The document discusses common tropes and techniques used in horror films that depict demonic possession or the devil. It notes that possession is often shown through facial disfigurement of the victim, usually a teenage girl or vulnerable person, including blackened or red eyes. Families in these films often unknowingly move into a new home plagued by demons. Music, camera angles, special effects and location are used to build suspense and tension, with jump scares accompanied by sudden loud noises. Depictions of hell often show an underground, cavernous space lit only by fire.
1. By Josh and Tom
Films: Insidious, The Last Temptation of Christ, Silent
Hill, The Exorcist.
2. The top example is from the film
"There is Nothing Left to Fear"
(2013) and the bottom one is from
'The Exorcist" (1974). The picture of
the family is from "Silent Hill"
(2006).
Facial disfigurement
Demonic possession is
often shown by, changes
within the character's
face or voice; such as
blackened or red eyes
and, normally, a deeper,
more sinister voice.
They tend to then
become violent and
start to commit
disturbing acts.
The victim is usually a
teenage or vulnerable
girl.
3. There is usually a seemingly normal
family moving into their new home
in a town they've never been to
(Silent Hill 2006). they usually get
this house for a really low price and
the reason is unexplainable, or in
some cases the family is plagued
with is demon (Insidious 2011).
Venerable child Skeptical father Paranoid mother
4. Old house, or warehouse, in creepy
town that the family brought for a
really low price.
Family home, as the curse follows
them.
Example used is 'Silent Hill' (2006)
5. Hell is always shown as
underground or cave like.
With no other light source
other than fire or magma.
The depiction we're using is
fairly generic and from the
film "Little Nicky" (2000).
Although not a horror it
shows a clear depiction of
hell as most people perceive
it to be.
6. Again the devil has been shown in a
generic way throughout the film
industry. In the top right hand
corner is from "The Last Temptation
of Crist" (1988) and on the left is
from "Insidious"
Black markings
Sharpened teeth
Disfigured face
Horns
Red Skin
Black Clothes
7. These films use non-diegetic ambient music when setting the scene. These tend to
be a slow pace.
Just before a "jump scare" the music tends to increase in tempo and pitch. For
example in the "Woman in Black" (2012) when Arthur goes into the nursery the
music speeds up until the corpse falls from the ceiling, accompanied by a Foley
effect.
This was to build suspense as the audience knows its going to happen just not
when, the Foley effect gives it a lot more impact as a diegetic sound.
When there is a demon or the devil involved they usually use sinister non-diegetic
music.
If they are trying to show hell, some will to use music and use only Foley effects
such as screams, this is to convey the souls being tortured.
8. They use medium close-ups to frame the antagonist or when the demon takes
hold.
They use establishing shots to show the strange or creepy location.
They often use two shots when showing a cowering couple.
When showing the Devil they use a low angle to show he is supirior to the
protagonist, or feels he is.
When someone is possessed they may use a Dutch angle to show something is
wrong.
9. They use special effects to make people look possessed.
In terms of location, they use CGI to create the ambient look to the town of the
entirety of hell. In older movies, they obviously couldn't do this.
10.
• To create a jump scare
you may have a long cut of
suspense so the audience
is in a false sense of
security.
• When they want to
increase your heart rate to
make you more alert, they
will increase the speed of
the cuts.
11. Horror movies are usually a 3rd person narrative structure, unless someone is
telling the story.