Research on Horror Films

Horror/Slasher films were rife in the later part of the 90’s, after films took a more psychological route they turned to the easier to create the very simple horrifying Slasher genre, for instance older films such as Halloween and Jason depict a straight forward film to watch and direct; which when compared to nightmare on elm street becomes a more subverted genre ands it is ethically a Slasher film, but has very strong psychological elements to it which creates a more intensive and enjoyable experience for horror fans.

Slasher films typically revolve around one antagonist; usually a mentally deranged individual with some type of connection to the protagonist, or victim as usually is; there is one thing aside from generic academic conventions that defines the genre- POV shots from the psychopath or killer before and/or during a killing, this creates a very predictable but still equally enjoyable theme within the film that has been staple to it genre since psycho. People often mix up this sub garner with ‘Splatter Films’ such as ‘Brain-dead’ and other truly horrific films and other truly horrific films that have links with trangressive art movements as they use horrific imagery and unnecessary gore to prove a point or gain shock value, this type of film has been coined ‘Gorno.’

As earlier stated the trend was started off by a film called ‘Peeping Tom’ which then spawned ‘Psycho’ by Hitchcock- decades later the release of Halloween and Friday the 13th spawned countless copies in the 90’s such as scream and ‘ I know what you did last summer’. Long-running franchises in the genre tended to focus more and more on the returning villain than on surviving victims, effectively transforming charters onced viewed as freighting monsters into antiheroes. Notables include lather face, Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger; all of whom have become some of the most recognizable 20th century American pop culture icons. The genre has been defined by a writer which tells us why the audience repeatedly go back to this genre of films, this following;

• Catharsis- Through a release of fears about bodily injury or from political or social tensions of the day.
• Recreation- An intense thrills seeking, physical experience akin to a roller coaster ride.
• Displacement- Audiences sexual desires are displaced onto the character in the film.

Another generic conventions of the genre is that of the ‘Final Girl’ in most horror films there is one girl left after the blood bath, ostensibly the one who will be left to tell the story, the reason as to why it’s usually a girl subverted, whether it is due tot eh fact that sex or just the fact that usually horrors are dominated by men is unknown.

(Several pieces of info. from wikipidea.com)

MW