Horror Films And Gothic Horrors

What is common between most horror films and texts? They all use similar types of codes and conventions. These codes and conventions differ between genre and can be easily identified. These also reflect the values of the audience they are intended for. The 1993 stop-motion animated film, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, directed by Henry Selick, and the 1845 poem, ‘The Raven’, written by Edgar Allan Poe, are both a part of the horror genre, as they follow the codes and conventions of that genre. They use similar visuals, sounds, characterisation, and themes. Using these and other conventions, audiences can identify a genre, which influences their opinions and feelings about the genre.

Everyone loves to watch a good horror film. Whether the effects in the movie are really gory or extremely unsettling, these nail-biting experiences are what give the audience a thrill as they try to peel their eyes away from the screen. The concept of these movies is to give the viewers a good scare, one that will have them glancing over their shoulders or double checking if their doors are locked at night for the next week. This genre has been around since the late nineteenth century, but horror movies did not gain much popularity until the 1930s. Modern day horror films have evolved from its beginnings, but the elements in a horror movie are consistent regardless of time.

Since then, thousands of Horror films have been made. Many developments have been used in newer films such as special effects and 3-D animation. A genre is formed when a type of film has certain elements that become essential to that type of film. These elements are sometimes called "generic conventions". Around these large genres sub-genres have evolved such as supernatural and sci-fi horror films like 'The Fly' and 'Mary Shelley's Frankenstein' In

The Gothic genre often reproduces a conservative paranoid structure when it comes to homophobia and other moral panics over sex (Hanson, Pg. 176). Eve Sedgwick depicts this in her work, ‘Between Men: English Literature and Male Homosexual Desire’ as she discusses how these ideas (paranoia) are represented within the Gothic, in what she describes as the ‘homosocial’ in reference to male bonds (Sedgwick, Pg. 86). She also discusses how bonds between men exist as the backbone of social form and forms (Sedgwick, Pg. 86). Thus, a consequence of said structure is the ability to define, control, and manipulate male bonds, which in turn becomes an inexplicably powerful instrument of social control (Sedgwick, Pg. 86). Thus, homosexuality is represented as the ‘unspeakable’ within the Gothic, as it has been defined, controlled, and manipulated to be such though social control. Therefore, this paper will discuss how ‘homosocial’ bonds between men, are used as a tool in social control and used as a way to produce paranoia and moral panic, thus in reference to the Gothic, these forms epitomize homosexuality as the ‘unspeakable,’ especially through homosexual representations within the contexts of ghosts and haunted houses.

Horror can be defined as a genre meant to psychologically trigger individual fear with the presence of certain supernatural or abstract characteristics. The genre is dependent on people’s fascination with unrealism and the sensation that comes from experiencing fear personified into tangible elements on a screen. Horror films have thrilled audiences for decades, revealing stories of the more sinister parts of life. The popular allure that stems from the genre comes from the tension moviegoers experience when aroused by specific stimuli uniquely present in these cinematic features (Walters). Over time, as the genre progressed, the standardized elements found in a typical horror movie began to shift in different directions primarily due to changing societal circumstances and increasing consumer demand for cinematic innovation. The expansive nature of the different codes and conventions within the horror genre, coupled with the evolution of society’s fascination with these characteristics, has led to the mutation of the genre itself in order to allow for unique approaches to a familiar style in response to both economic developments and taste shifts within the consumer industry.

Gothic literature originated in the 19th century, having diverged from the larger Romantic Movement. Like the Romantics, Gothic writers embraced the sublime nature and endeavored to evoke deep emotions in their readers. However, their motives were manifested in a fascination with the exotic and eerie human nature and the effects of guilt, evil, isolation and terror on a human being. Authors employ isolated and grotesque settings, supernatural beings and events, combines horror and romance as well as highlighting overwrought emotions. The ability to captivate reader’s emotional experience through the exploration of human weakness has allowed the Gothic genre to continue into the twenty-first century, modifying to reflect current societal concerns.

A girl runs frantically through the woods trying to escape an axe wielding villain. The defenseless victim suddenly trips and collapses to the ground. The villain laughs wickedly as he lifts the axe above his head. The girl releases a final scream as the weapon quickly ends her life, causing the audience to go silent as they watch the villain drag away the lifeless body. Death, blood, guts, suspense, screaming, and terror are all just a few things to expect when watching a modern day horror film. What is horror? Horror can be defined as an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust. (Wilson) The description of horror is not very pleasant, but for some reason horror films are extremely popular. Why is this so? People are addicted to the

Gothic literature is a deliciously terrifying blend of horror and romance. From Walpole's Castle of Otranto to Shelley's Frankenstein and Stoker's infamous Dracula, as well as Edgar Allen poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, the Gothic novel has been around for centuries, and, despite a few major changes, has maintained some of the basic elements of classic Gothic romance since its very origins. The height of Gothic literature, which was closely aligned with Romanticism, is usually considered to have been the years 1764-1840, but its influence extends to the present day. Gothic literature was focused on elements of death, decay and both physical and psychological terror. These elements were often portrayed by setting, characterization, form, and recurring motifs. The Gothic style also suggests a belief in the supernatural and thus many gothic texts contain an air of mystery and intrigue. Another key aspect in any gothic text is 'evil'. During the emergence of the Gothic literary movement, it is perhaps not surprising that the period was characterised by widespread terror, namely from the French Revolution. Subsequently, the genre became very popular among writers as it enabled them to express their sympathy and concern over such political movements. The presence of the quintessential elements of gothic horror consequently helped to make the genre so alluring to both readers and authors.

What is a horror genre? What is the horror genre about? What do you wont to know about the horror genre? The Tell-Tale Heart and The Monkey’s Paw are entertaining short stories that meet the criteria to be categorized in the horror genre because contain fear , scary, horror.

Horror films have been around long since the 1890s, slowly gaining the following we now see today. The horror genre has continued to gain popularity with each passing year. Yet, comparing the films of today to those of the past, we can see a large number of differences that continue to evolve. Although there are examples of the horror genre found many years prior, director Alfred Hitchcock, also known as “The Master of Suspense”, highlighted many of the common horror formulas that are still prevalent within the genre today. Arguably one of, if not the most well-known Hitchcock film, Psycho (1960), captured the very essence of the horror genre, and grabbed audiences by their throats. From the characters to the music, each element of the film

Horror is designed to scare, cause alarm and dread, while also entertaining the audience at the same time in a cathartic experience (Dirk, 2016). Horror films are meant for a specific type of audience that enjoy scary films. Dirks (Tim, 2016) approach to genre horror, is that films went back as 100 years ago, from the earliest days our vivid imagination in seeing ghosts in the shadows to be connected emotionally of the unknown, and fear things that are improbable. You watch a horror film, it makes you aware of the scary surroundings, the essence of fear itself, without actually being in any sorts of danger. Dirks argues that there is a fun and thrill factor in being frightened, or watching something disturbing. It gives you that feeling of an adrenaline rush, as well as having that feeling someone is actually next to you lurking in the dark (Dirk, 2016).

Sometimes it's hard to define a particular horror movie's genre, but in an attempt to sort through the confusion, I'm going to provide an explanation of both the basic genres in horror, of which there are about 4 with closely related branches in their family tree. Often horror movies tend to fuse different film genre elements together to create a horrific masterpiece, or just something awful to watch that ends in disaster. I'm not talking about the movie plot itself, but those failed attempts at crafting masterful cinema. Take the Wicker Man, for instance. This film includes elements of psychological horror, fantasy, macabre, thriller, and even exploitation horror.

Horror film is designed to scare the viewer, and what is scarier than seeing the real world for how it truly is? Films have always replicated reality but there is something quite different about the horror genre. Horror films have always mirrored reality but, unlike other genres, have heightened our fears and manifested them into atomic monsters (post World War II), or mummies and skeletons (early 1900s). But as the world around us got scarier and reality was twisted with war, horror films began to add aspects of political and social climates. With political campaigns happening every four years and the rapid development occurring, it was not hard for film directors in the late twentieth century to latch on to something.

The first gothic novels were called ‘gothic’ because of their medieval aesthetic, but further gothic fiction was recognizable for the use of other conventions: persecuted heroines, empowered villains, young heroes, ruined castles, labyrinths, convents… but mainly, because the aim of such stories was to shock and terror the readers. That aim is still present today in everything that falls under the label of ‘gothic’: the gothic has to shock and distress and its way to achieve that is by including the element of fear in its narratives. But, how is fear produced? A first step towards the recreation of that element is by using certain images that produce strong emotions and trouble the mind. Such are the images that became popular in the first

The aim of this research investigation into genre is to gain an understanding in the way that horror films are constructed and created to effectively represent the genre to its audience. This will expand my understanding of how technical, audio codes, setting and characterization are frequently used in constructing a piece of media text to either reinforce or deviate from stereotypes and audience's expectations. Bateman states that "Audiences are said to like the concept of genre (although we may not identify it by that name) because of its reassuring and familiar promise of