The document discusses several aspects of film theory as it relates to horror films. It first quotes Noel Carroll, who notes that the horror genre seems resilient as it is able to revive itself by exploring new ideas and topics. The document then discusses how horror films can be viewed as a rite of passage for audiences. It also examines the use of graphic violence and gore in 1980s slasher films. The document provides analysis of several horror directors, including Guillermo del Toro, Ari Aster, and Dario Argento, and how they have influenced the author's own film project. It concludes with a discussion of film theory more broadly and how various elements come together to tell a story and draw in audiences.

1. FMP: FILM THEORY
Adam Lepard

2. FILM THEORY: HORROR

3. HORROR FILM THEORY-WHAT MAKES
THE GENRE IMPORTANT
“each time the health of the genre seemed threatened, suddenly it would revive. The genre seems immensely
resilient. This indicates that at present, the fantasy genres, of which horror is a leading example, are continually
worth trying when producers think about what to make next.”
Noel Carroll (1990). The Philosophy of Horror: Or, Paradoxes of the Heart. New York: Routledge. .
I think that this is an interesting quote as I think that it demonstrates how the horror genre is
always progressing and regressing. The genre will fail to appeal to audiences and then it’ll enter a
new golden age where several classic horror films are released. I think this is makes horror
different to other genres as horror can be easily created by twisting ideas from non-horror media
and highlighting the darker aspects of other media so horror will always be able to adapt to a
desensitized audience as long as new ideas and topics are being explored.
Horror is described as a fantasy genre in this quote and I think that’s important as it makes sense
from the viewpoint that horror needs to take a scary theme and push it to it’s most terrifying in
order to be considered a horror film and not a thriller and often this is done with fantastical
elements such as the supernatural, cults and serial killers which are horrifying concepts which
don’t commonly occur. In my project I will be including fantastical elements to make my film part
of the horror genre.

4. HORROR FILM THEORY-THE EXPERIENCE OF
WATCHING A HORROR FILM
“One social approach to the enjoyment of horror films suggests that this type of
entertainment represents a rite of passage from the innocent world of childhood to the
dangerous world of adulthood’’ Stephen Prince (2004). The Horror Film. London,
New Brunswick and New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. p247.
I think this quote is important for understanding how people tend to watch
horror films, often audiences tend to treat horror films as if they are
challenges (as the author points out) they are watched as a way to prove that
you have the strong will of an “adult” who can watch scary films. I think that
most horror films can be viewed with the intention of becoming “stronger’’ or
sensitive to desensitized. With my horror film I don’t want to include jump-
scares as I think that this further challenges the audience and takes them
into the mindset of the horror film being some kind of rite of passage, instead
I want my film to provoke my audience into thinking about what’s happening
in the film rather than watching in expectations of typical horror tropes I want
to subvert the tropes.

5. HORROR FILM THEORY: THE SLASHER
FILM
As my film project is mainly a slasher/cult film I figured that I should look
at some of the theory behind slasher films and how they were so effective
in their use of horror.
“In terms of aesthetics the most notorious hallmark of 1980’s horror was
the use of graphic violence and explicit gore, which was made possible by
new developments in prosthetic make-up and mechanical special effects”
Harry M. Benshoff, James Kendrick (2014). A Companion to the Horror Film. UK: John Wiley &
Sons,Inc. p310.
The quote explains how the slasher genre grew in popularity during the
1980’s due to it’s extreme gore. The films were able to be made quickly as
they didn’t need big name actors, a high budget or a complicated story to
get big audiences, this was because the violence was enough to scare
people. With my film I think it would be difficult to get good prosthetic
make-up so I will have to use great sound design and tension to create
fear, I think that looking at the context of slasher films has helped me
realize this.

6. FILM THEORY: DIRECTORS

7. GUILLERMO DEL TORO
Guillermo Del Toro director of The Shape Of Water (2017) and Pan’s
Labyrinth (2006) has inspired me as in most of his work he presents
monsters as something that’s natural and may be a force of good
rather than something that’s inherently evil. This is something that has
made me want diversify the roles that characters will play in my film as
characters that at first seem like a force of good can be revealed to be
an antagonist and vice versa. Del Toro is best known for his monsters
and how they reflect the themes of his films through their appearance
and their actions.
“He explores the horror genre using the gothic and multiple intertextual references to
literary and visual culture, and emphasizes cruelty, bodily mutilation, the sinister, and an
aesthetic of the grotesque in the creation of his monstrous characters” A. Davies, D. Shaw,
D. Tierney (2014). The Transitional Fantasies of Guillermo Del Toro. New York: PALGRAVE
MACMILLAN. .
I think this quote says a lot about about how Guillermo approaches
horror especially in films such as Pan’s Labyrinth, Crimson Peak and
The Devils Backbone where the films are clearly inspired by folktales
and gothic literature which creates a very unique presentation of

8. ARI ASTER
Ari Aster director of Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019) is a
big inspiration for me as after only making two films he’s already
left a big impact on the horror genre. I think what makes his films
so interesting is the believability of his characters and the stress of
watching them go through the events of the film. I like how Aster
creates tension through un-conventual methods for a horror film
such as a family dinner or a character not getting a response from
an email, it feels like it comes from a very real place as it replicates
situations that people can relate to. The end of both films feel over
the top in their absurdity yet they’re set up in a way that feels
significant and climactic, both left me thinking about the films after
they ended rather than quickly forgetting and that's the type of
ending I want to have in my film. I think that to recreate the
feeling I get from watching these films I’ll need to plan my scene
very precisely and make sure that my actors know exactly what
their characters are thinking, how they should move, and how they
should convey their emotions.

9. DARIO ARGENTO
Dario Argento Director of Suspiria (1977) and Bird with
The Crystal Plumage (1975) has influenced my style a lot
mainly because his films tend to be giallo slasher films so
they are fairly good at creating good horror on a low
budget so I’ve tried to replicate a similar style in my
previous. I don’t particularly find his work scary however I
enjoy how his use of cinematography and lighting
creates a unique atmosphere especially in Suspiria where
the coloured lighting adds a supernatural nightmarish
element to the films visuals which I find particularly
effective in scenes where the characters are being chased
down. Argento was actually my inspiration to add a cult
element into the film as I liked the idea of a dance school
being run by witches in Suspiria so I wanted to do
something similar by having a house party that’s a secret
cult gathering. I think that Argento’s work is so important
as he brings style to the slasher genre which is what I’m
aiming to do in my project.

10. FILM THEORY
Jason Hellerman. (2019). Understanding Film Theory:
An Essential Guide. Available:
https://nofilmschool.com/Film-theory-basic-terms.
Last accessed 31st jan 2020.
Film theory is essentially the combination
of several elements (shown in the graph)
which make up a film. Film theory can be
found in everything you can see and hear
in a film whether intentional or
unintentional it all contributes to how the
audience experiences a film this can be
seen in elements such as editing where
cuts can indicate the passage of time or a
switch in perspective or angles which can
create a sense of power or emotion
depending on the placement of the
camera. All these aspects combine to
draw the audience into the emotion of the
scene as the film theory is how the
director tells their story through several
different aspects.

11. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.Noel Carroll (1990). The Philosophy of Horror: Or, Paradoxes
of the Heart. New York: Routledge. .
2. Stephen Prince (2004). The Horror Film. London, New
Brunswick and New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. p247.
3. Harry M. Benshoff, James Kendrick (2014). A Companion to the Horror
Film. UK: John Wiley & Sons,Inc. p310.
4. A. Davies, D. Shaw, D. Tierney (2014). The Transitional Fantasies of
Guillermo Del Toro. New York: PALGRAVE MACMILLAN. .
5. Jason Hellerman. (2019). Understanding Film Theory: An Essential
Guide. Available: https://nofilmschool.com/Film-theory-basic-terms. Last
accessed 31st jan 2020.