The document summarizes three classic horror films: The Blair Witch Project, Scream, and Paranormal Activity. It discusses the key elements of each film such as directors, protagonists and antagonists, themes, and application of horror conventions. It also analyzes each film using Burton and Todorov's theories, noting the equilibrium, disequilibrium, and resolution in the films' plots.

1. Blair Witch Project.
Year of release: 1999.
Directors: Eduardo Sanchez & Daniel
Myrick.

2. Burton Theory.
• Protagonists: Three student film makers.
• Antagonists: the supposed “Blair Witch” along with the setting that creates
fear for the students.
• Theme: Found footage style of filming, replicating realistic psychological
horror with an isolated group of students.
• Stock characters: Children are heard outside of the tent, juxtaposing their
role of innocence with sinister and enigma vibes. The final girl is used as
“Heather” plucks up the courage to look for her friend and is last to die.
• Stock situations: Stereotypical psychological horror relies on the
characters fear and emotional instability along with the supernatural.
• Icons: Isolation is a key theme for horror movies as it helps build suspense
and tension.
• Background and décor: The woods accentuate isolation as it ensure a
feeling of uncertainty and enigma, locations such as this can involve a
variety of antagonists such as serial killers, werewolves and monsters.

3. Todorov Theory.
• Equilibrium: Three film students film themselves camping in the woods for
a documentary.
• Disequilibrium: They loose the map, as they attempt to find their way back
they start to experience weird noises outside the tent and piled stones
outside the tents as well as witchcraft symbols on the trees.
• Resolution: They discover an abandoned house, where Mike, Josh and
Heather are killed by an unknown source, is it the Blair Witch?
Film review.
I thought this was effective as it leaves the audiences mind to take action, for
example; we never actually see an antagonist in the movie, we only ever hear
noises. It is called a psychological horror as it allows your mind to create
antagonists. One feature that helped this film was the filming of it being in the
style of found footage as it creates realism and shows how horror can be
featured as a reality.

4. Scream.
Year of release: 1996.
Director: Wes Craven.

5. • Protagonists: Rebellious group of teenagers that go to high school.
• Antagonists: Psychiatric serial killer who wears a scream mask to create
enigma.
• Theme: the sub-genre of the film is a Slasher. The usual film of this sub-
genre would be the antagonists killing off the victims one by one.
• Stock characters: the jock, the dumb blonde, the final girl, the Pandora.
• Stock situations: Involves a psychopathic killer killing off teenagers with
murder weapons, antagonist is masked to create enigma and picks off
victim one by one.
• Icons: Killing the teenagers is a sign of punishment for not following the
adult rules.
• Background and décor: Houses have been used in this film frequently,
settings like this can create a lot of weapons and creative ways the
antagonist can kill their victims.
Burton Theory.

6. • Equilibrium: The movie starts with the murder of “Casey” and a group of
teenagers start to participate in a bunch of rebellious acts.
• Disequilibrium: They start to experience problems when they find out their
friends are being murdered one by one.
• Resolution: The final girl Sydney fights back and survives the attack of the
antagonists, the killers are also revealed and killed.
Todorov Theory.
Film review.
This movie was unique as it used post modernism to attract its target
audiences. It invites us to comment on the predictability however is also
humorous at times. Has many Slasher horror movie conventions however
explains how the antagonists always catch up with the protagonists and this is
by having multiple killers.

7. Paranormal Activity.
• Year of release: 2009.
• Director: Oren Peli.

8. • Protagonists: A couple that have moved into the new house.
• Antagonists: The unknown force that lives within the house.
• Theme: The sub-genre is a psychological horror, never seeing the
antagonist leaves it to your imagination.
• Stock characters: The brave one.
• Stock situations: Young couple moving into the house, loud noises in the
early hours of the morning.
• Icons: After male protagonist brings home a ouiji board, the activity
increases.
• Background and décor: Filmed in a house which is a typical location to
film a psychological horror. This is creative because it puts the antagonists
in fear in the place they are suppose to feel most safe.
Burton Theory.

9. • Equilibrium: Young couple move into a haunted house with a supernatural
presence.
• Disequilibrium: They start to hear noises at night so they start to record
themselves to see what is happening when they are sleeping
• Resolution: Problem is solved after this presence possesses the girl
antagonist and kills her boyfriend. The girl antagonist also known as the final
girl survives yet carries this unknown presence inside her.
Todorov Theory.
Film review.
This film is very striking to me as it plots a storyline so realitic that it could
happen to anyone. The style in filming accentuates this as anyone can pick up a
camera and film themselves and film themselves sleeping. Due to its realism, its
scares the audience even more that it could happen to them.

10. • Equilibrium: Young couple move into a haunted house with a supernatural
presence.
• Disequilibrium: They start to hear noises at night so they start to record
themselves to see what is happening when they are sleeping
• Resolution: Problem is solved after this presence possesses the girl
antagonist and kills her boyfriend. The girl antagonist also known as the final
girl survives yet carries this unknown presence inside her.
Todorov Theory.
Film review.
This film is very striking to me as it plots a storyline so realitic that it could
happen to anyone. The style in filming accentuates this as anyone can pick up a
camera and film themselves and film themselves sleeping. Due to its realism, its
scares the audience even more that it could happen to them.