2. Stock Plot/Issues/Themes/Situations
In most horror films/trailers there is always a certain range of plot, issue, theme or situation that usually occurs for
example: Evil creature(s) kill many people ‘Splice 2009’ and ‘Evil Dead 2013’. Warnings ignored/unfortunate
consequences this form of plot is shown in the 2012 film ‘Chernobyl Dairies’. Serial killers, stalkers and slay victims play
a big part in most horror film this is because they always create the theme of gore and suspense towards the victim.
Another plot stereotype is of a certain character seeing things no one else sees throughout the film until the climatic
end, for example: ‘Paranormal Activity 2007’ and ‘The Decent 2005’. Imaginary friends also play a part in some horror
films, like ‘Donnie Darko 2001’ with the scary 6ft imaginary rabbit. The plot of Child abuse or death of an innocent child
is shown in ‘Saw 2004’ and ‘Orphan 2009’ and many more films, this is by either torture or harming of a younger
person.
3. Stock Location/ Backdrops
Most horror films always have a specific type of location that is usually the main highlight of the film and is used to
promote DVD covers, posters etc…
Abandoned houses usually make a big impact on the film, for example: ‘Halloween 1978’ is mainly focused in a
suburban house, also ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003’ is based in a large house in an isolated area and ‘Saw 1-7, 2004-
2010’ were all done in a booby trapped horrifying quizzed house.
Barns are also settings which have been used in a variety of films from ‘The Haunting In Connecticut 2009’ to ‘The
Crazies 2010’. Woods have been glorified as a main focused film location because they tend to be quite scary and a
form of a game because there is no start or end to the woods, an example of woods locations are: ‘Cabin In The Woods
2010’, ‘Shrooms 2007’, ‘Mama 2013’ and many more creepy horror films.
Hotel, motel, holiday destination, and diners have been represented as a horror film destination because of the
amusement of being in a place where you have never been before and being captured or followed; for example:
‘Vacancy 2007’, ‘Psycho 1960’, ‘The Shining 1980’, ‘Prom Night 2008’ and more. Basements are also another form of
stock locations/backdrops, for example: In the film ‘The Hole 3D 2009’ where a group of kids find a hidden passage in
their house which then leads to terror.
One of the most memorable films with London underground used as a location is ‘Creep 2004’ with a woman who gets
locked in a tube station, this then leads onto loads of events take place until she is freed. Grave Yards are also
associated with horror films to represent the dead or hidden torture ‘I’ll Spit On Your Grave.
Different examples of settings are: Abandoned town/City that were represented in the film ‘Grave Encounters’, fun fair
were shown in ‘Final Destination 2000’. ‘Jeepers Creeper 2001’ shows a family living near a large corn field on farm
and last but not least- highways are also represented in quite a lot of horror films; for example: ‘Session 9, 2001’,
‘Wrong Turn 1-5, 2003-2012 ’, ‘Splinters 2008’ and more.
4. • Halloween
• Texas
• Saw
• The haunting in Connecticut
• The Crazies
• Cabin in the woods
• Shrooms
• Vacancy
• Psycho
• The shining
• The hole 3D
• Creep
• Final Destination
• Jeepers Creepers
• Wrong Turn
5. Stock Props
Within a lot of horror films the props stand out the most, this is because of what they are used for or represent. They
also can be glorified as a key feature or symbol that links to a hidden message in the film.
There are a range of props that always have a specific meaning or notification within the film, for example:
Candles
Voodoo dolls
Skeletons/Corps/Severed body parts/Skulls etc…
Murder weapons/Knifes/Saws ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003’
/Chains/Sharpened wood/Stakes etc…
Ouija board
Radios/Recordings ‘White Noise’.
Telephones/Cell phones ‘Scream’ and ‘One Missed Call’.
Door handles and Locks
Electric chairs
Medicine/Deadly form of injection ‘Antiviral’
Masks ‘Saw’, Friday 13th and many more.
6. Stock Character
In most horror films there is always a certain character that stands out from the others. All horror films have a character
that makes the film more enticing and want to watch it even more.
Here are the main examples of stock characters who have been a big part of horror films:
Hero's in films pay a big part especially in horror films, this is because they help save the characters who are more likely
to be killed. For example: ‘Dr. Samuel Loomis’ in Halloween who gets stabbed and still manages to pull through and
still manages to shoot and risk his own life to blows up a hospital unit to kill Michael Myers. Another example are;
‘Ellen Ripley’ in Alien, ‘Chief Martin Brody’ in Jaws, ‘Tommy Jarvis’ in Friday The 13th and many more.
There is also the Last girl standing, who fights it through to the end and manages to get the villains, a good example for
this stock character: ‘Jennifer Hill’ in I Spit On Your Grave; although going through such a horrific ordeal, she stayed in
hiding, presumed dead in a watery grave she regained her strength in a short space of time, Determine to get her
revenge on her torturers in a like for like manner and remained the last one standing.
Another main stock character is the Villain!, this character makes everyone's life a misery, they tend to kill a group of
people or even a loving character; for example: ‘Candy Man’ in The Candy Man Series, ‘Jack Torrance’ in The
Shining, ‘Chucky’ in Child’s play, ‘Jigsaw’ in The Saw Series and the legendary ‘Norman Bates’ in Psycho.
Then there is the group of friends or teenagers who get killed off one by one, for example: ‘The group of girls’ in The
Decent, ‘Group of friends’ in Scream, ‘Group of friends’ in Wrong Turn 1, ‘Group of young teenagers’ in Shrooms
more.
Priest: The priest in ‘Omen’ who advises Damien’s dad that he must be killed.
Young innocent child (girl): The innocent girl in ‘Orphan’ who gets lead into doing things she does not want to do by
her evil adopted sister who is not a child.
Happy family: There was a happy family in ‘Insidious’ before a family curse triggered a long line of unusual events.
And many more: Loved up couple, Elderly Couple, Undead, Mysterious, Zombie/monster, Parents…
7. • Halloween
• Alien
• Jaws
• Friday The 13th
• I Spit On Your Grave
• The Candy Man
• The Shining
• Childs Play
• Saw
• Psycho
• The decent
• Scream
• Wrong Turn
• Omen
• Orphan
• Insidious
