Horror Films
By Christine Forler

History

Horror is an ancient form of story telling. People have attempted to terrify each other with tales that trigger the less logical parts of our imaginations for as long as we’ve told stories. During the silent film era is where the first depictions of supernatural occurrences took place in script. A film by Georges Melies, in the late 1890s called "Le Manoir du Diable", is often considered the first ever horror film. Its meaning in English is "The House of the Devil".
It wasn’t until the early 1930's that horror films really became popularized. The break out of this genre resulted in famous classic productions like "Dracula" and "Frankenstein"; both produced in 1931. Following these two renowned films came "Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde"(1931) as well as "Mystery of the Wax Museum"(1933). Into the 1940s came "The Wolf Man"(1941) and many more sequels to Frankenstein, as well as The Body Snatcher(1945).
Horror films continued to develop over the years using the massive the growth of technology to aid in the genre’s ever growing popularity. Horror films have grown more and more terrifying, due to technology that can show us the best in camera angles, costumes, gore, graphics, jolts and spectacular settings.

Genre Conventions

Setting- The setting of a horror film begins with a neutral territory, where the characters are very unaware and have a sense of security. Throughout the movie characters are taken, chased and scared away from this safe environment into an environment completely foreign to them; often an empty or unpopulated area, where screams cannot be heard.
Stereotypical Characters-
villain/monster/antagonist -the pursuer
hero/victim/protagonist -the pursued
damsel in distress -the pursued
Horror film characters must always have their wits about them in order to escape from the evil villain who is surely out to kill them. The villain’s motive for killing often derives from revenge, childhood trauma, or mental disorders.
Stereotypes that happen too often-
a) The main character is continuously brave enough (or stupid enough) to follow every spooky noise, scream, or weird movement that they hear, then they act surprised when they're attacked by a psycho.
b) The killer is "killed" by the hero. But instead of making sure the killer is dead, the hero runs away, letting the killer come "back to life."
c) The car never works when they try to escape.
d) The attractive young woman always has half of her clothes ripped off, and she always dies first.(especially if she’s a cheerleader)
e) When being chased someone always falls down. (trips on a tree root)


Plot
-Often horror films begin calm and then something happens that brings them into the setting where the antagonist finds them and pursues them. This setting change could be caused by the protagonist moving, going on a road trip, being given a new job assignment, or visiting family/friends etc.
- There is always a major turning point in the movie where the protagonist has a revolution, stops running, and comes up with a clever way to fight back.
- In the end a lot of damage is done, many people are killed, yet the protagonist survives. The villain is assumed dead, how ever it isn’t certain.

Content

-violence
-gore
-fighting
-conflict
-terror (crying)
-unusual weapons
-severe injury
-death
-bittersweet victory

Top 10 "Must See" Horror Films

1. The Shining (1980)
2. Frankenstein (1931)
3. The Exorcist (1973)
4. Friday the Thirteenth (1980)
5. Night of the Dead (1968)
6. Holloween (1978)
7. Evil Dead 2 (1987)
8. The Wicker Man (1973)
9. The Hunting in Connecticut (2002)
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Top Five Villain Actors in Horror
1. Nick Castle as Micheal Myers (Halloween)
2. Robert Englund as Freddy Kruger (Nightmare on Elm Street)
3. Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
4. Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
5. Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

One fun fact

Over 160 actors have played Count Dracula in the movies, more than any other horror character.


Bibliography
Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film,April 15 2010
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080901135211AAIFOME ,Canada: copyright 2010
http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/ ,New York: copyright 2010