2. HORROR AS A GENRE
• There are 5 main aspects that make up the form of a horror film
1. Theme
2. Settings and Location
3. Characters
4. Narrative
5. Iconography
3. THEME
• Main subgenres are
1. Supernatural
2. Gothic
3. Slasher
4. Erotic
5. Thriller
6. Psychological horror
7. Religious
8. Speculative horror
9. Sci-fi horror
10. Dark fantasy
4. SETTINGS & LOCATION
• Conventional locations are
1. House
2. school
3. Church
4. Abandoned fields
5. Forest
6. Countryside
• Usually old, abandoned and rundown
• Low key lighting
• Not many residents around
• Bad weather
5. CHARACTERS
• Characters of all age group and both gender can be conventional characters according to
the theme of the film
• Children and teenager usually connote innocence and relatively weak in both physical and
mental status, hence are usually the protagonists
• Adults are usually of both protagonists and antagonist
• With the antagonist, women may also fit into the role despite the stereotypes of being
weaker than men
6. NARRATIVE
• Usually starts from disequilibrium
• Circular narrative
• Ends with new equilibrium where the fear/horror is resolved
• There’s always the first event which
inherits a reason that leads to the
ending result of the plot
• Mood horrors where the suspension
of absolute terror is left to be
uncovered in the last moments of the
film
7. ICONOGRAPHY
• We instantly recognise the genre through the
iconography created by the film
• Main icons are
1. Blood
2. Goth
3. Low key lighting
