This document outlines common character tropes found in typical horror movies. It describes the female victim as vulnerable, young, and attractive but portrayed as stupid. The non-believer is overconfident and tries to convince others there is no threat. The hero, usually male, bravely confronts the threat but often does not return. The hysterical character, usually female, reflects tension through paranoia and refuses to listen to reason before being killed. The evil character, such as a murderer or monster, is strong, persistent, and designed to instill fear without empathy.

1. Typical Horror Movie
Characters

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)