2. The earliest horror films were Gothic, - meaning that they
were usually set in spooky old mansions or castles. Their main
characters have included "unknown," human, supernatural or
grotesque creatures, ranging from vampires, ghost ect.
Horror films developed out of a number of sources: folktales
with devil characters, witchcraft, fables, myths, ghost stories,
Gothic or Victorian novels from Europe such as of Mary
Shelley, Victor Hugo or Irish writer Bram Stoker and Oscar
Wilde's 1890 tale The Picture of Dorian Gray were adapted
into early film versions.
Hammer Film Productions where the first UK horror
production company to set off the paste for horror genre.
INTRODUCTION
3. Nosferatu (1922) is not simply a tale of vampirism, but offers
heart-rending images of a town beleaguered by premature and
random deaths, echoes of the Great War and the Great Flu
Epidemic fatalities.
At the other end of the century Blade (1998) is not just a tale
of vampirism either, but reflects a fear of the powerful yet
irresponsible elements in society, echoes down the corridor
indeed of the seemingly the behaviour of those at the top.
INFLUENCES OF HORROR FILMS
4. The first horror film was written in the 19th century
1896: The House of the Devil
1910: Frankenstein
1913: The Student of Prague
1920: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
1920: The Golem: Or How He Came into the World
1920: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1922: Haxan
1922: Nosfertu
1923: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1924: The Hands of Orlac
1924: Waxworks
1925: The Monster
1925: The Phantom of the Opera
1926: Faust
1927: The Cat and the Canary
FIRST HORROR FILMS
5. Technology advances in the 1950s saw monster-movies going 3D
with films like House of Wax (1953) and The Creature from the
Black Lagoon (1954).
John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) gives birth to the ‘slasher.’
Late 90s technology enabled Blair Witch (1999) to re-invent
horror by blurring the boundaries between film and reality. This
was the host of ‘found footage’ horror films like Cloverfield
(2008) and Paranormal Activity (2010).
Zombie genre begins kicking in, in the noughties/teenies with 28
Days later (2002), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Colin (2008) and
World War Z (2013).
MORE INFORMATION
6.
7. First ever horror film premiered in Paris in 1896.
The film contains many traditional pantomime elements and
is intended to amuse people, rather than frighten them.
Nonetheless, it is considered by many to be the first horror
film, as well as the first vampire film
The film is a short horror lasting no more than 4 minutes.
HOUSE OF THE DEVIL (1896) BY
GEORGES MELIES
8. Bat flying
Cauldron – magic
Smoke then a evil minion appears
Spirits, ghost
Disappearance, more tricks
Clock
Cape
2 ordinary people
Pitch fork
Skeleton
Lighting got brighter ( emphasis on a ghost)
The devil
Broom sticks
Beak nose on witches – symbolic – sign of the devil
CONVENTIONS OF HORROR IN THE FILM
9. Cinematography- Dark scenes are key. The use of specific lighting and
shadows.
Location- Isolation is key, making the audience feel like the character(s)
are alone. I.e. Alley ways, run down houses, hotels, mansions, abandon
houses.
Sound- Exaggerated diegetic sound will allow tension to build within the
film world. Fast and loud non diegetic sound can add to making the
audience jump or feel scared I.e. the music in the shower scene in Psycho.
Mise-en scene- Pathetic Fallacy such as thunder and rain can add to the
isolation of the scene as people associate these types of weather with
negativity. Props can be used well as people don’t associate things such as
flowers and rainbows with films of this genre. Items such as weapons,
antiques and other aged objects help build the scene.
Colour Themes such as the use of red or black often tend to be affective
as they are associated with things such as blood, death and danger.
CONVENTIONS IN HORROR GENRE
10. Slasher- ‘My Bloody Valentine’ (1981)
Thriller- ‘Wrong Turn’ (2003)
Zombies- ‘Colin’ (2008)
Psycho- ‘Psycho’ (1960)
Psychological- ‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987)
Vampire- ‘Twilight’ (2008)
Monster- ‘The Invisible man’ (1933)
Torture Porn (genre created mostly by the Saw series)
Sproof- ‘Scary Movie’Found Footage- ‘Blair Witch Project’
(1999)
Werewolf- ‘Underworld’ (2003)
Splatter- ‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968)
SUB-GENRES
