This document discusses the horror genre in film. It defines horror films as those meant to elicit negative emotions like fear by preying on primal fears through plots involving evil forces intruding on everyday life. Common horror elements include ghosts, monsters, and serial killers. While some of the earliest examples date back to the 1890s, the genre evolved over the 20th century and can provide societal benefits when used resourcefully. The purpose of horror films is to frighten and alarm audiences in a cathartic experience, by making them feel the same emotions as characters. Examples of classic horror films from the 1930s-1960s and more recent films from the 2000s-2010s are also listed.

1. Assignment 9: Synoptic Research
Of Horror genre
Katelyn Aranda
Jordan Williams
Laurel Wilson Gayle

2. About Horror Films
• Horror is a film genre seeking to elicit a negative emotional reaction from
viewers by playing on the audience's primal fears.
• Horror films often deal with the viewer's nightmares, hidden fears,
revulsions and terror of the unknown.
• Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force,
event, or personage, commonly of supernatural origin, into the everyday
world.
• Prevalent elements include ghosts, aliens, vampires, werewolves, demons,
dragons, gore, torture, vicious animals, evil witches, monsters, zombies,
cannibals, and serial killers.
• The first depictions of supernatural events appear in several of the silent
shorts created by the film pioneer Georges Méliès in the late 1890s, the
best known being Le Manoir du Diable, which is sometimes credited as
being the first horror film.
• Horror films' evolution throughout the years has given society a new
approach to resourcefully utilize their benefits.

3. Purpose
• The purpose of the horror genre is to frighten and
panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our
hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking
finale, while captivating and entertaining us at
the same time in a cathartic experience.
• This genre has this purpose because the director
wants the audience feel scared and feel suspense.
E.G. SAW
• The effect on the audience is so that the audience
go through the same emotions as the characters.

4. 10 Classic Horror Films
Film Name Year
Dracula (1931)
The Wolf Man (1941)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Mummy (1932)
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Nosferatu (1922)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Psycho (1960)

5. 10 recent Horror Films
Film name Year Rating Subgenre
Deliver us from evil 2014 15 Horror/Thriller
Insidious 2: Chapter 2 2013 PG Horror/Film
The conjuring 2013 15 Thriller
Texas Chainsaw 2013 15 Body Horror
Sinister 2012 R Mystery
The cabin in the
woods
2012 R Mystery
You’re next 2011 R Thriller
The Machinist 2004 15 Physiological
Thriller
Black Swan 2010 15 Physiological
Thriller
American Mary 2012 15 Body Horror