Slasher horror trailers aim to stimulate anticipation, fear, and terror in viewers. They typically introduce a psychotic killer who stalks and brutally murders isolated teenage victims. Common elements include an establishing shot, buildup of conflict, introduction of the villain to disrupt equilibrium, and teasing clips of problematic events, leaving the audience with a cliffhanger to encourage viewing the full film. The document analyzes trailers for Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Urban Legend, and Prom Night that exemplify slasher conventions through their use of victims, locations, weapons, lighting, sound, and nonlinear storytelling to unsettle audiences.

1. Slasher Horror Trailers
Eleanore Ramsey

2. Conventions of a Slasher Trailer
• Horror sub-genre: stimulates the viewers mood, and also gives increased
levels of anticipation, fear, anxiety, dread, surprise and terror
• Villain: mysterious, psychotic killer or serial killer, who is: strong, mentally
deranged, physically deformed, stalks and kills victims, violent, brutal.
There is a use of props as weapons such as: meat cleaver, chainsaw, knife,
baseball bat
• Victims: teens, college students, rebellious characters, unaware of
surroundings
• Hero: female, sensible, senses killer, last woman standing, may/not be
killed at the very end
• Location: isolated, home alone, foreign locations, college campus and is
usually dark
• A slasher horror will also convey conventions of a thriller horror movie,
e.g. suspense and terror

3. Narrative Structure of Slasher Trailers
• To begin with there is an establishing shot which introduces the main
characters and sets the scene for the film. The equilibrium has been
established
• There is then a build up of a problem or a crisis, which is the main driving
force of the trailer
• We’re introduced to the villain, which starts the presence of the
disequilibrium
• There are teasing shots that reveal problematic events that occur during
the film – the full extent isn't revealed to draw the audience in and entice
them to see the full film
• Further complications are shown with a climatic end
• We are left with a cliff hanger with is a tool the producers use to ensure
they get as many people viewing the film at the cinema

4. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The
Beginning (Trailer)
• We are introduced to the trailer with an establishing shot of a highway, a field, sign post
of North Texas and a vast swarm of birds which sets the creepy nature of the film
• The equilibrium implied would be when the elderly woman is comforting the teenage
girl and singing a lullaby to her
• The disturbance of the equilibrium is when the teen girl starts to question the woman,
and it is made clear she has no idea what’s going on or where she is. This is made even
more clear when the thud of foot steps enter the room and the girl is screaming in
terror
• We are then introduced to an equilibrium as the teens are driving through until there is
a disturbance and they start screaming because they’re about to crash.
• There are a lot of fast paced shots used which stimulates levels of anticipation, fear,
dread, anxiety, surprise and terror
• Throughout the trailer contrapuntal sound has been used, e.g. the song “Amazing
Grace” when the terror for the teens has sunk in
• Weapons are present in the trailer such as: guns, chainsaw, bear trap, knife, and brutal
violence. Low key lighting is present in the trailer which means we don’t get to see all of
what’s happening, so there is a lot of teasing and suspense
• We are then left guessing about what happens to all the victims as the trailer ends

5. Urban Legend (Trailer)
• Equilibrium – teens are at college campus in lecture learning about urban
legends
• Victims are both male and female teenagers
• Weapon: axe
• Unknown villain
• Victims are being stalked and terrorised
• Stimulates anticipation
• Fast-paced and quick editing
• Low key lighting in some parts making it difficult to see what’s going
happen and the audience becomes very cautious
• Typography appearing during film telling us to “not believe what we are
told” trying to place fear within the audience
• We are left at a cliff hanger

6. Prom Night – 2008 (Trailer)
• There is an equilibrium of celebration at prom where everyone is having a
good time and are careless
• Fast paced editing (cut crossing) and low key lighting
• Disequilibrium as people are getting killed
• Villain: unsure of who it is, stalker, obsession, psycho
• Feeling of: suspense, surprise, terror, jumpy
• Weapons: knife
• Sudden changes from light to dark
• Typography: “A night to die for” which is ironic as people are being murdered
• Victims find different places to hide: under bed
• Girl is startled as the peeping tom pops up unexpectedly when she’s trying to
stay quiet
• Use of reflection: mirrors
• Goes from silence to loud grueling screams
• No resolution – cliff hangers