: Laurie
Strode- She is stalked by
Michael Myer and ends
up surviving.
Antagonist: Michael
Myers- Murders his older
sister at the age of 6, and
then ends up in hospital.
15 years later, comes out
and stalks Laurie Strode.
A psychotic
murderer was
institutionalized
since childhood
for murdering his
sister for
sleeping with her
boyfriend,
escapes and
stalks a
student and her
friends while his
doctor chases
him through the
streets.
Mise-en-scene: The mask used
that is worn by the Antagonist
allows the audience to know that
he is the villain. Characters are
scared of him as he hides behind
a mask.
Camera: The way the camera
moves in on every little action
that happens gives a close up
view of everything to the
audience. This therefore keeps
the audience in shock, and gives a
sense of realism.
This movie may appeal to many
people however, middle and
upper class may be attracted to
the film more as in the 1970’s, it
was still expensive to watch
movies. The audience may
attracted to this movie due to
the hypodermic needle model.
As Halloween is seen as classic
horror, more people would feel
as if they would want to watch
it as they are manipulated into
watching it. As the antagonist
in this movie is a male, and the
victim is a woman, the male
audience may feel superior,
however, towards the end of
the film, the female audience
may feel superior.
1980 The Fog
Certification: PG
Horror
Ancient,
Murder,
Ghosts,
Revenge.
Protagonist: Stevie
Wayne- She is the local DJ
who saves many people’s
lives and is the ‘final girl’.
She also informs people
in the area of what to do
through her radio show.
Antagonist: Killer fog
containing zombie- like
ghosts. – They are
seeking revenge for their
deaths.
A town in California
is over taken by
killer fog containing
zombie like ghost.
They end up killing
everyone in the
town to seek
revenge for their
deaths. A local DJ,
Stevie Wayne is
trying to save
everyone by telling
them to go to the
local church
Mis-en-scene: Ghostly costumes
used to emphasise on the fact
that they are scary characters
that want to kill people.
Sound: Non-diegetic sound used
to build up suspense and tension
as the ghosts come into the town.
The Fog may be appealing to all
different classes, however
mainly working class due to the
poor production of the film.
Additionally, this film may be
appealing to the younger
generation due to the
supernatural effects of ‘ghosts’
and ‘zombies’.

5. through her radio
show.
1990 Scream 1
Certification: R
Horror
Murder,
Teenager,
Reality,
satirical
Protagonist: Sydney- She
reveals the villains
secrets.
Antagonist: Ghost face-
begins killing of
teenagers.
A killer known as
Ghost face begins
killing off
teenagers, and as
the body count
begins rising, one
girl and her friends
find themselves
contemplating the
‘rules’ of horror
films as they find
themselves living in
a real life one.
Camera: A wide range of camera
shots used as there are many
characters that are introduced in
different ways.
Sound: A variety of different
songs used in the films and
memorable quotes from movies
for satirical purposes.
This movie is appealing to the
younger generation as mentions
things that are more appealing
to younger people. Additionally
this film may attract the
working class more and may be
seen on the safety stage of
‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs’.
The audience may watch this
movie for their own
gratification. This movie may be
seen as some sort of escapism
from reality due to the use of
satirical theme explored
throughout.
2000 Drag me to hell
Certification: PG-
13
Victim: Christine Brown-
She is a loan officer has to
refuse to extend a loan to
a gypsy woman and
therefore the woman
places a curse on her.
Antagonist: Sylvia
Ganush- This character
ends up cursing Christine
Brown because she
refused to extend her
loan.
A loan officer,
Christine Brown
has to refuse to
extend a loan from
a gypsy woman,
Sylvia Ganush and
therefore the
woman ends up
placing a curse on
Christine Brown.
Brown then turns
to a seer; however
the evil forces from
Mis-en-scene: Sylvia Ganush is
dressed as an old- gypsy.
Emphasises on the fact that she is
evil and able to curse Christine
Brown.
The fact that Ganush has one eye
that looks scary also informs the
audience that she is the
antagonist.
Sound: The sound used was of
the ethereal childlike soprano
vocals that feature prominently
throughout the sound track. This
In this movie, most of the
characters are females. This
may be most appealing for the
female audience as they would
feel more dominant in the
society presented in this film. In
contrast, men come across as
more dominant in society so
this film is a great way for
personal identity, ensuring that
women are able to define who
they are.
As the main character in this

6. the curse push her
to a breaking point.
also builds up suspense. film is a good looking female,
and in context of the male gaze
theory, this means that males
would be attracted to her which
means that they would watch
this movie.
2010 Sinister
Certification: R
Horror/
Thriller
Crime,
History,
Murder,
Death.
Protagonist: Ellison
Oswalt- When moving
into a new house, he is
the only member of his
family that’s aware that
there was a crime scene
and starts to research in
order to help him with his
new book.
Victims: Ellision Oswalt
children- his daughter is
killed due to the antics of
her father.
Ellison Oswalt is a
writer who moves
into a new house
where there was a
crime scene in
order to find
information that
would help him
with writing his
new book. Every
night he would stay
up and watch the
film projector that
would view
previous children
that got murdered
in this house. The
same thing ends up
happening to his
children.
Camera: A wide variety of shots
to introduce the audience to
every place in the house were the
crime was committed.
Editing: The use of jump cuts
speed up what’s happening in the
scene to build up suspense and
keep the audience aware of
what’s happening. However, the
use of slow pace allows the
audience to concentrate on the
little details that Ellision Oswalts
comes across.
This film may be appealing to
middle/high class men as the
main character in this film is
middle class who is hardworking
and intrigued. This encourages
men in the category of ‘self
actualization’ section of
‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs’
as they would want to explore
more. Additionally, middle aged
woman may be attracted to the
main character as he is good
looking. According to the male
gaze theory, this encourages
female to watch the movie.

7. Overall, the research I have done for the 10 movies in 10 different decades have helped me a lot for planning ideas for my opening sequence. I have learnt
that the protagonist and antagonist have a big impact on the movie as a whole, as well as the how they are portrayed through the use of techniques.
Camera, mis-en-scene, editing, and sound all have an great effect on the movie and help the audience to have their own perspective on each character.