Conventions of a Horror film

There are many different genres within horror, and each of these have their own conventions. A few of the genres available include: thriller, pychological, religious, monster and gore.

The genre of monster does as it says on the tin. You can't have a monster film without a monster. A classic monster film would be 'Frankenstein'. Not only would a monster film have a monster, but it would most likely have a hero, a 'damsel in distress' and quite a lot of gore!

Here is the trailer for the 1910 version of 'Frankenstein'.



The aim of all horror films is solely ton scare the viewer. If the audience is not scared then the film would not be popular, as its purpose would be defeated. Conventions are the way that things are usually done. There are conventions in any medium, but within a horror film the main three are a human monster, a supernatural force, or a natural disaster.

The other conventions of a horror are one that made each film predictable, mask wearing villains, innocent protgonists, death, feeble helpless victimes. Films such as 'The Haunting', 'Scream' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' all follow these conventions to the letter.

'The Haunting' trailer



'Scream' trailer



'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' trailer




I have included an extract from 'The horror film: an introduction' By Rick Worland for further information.



Not all horror films aim to follow the conventions set out in these rules and regulations. It is these films that we aim to follow in our horror film. Beyond 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'Cloverfield' there are many films that aim to move past the conventions of a horror.

The film 'The Crazies' follows some of the conventions of a horror, but at the same time the use of a huge group of people as apposed to a monster or a antagonist allows the film to be unconventional.

The trailer:

The film 'Shutter Island' also moves away from the conventions of a horror or a thriller. By not revealing that Teddy Daniels is one of the mental patients the audience is drawn into the story created within his head.

The trailer:

The film 'daybreakers' is a refreshing take upon the more conventional vampire films. By making vampire the norm and human the few, there is a different feel to this movie, and the cliffhanger ending allows for interpretation within the audience.

The trailer: