Research - Genre Convections in Horror Films (#14)

     What's up YouTube tube tube tube tuuuuuuube! (a meme) Today, I will be comparing and analyzing the codes and conventions in a horror film. I will be looking at the setting, characters, movie icons, narrative, genre theories, and some sub genres that horror films and opening contain. 

Settings

    To start, the setting in most horror films takes place in dark places. For example, the woods, isolated houses, graveyards, long lonely roads. When the audience sees these locations they know what to expect, and it's a common expectation in horror movies. These locations start to create a space for the tense, suspension, and mood for the horror film set up. When people use different locations that aren't dark and spooky, it takes away from the atmosphere that horror movies present and the audience might tune out the movie not seeing what they expect. For example, seeing someone get chased or killed in a bright place, like a park or on a field, could remind the audience of kids playing in the park or field, not bringing the horror feel that people are used to. (Runnacles, 2016)

Characters

        Moreover, the type of character plays a huge place in a horror film as it adds to the atmosphere of the movie. The many types of characters that the audience expect and see are a group of friends, teenagers, vulnerable people, the attacker, someone masked and unknown, and the last person standing. As said before, these types of characters add to the film and play a huge role in the film. For example, seeing a group of teenagers, the audience will think of how they will get into trouble and not everyone will make it out alive at the end due to a stupid mistake or action they've taken. Carol J Clovers theory of the final girl supports the usual characters of the horror genre. This theory is about a female survivor that defeats the killer. This girl displays masculine traits, as in their name, intelligence, and unisex presentation, being shown as innocent. The male audience can identify with the "final girl" because she represents a hybrid male/female figure who eventually triumphs over the killer, aligning the spectator with the victim's perspective, Clover argues. (Fisher, 2021)

Movie Icon

       To continue, the movie icon makes the movie. For example, in the Halloween movies, Jason is the main character people think about. His mask and machete is what Jason, Jason! Seeing these things will always remind the audience of who Jason is and his movies. Another example is Freddy Krueger, with his clawed hand, red and green striped shirt, and hat is what creates his character and reminds the audience of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Things like weapon of choice, the dark colors that they wear, the time of the havoc, and low key lighting add to the movie icon. This is also what sets the genre from others and what gives the audience that fear factor that we look for when watching a horror film. It's important to use these familiar icons and features is what makes the horror genre clear. When a film has an icon, it makes the movie memorable to the audience and will stick with them for a while, if not forever. Just how when we see Jason or Freddy Krueger, even if it is their mask or shirt, we will remember their movie and character as it stuck with us for a while. 

Sub Genres

        

    Equally important is sub-genres in a horror film. A few of the subgenres that are in a horror film are slasher, psychological, and paranormal. These sub-genres are used very often in horror films. The sub-genre Slasher can entail lots of killing, many deaths from the same person, blood, violence, and dark costumes. This one is a common one that is in many horror films. For example, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Prom Night, and Friday the 13th are movies that contain this subgenre. On Friday the 13th, Michael Myers is the person doing the many killings, violence, etc. In the psychological subgenre, there are themes like playing with your mind, ghosts/spirits, seeing characters that look human that really aren't, and the antagonist isn't always shown. In movies like The Conjuring and Orphan, they really mess with people's heads due to the many mind tricks these movies use. For example, in The Conjuring, there are people who seem like the villain and killer but end up being possessed and not who they seem they really are, which, in my opinion, those plot twists get you the most. Finally, in the paranormal sub genre, things like the camera placed in the house, spirit movements, plays on the audience's fear, and household props can do a lot for a horror movie. Themes like this can create a sense of suspension and tension because the audience won't know what's saved or not in the film, and it adds to the atmosphere of the movie. (The Los Angeles Film School, 2021)

Genre Theories

    A few theories I will be talking about are the Richard Dyer and Jackie Stacey theory, (I know I used the Carol J Clover theory, but hers was very simple, and I have explained it already. 😋). I chose to talk about these theories because, to me, they apply to the horror genre best and add to the genre as well. The Richard Dyer theory is that genre offers escapism. The escape is the opposes to social tension and function. His theory states that genres create a utopia, a feeling of something better for the audience rather than our reality. Dyer's five ways a genre offers relief is abundance (scarcity or poverty), energy (exhaustion or monotony), intensity (dulling or coldness), and transparency (manipulation or falsehood). (Dyer et al., n.d.) The Jackie Stacey genre theory talks about how cultural technology of imitation, cinema is uniquely stated to help us theorize "genetic imaginary", the constellation of fantasies that genetic engineering provokes. (Stacey, 2018) (Stacey, 2010) Stacey also states that Dyer's theory needs to be more specific as she believes that genres and the audience's preferences change with and over time. Social and historical changes and not everyone will always want the same thing over and over. (Runnacles, 2016)

Reflection

        As I conclude, the genre convections in a horror film are what the audience expects in that film. As stated, the audience expects the low-key lighting, the scary movie icons, the type of characters, the settings, and the many subgenres of the genre. The horror genre uses these themes and tactics to create the anxiety, intensity, and chaos that the audience loves when watching these movies. The continued success of the horror genre is direct evidence that all these conventions matter to the film world and to the audience. The structure, character dynamics, and aesthetics build a successful horror film. I love horror movies, so this deep dive into the conventions of it adds the cherry on top of my love for it. I personally like something more when I understand and do done research on it more than ever before. The conventions of these horror movies, like The Conjuring, Friday the 13th, and more, are movies that I enjoy and watch here and there. Since doing my research on horror movies, I have noticed choices and see the movies in a different light than I had never seen them in before. I have even shared some information with my mom about the many things I'm learning about horror movies.

References

    Cotton, S. (2012, November 26). Research: Conventions of the Horror Genre. Shannon Cotton. https://shannoncotton2.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/research-conventions-of-the-horror-genre/

    Dyer, R., Taytor, R., Group, F., And, L., & York, N. (n.d.). Pastiche. Retrieved November 11, 2025, from https://www.columbia.edu/itc/film/gaines/historiography/Dyer.pdf

    Fisher, M. (2021, July 24). Media Studies - Carol Clover’s Final Girl Theory. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmK3TQaUI0k

    How. (2025, October 8). Kinolime Blog. Kinolime Blog. https://blog.kinolime.com/articles/it-follows-script-analysis

    Runnacles, A. (2016). Conventions of the horror genre. SlideShare; Slideshare. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/conventions-of-the-horror-genre-67172644/67172644

    Stacey, J. (2010). The Cinematic Life of the Gene. In Duke University Press eBooks. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822390947

    Stacey, J. (2018). BiblioVault - books by Stacey. Bibliovault.org. https://www.bibliovault.org/BV.titles.epl?exactAuth=Stacey

    The Los Angeles Film School. (2021, October 18). Subgenres of Horror Films Explained. The Los Angeles Film School. https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/subgenres-of-horror-films-explained/