The document provides a summary of key learnings from several horror films, including Shutter Island, The Ring, 28 Days Later, Red Dragon, Panic Room, Insidious, and The Shining. For each film, it outlines the genre/themes, protagonists, tone, narrative structure, costumes, props, and other notable elements. Overall, the document analyzes horror film techniques and conventions across multiple popular titles in the genre.

1. Assignment 9: Individual
Research
By Abdullah Khan

2. Shutter IslandOfficial Poster:
I learnt the following:
• The film focuses on psychological paranoia
within the horror genre.
• The protagonist of the film is in deep
psychological stress/paranoia as the horror is
presented within the mind of the character.
• The protagonist of the horror film is male
which is stereotypical approach although this
is changing within the modern film industry.
• The psychological paranoia sets a tone full of
tension and suspense for the audience as the
character suffers mentally.
• The films approach allows the audience to feel
sympathetic towards the protagonist as he is
isolated, alone and in despair.
• The film offers a twist at the end of the film
which is a conventional reinforcement for
psychological horror movies e.g. “the sixth
sense” which also surprises the audience at
the end of the film with a shocking twist.
Costume: The protagonist’s appearance
is a typical representation of a
professional detective as he is assumed
by the audience to be in his
experienced role with his partner.
Setting: The setting is quite isolated, set
in a island, adding to the sense of fear
experienced by the character
(protagonist) as we also now know that
he cannot escape.
Props: There are no weapons as the
film has a psychological approach
rather than a physical.

3. There are a range of flashbacks in the movie to give an insight
to the protagonist of the film.
The range of illusions experienced by the protagonist
create narrative enigmas, engaging the audience.
There are symbolic references to the twist of the movie to offer
the more intelligent audiences or second viewers clear clues.
The detective is accompanied by his partner which is a
conventional approach to a crime story.

4. The RingOfficial Poster
I learnt the following:
• The film focuses on the supernatural
aspect of the horror genre.
• The protagonist of the film is a female
mother, reinforcing more representations
of gender within horrors.
• The audience are left with narrative
enigmas through out the film as they left
questioning the supernatural forces that
the protagonist is coming across and want
to find out more about them.
• The narrative structure of the film is linear
as the female protagonists privately
investigates the supernatural entities.
• The film has a serious tone as many
characters are killed off to emphasise on
the serious approach. The audience feel
sympathetic to the protagonist, also being
a mother.
Costume: The characters wear casual and
typical everyday clothing as the main
group of people that are represented are
middle class.
Props: There are no weapons as the
threat within the film is supernatural.
Location: There are a range of locations
within the film. This is a conventional
approach for films that focus on an
investigative approach.

5. The costume used creates fear for the audience as the face
of the antagonist isn’t revealed until the end, adding tension.
Special effects are used in the film, blurring out the victims
of the supernatural threat so the viewers are aware .
Blood is shown through out the film to reinforce and
symbolise violence, foreshadowing later events.
The supernatural threat within the film is linked with
technology, having a modernised approach.

6. 28 Days Later
Official Poster:
I learnt the following:
• The film focuses on the zombie virus aspect
of the horror genre.
• The protagonist of the film is a typical
working male that wakes up to an infected
and isolated world.
• The protagonist of the horror film is male
which is typical approach although this is
changing within the modern film industry.
• The isolation sets a dull tone. full of tension
for the audience as the character is
challenged to survive and find survivors.
• The films approach allows the audience to
feel sympathetic towards the protagonist as
he is alone and challenged mentally.
• The film is very original and one of the very
first to have an attempt with the zombie
horror genre. Others followed including
‘Dawn of the dead’, ‘28 weeks later’,
‘Zombie land’ and ‘World War Z’.
Costume: The protagonist’s appearance
is a typical representation of an
everyday person before the epidemic,
in this case associated in the medical
department.
Setting: There are a range of locations
within the film as the characters look
for shelter and survival.
Props: Weapons are important for the
humans within the film as they are
needed in order to defend themselves
against the zombie threat.

7. Blood is shown through out the film to reinforce and
symbolise violence, foreshadowing later events.
The audience realise that there is more than one obvious threat
in the film, being the infected but also some of the humans.
The environment of the characters is huge however they are
still isolated as a result of the infectious disease that spread.
Facial expressions are used in the film to create fear as they
emphasise on the psychopathic translon of some characters

8. Red Dragon
Official Poster:
I learnt the following:
• The film focuses on the extreme and
cannibalistic side within the horror genre.
• The protagonist of the film is a male
detective that tackles serial killers that
challenge the character psychologically as
well as physically, later in the film.
• The protagonist of the horror film is male
which is typical approach although this is
changing within the modern film industry.
• The psychological paranoia sets a tone full of
tension and suspense for the audience as
the character is challenged mentally.
• The films approach allows the audience to
feel sympathetic towards the protagonist as
he and his family are threatened.
• The film is very enigmatic however it is a
prequel to a previous masterpiece ‘the
silence of the lambs’ hence its easier for
audiences to engage with the film.
Costume: The protagonist’s appearance
is a typical representation of a
professional detective where as the
antagonists are represented as suited
to their roles in society.
Setting: There are a range of locations
within the film which is conventional
for a detective thriller because of the
enigmatic process of the investigation.
This help create additional suspense.
Props: A range of weapons are used in
the film as there are many threats for
the protagonist to overcome.

9. A mask is used to emphasise and signify to the audience the
depth of danger that the antagonist offers to the characters.
Chains are used as props to ensure and signify to the
audience that the protagonist is safe from the antagonist.
Weapons are used by both the antagonist as well the
protagonist however the films main approach is psychological.
Make-up is used to represent the ‘red dragon’ tattoo on the
antagonist to illustrate the extreme nature of the villain.

10. Panic Room
I Learnt the following:
• The film focuses on home invasion and
survival within the horror genre.
• The protagonist of the film is a female
mother, reinforcing more recent
representations of gender within horrors
e.g. Don’t Breathe (which also had a
similar approach with the female having
the more dominant role as the
protagonist)
• Fear is a dominant factor within the tone
for the characters as well as the audience.
This being similar to other horror movies
within the genre.
• The narrative structure is linear as the
movie is set in one location being the
home of the protagonist.
• The film has a serious tone as the mother
and child are victimised by criminals so the
audience are sympathetic towards them.
Official Poster:
Costume: The costume within the movie
is typical home clothing as the women is
in her house. The antagonists outfits on
the other hand is more representative of
criminals as his clothing is similar to
those of street gang members.
Props: The antagonists have weapons as
they use it to threaten their victims,
creating fear. This being the conventional
approach for the genre. The protagonist
is in her home environment so the
audience are given a representation of a
typical home.

11. There is fearful tone through out the film emphasised
through the facial expressions of the characters.
There is more than one antagonist so the audience know that
the mother and daughter are very likely to be victimised.
Weapons are used in the film as they offer a physical
threat to the characters that are being victimised.
There is conflict between two of the antagonists which
creates tension as well as suspense for the audience.

12. InsidiousOfficial Poster:
I learnt the following:
• The film focuses on the paranormal aspect
of the horror genre.
• The protagonists of the film are a couple,
being the mother as well as the father of
the child under threat. This is a less
conventional approach as usually within
horrors one of the protagonists is more
dominant as a representation of gender.
• The audience are left with narrative
enigmas through out the film as they left
questioning the supernatural forces that
the protagonist is coming across and want
to find out more about them.
• The narrative structure of the film is linear
as the family comes under threat.
• The film has a serious tone as many
characters come under threat. The
audience feel sympathetic towards all
members of the family.
Costume: The characters wear casual and
typical everyday clothing as the main
group of people that are represented are
middle class.
Props: There are no weapons as the
threat within the film is supernatural.
Location: There are a range of locations
within the film. This is a conventional
approach for supernatural films as there
is usually more than one dimension, one
being reality the other being the
supernatural world.

13. Flashbacks are shown in the film to give the audience an
insight in to the background of the antagonist.
Lighting is used through out the film to illustrate the facial
expressions of the characters signifying fear.
Make up is used in the film to create a scary antagonist,
a conventional use within supernatural horrors.
There a range of threats presented in the film so the
characters are always in jeopardy which is again conventional.

14. The Shining
Official Poster:
I learnt the following:
• The film focuses on madness and
paranoia within the horror genre.
• The protagonist of the film is driven to
madness as the horror is presented within
the mind of the character.
• The protagonist of the horror film is male
which is stereotypical approach although
this is changing within the modern film
industry.
• The madness and paranoia sets a intense
tone towards the later stages of the film,
initially being quite suspenseful as the
audience are left with a range of enigmas.
• The film offers a twist at the end of the
film which is a conventional
reinforcement for psychological/madness
horror movies e.g. “the sixth sense”
which also surprises the audience at the
end of the film with a shocking twist.
Costume: The protagonist’s appearance is
a typical representation of a middle ages
family man. The wife as well as the child
also have the same approach.
Setting: The setting is quite isolated, set in
a single home, adding to the sense of fear
experienced by the characters as we are
also left with enigmas, with there being
no initial insight in to the new estate.
Props: There is a single iconic scene
where a weapon is used as the film has a
psychological approach rather than a
physical.

15. Characters suffer psychologically, creating narrative
enigmas as facial expressions only give a subtle insight.
Weapons are used by both the antagonist as well the
protagonist however the films main approach is psychological.
Blood is shown through out the film to reinforce and
symbolise violence, foreshadowing later events.
Facial expressions are used in the film to create a scary
antagonist, creating fear, conventional for psychological films