This document discusses common elements found in horror films, including typical characters (e.g. the female victim, non-believer), themes (e.g. revenge, haunting), settings (e.g. abandoned houses, forests), and enigma codes where characters try to escape horrors. It lists the top 10 grossing horror films and notes characters usually include the vulnerable female victim, overconfident non-believer, heroic man, quiet observer, and evil antagonist like a demon or serial killer. Settings that enhance fear include dark, isolated places like forests and abandoned buildings.

1. Horror by Afshana Aktar
GENRE RESEARCH

2. 1. World War Z
2. Fatal Attraction
3. What Lies Beneath
4. Gremlins
5. The Blair Witch Project
6. The Conjuring
7. The Ring
8. Ghost Rider
9. The Grudge
10. Paranormal Activity
TOP GROSSING HORROR FILMS

3. Typical characters that you would find in a horror film are the following:
• Female Victim; This character is usually very vulnerable and needs the most
protection. In horror films they would cast this character as the ‘dumb blonde’ and be
“sexy” to attract the male audience.
• Non-believer; The person in the film which refuses to believe anything that is out of
the norm. They are overly confident and always think they’re right. This would lead to
them being the first kill.
• Hero; Commonly a man as they are the dominate sex to portray strength and
masculinity. In horror films narratives tend to end which evil triumphing therefore the
“hero” would be the brave one who steps in first and ends up dying.
• The quiet one; Stays quiet throughout most of the plot, until the end. They either
survive or have been playing a secret part in the cause of everything happening.
• Evil character; This would be the thing all the other characters are trying to get away
from. Can be a spirit, demon, serial killer, vampire etc.
• The loved up couple; Usually there will be a couple featured in a horror film. The two
characters will be most favoured to survive by the audience as they are the ones in a
relationship but it is commonly that one will die quick.
CHARACTERS

4. The theme within a horror film is what drives the
audience to watch it. Some typical themes you can find
in horror films are:
• Revenge e.g. ‘The Woman In Black’
• Haunting e.g. ‘Let Me In’
• Spirits and demons e.g. ‘The Exorcist’
• Serial Killers e.g. ‘Scream’
THEMES

5. The setting plays a huge part in a horror film it maintains the eerie atmosphere as
it enhances the effects of what they are watch with how they feel themselves. The
settings which are chosen are very dark and isolated here are a few examples:
• Forest
• Abandoned house
• Insane asylum
• New house that’s been moved into by a family
• Countryside
• Underground tunnels
• Science labs
• Lakes
• Narrow alleyways
• Ghost town
SETTINGS

6. PROPS

7. In horror films enigma codes are very far stretched. There will always be a
character which has fear for their life and try to escape the horrors they face.
Most of the time they will endure it until the end of the narrative and this is
when they either figure it out or most of the time don’t.
ENIGMA CODES