Summary of a horror
film’s clichés :
1.
horror film cliché is screaming lady
2.
children are evil
3.
mirrors
4.
spooky phone calls
5.
remote places/ broken down cars and large areas
Codes and
conventions of a horror film: narrative structure
•
Predictable
narrative content, one bad guy many victims
•
Clear binary
oppositions e.g. good v evil, victim vs killer, child vs adult
•
Use of low key
lighting, Use of CGI, FX, based at night time,
Female Victim
•
Extensive use
of close up, Point of view shots, Low angle shots
•
Young/teenage
characters, sweaty characters, very attractive teenage girls
•
Use of hand-held
camera: audience identification/realism first person view from the killers angle
•
Characters: teenager
victims are women antagonists are usually men, non- digetic sounds tense music,
digetic sounds screams,
•
Settings: no neighbors,
cabins woods abandoned buildings
•
Camera angles:
extreme close ups à to show fear,
•
Representation of
gender: men have power women are victims and children are always scary
•
Narrative: 3
part story arc
