The document analyzes five horror films according to Burton's theory about common elements in the genre. It finds that the films often involve isolated settings where characters cannot get help, related stock characters who are vulnerable, and either paranormal activity or a killer wielding weapons to generate fear. The document observes that these conventions are commonly used in horror films to make audiences believe the victims will not survive.
2. • I looked at five different horror films and
highlighted the plot synopsis and key words
keeping in mind burtons theory.
3. THE PURGE: Anarchy
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
KEY WORDS:
Key:
There are a lot of
weapons/shootings/death involved and
there are themes of death, survival and
deception which are common in horror
films.
The plot synopsis shows that the characters
are in an isolated situation.
4. AS ABOVE SO BELOW
PLOT SUMMARY:
KEY WORDS:
KEY:
There are keywords about death and
harming people including ‘death of
brother’ ‘suicide’ and ‘head bashed in’
and there are also themes of loss and
guilt.
The plot synopsis gives an outline that
they put themselves in an isolated
situation.
5. THE CONJURING
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
KEY WORDS:
KEY:
There are a lot of keywords to do with
Ghosts and haunting which tells us it
Is a fairly unrealistic film to do with sacrifice.
There are themes of truth, sacrifice and evil
Showing that this is a horror film.
6. SINISTER
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
KEY WORDS:
KEY:
There are a lot of key words to do with death
and there are lots to do with weapons.
There is also themes to do with fear, murder
and evil which are common to the genre of
Horror.
The plot synopsis tells you about a serial
killer and a murder.
7. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
KEY WORDS:
KEY:
There are a lot of keywords about being
killed/stabbed and the plot synopsis explain
four teenagers killing someone and trying to
cover it up and then getting haunted.
8. OBSERVATIONS MADE
• In looking at conventional elements there are a number of commonalities for the horror
genre. One of the observations that I have made is that horror films tend to all have a similar
setting which is isolated for example, in the purge, there is no one there to help therefore
they have no hope of being saved.
• Another observation that I have made is that the stock characters are usually related to each
other in some way such as in I know what you did last summer they are a group of teenagers
who represent a mixture of negative representations of society which shows that they are
vulnerable this applies mainly to slasher horror.
• There is also usually a specific type of character in each film. This usually includes either a
group or an individual person. This is represented in I know what you did last summer which
is about a group of teenagers.
• I have made the observation that there is usually either some sort of paranormal activity
going on within the movie or there is a killer with a weapon. This is a commonality for the
horror genre as without these things, there wouldn’t really be an element of horror.
All of these things are used in horror/slasher films to make the audience believe that the victims
in the film are not going to get out alive and are going to get killed.
