2. Female Victim
Vulnerable and in need of protection
Usually young, blonde and attractive
Often portrayed as stupid and a bit annoying
Usually one of the last to be killed
Gruesome and graphic death
3. Non-Believer
Often male
Cocky and at ease
Tries to convince the other characters there is nothing wrong
Over-confident
Usually the first to die
After the non-believer’s death, the other characters and the
audience are panicked because there is no voice of reason
4. Hero
Almost always male
Strong and masculine
Usually the female victim’s boyfriend
Brave, often going after the murderer but never returning
Show little emotion throughout the film
More recently, films are starting to have a female hero, which is
challenging the stereotypes that were set back when Horror films started,
when the film industry was very sexist
5. Hysterical Character
Usually female
Usually the female victim’s friend, and girlfriend of the non-believer
Hysterical tendencies reflect on the audience to add more tension
Her own paranoia eventually gets her killed
Known to not want to leave the building she is in
Refuses to listen to the voice of reason
Often the last to die, just as we think she has escaped
6. Evil Character
Murder, zombie, vampire, werewolf, demon, ghost, monster
Human villains often wear a mask, to play on the fear of the
unknown, but also to hide emotions so the audience do not
empathise with them
Strong, almost impossible to kill, persistent
Most have a sound motif to signal the audience when they
are near (e.g. Jaws)
