Horror films have evolved over time, beginning with early films from the 1890s-1920s that influenced later American films, through a 'golden age' in the 1930s and the introduction of comedy horrors in the 1940s. Influences like the Cold War led to different gimmicks being used from the 1950s onward, with boundaries being increasingly pushed in terms of graphic violence and sexuality from the 1960s-1970s. Key conventions of the genre include isolated settings, unsettling camerawork and editing, incorporation of sounds to create tension, and visual elements in mise-en-scene like dark clothing and makeup.

1. Genre Research;
Horror

2. 1890 
1896: The first horror was film created (The House of the devil) by a French director George
Méliés.
1920 The most influential films were created, these influenced the next generation of
American films.
1910: Frankenstein
1920: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
1930  Was knows as the ‘golden age for monster movies’.
1931: Dracula
1940  Monster movies were no longer successful, they began to introduce sequels such
as ‘The Ghost of Frankenstein’, this led on to the introduction of comedy horror which met
some success.
1948: Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein
1950  Influences from cultural forces such as the cold war. Increasing competition led film
makers to resort to other gimmicks such as 3D.
1953: House of Wax
1960 Movies were more edgy, featuring controversial levels of violence and sexuality.
1963: Blood feast
1965: Repulsion
Key Events
Timeline of horror films

3. 1960 Movies were more edgy, featuring controversial levels of violence and sexuality.
1963: Blood feast
1965: Repulsion
1970 Boundaries were pushed and explicit films with graphic sex scenes found success.
1978: I spit on your grave
1980 The first half of the 80’s was defined by slashers. Whereas the second half was
more light hearted, mixing in comic elements.
1980: Friday the 13th
1987: Fatal attraction
1990 The early '90s brought unrivaled critical acclaim for the horror genre. At the end of
the decade, ‘Blade’ foreshadowed the coming flood of comic book adaptations.
1991: The silence of the lambs
1998: Blade
2000 This saw the remake of previous famous films such as;
2007: Halloween
2009: Friday the 13th
Key Events
Timeline of horror films

4. • Sometimes there is a main protagonist who turns out to
be the ‘hero’ within the movie.
• A villain who can appear in many forms (serial killer,
mutant, monster etc).
• A victim who gets killed.
• Creepy children.
• Ghost.
• Psychopath.
• Stalker.
Characters

5. Conventions
• Places that connote loneliness
• Forests/woods
• Empty, run down cities
• Abandoned houses
• Narrow, dark alleyways
• Graveyards
Usually Horror films are set in places which connote
loneliness, isolation, fear and anger. These places create
tension for the audience.
Setting

6. • High and low angles connote fear for the onscreen
characters.
• Handhold shots makes it difficult for the audience to
understand what is happening.
• Point of view shots allow the audience to see the world
from the villains eye.
Conventions
Camerawork

7. • Editing can create unsettling tension, especially alongside
unfamiliar sounds.
• If the editing speeds up you are aware that suspense is
building up and someone may jump out for the purpose
of fear.
• Sounds being added after filming, like the ambient sound
of footsteps creates a further threat for the onscreen
victim as well as the audience.
Conventions
Editing

8. • Footsteps
• Howling wolfs
• Crows
• Screams
• Evil laughs
• Breaking sticks
• Creaking floorboards
• Tension building music
Often horror films, have a lot of time in which there is no
sound to create tension and fear for the audience.
Conventions
Sounds

9. • Dark ripped clothing
• Blood stains
• Pale skin
• Odd coloured eyes (contacts)
• Low key lighting
• Knives and other weapons (props)
• Makeup
Conventions
Mise-en-scene