Movie Analysis : Korean Horror Films

Having Halloween just around the corner the horror genre has been on demand. What is a horror genre? Horror is defined as being “an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust” and genre is defined as being “a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter” according to Oxford Dictionary. Therefore a horror genre is a horror film in one of the many categories in a genre that makes the audience feel fear, shock or disgust. Many of the films that everyone watches today are now called movies. Since scary movies have been requested, Netflix has even added a “Halloween favorites” on its search bar.

Another key individual discussed in 13th is Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was not punished for this due to Florida’s stand your ground law. This law states that if one feels that their life is in danger, they have the right to react. This led to the formation of a movement from mother’s of African-American descent which started with a hashtag stating that black lives matter (Lee,2017).

Movies have become a powerful form of media used to sway a large audience. Not only is a story told to the viewer, but an overall message is also portrayed through film as well. So it is no wonder that in North Korea, the usage of movies to create propaganda films in order to project a certain view of their country towards their people. The strengthened usage of film as propaganda could be see after Kim Jong Il moved the to the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Korean Worker’s Party in 1966 and eventually lead him to become director of the Motion Picture and Arts Division in 1970 (Armstrong, 210). Kim Jong Il was known to have an affinity for arts and film and in a county with such strong influence with propaganda, Kim knew that these position would propel the message and powers of the leaders.

As a society, there is a lot of excitement placed upon horror and horror films; ask anybody and they could recall what the first horror movie they saw was and when they saw it. In fact, there were 753 horror films release in 2015 alone. However, during the 1950s, there were only approximately 244 or so horror films released throughout the whole decade. During the 1960s, that number nearly doubled from 244 to 517 (“Letterboxd”).

The 2009 American film, the Uninvited, has some small variations, but it's basically the same movie minus some of the better jump scare qualities that exist in the South Korean version. The house in the South Korean version is also darker and sets a creepier tone that enriches the film's jump scare tactics that are almost invariably better when experienced in a dark and creepy

The Marxist lens examines the relationship between social classes: where the power lies and why. When viewing Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, through this lens, the symbolism behind the setting, the character Roy, and “Red Guy” becomes the show’s most critical features. Tied together by the plot of the show, these critical symbols emphasize the fatal flaws of Western culture. When analyzed through the Marxist lens, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared by Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling argues that in a capitalistic society, the bourgeoisie class engrains the ideals of capitalism into the minds of those more vulnerable in order to perpetuate a system that encourages unfair distribution of power to the wrong people. But it also highlights that in order for individuals to

The film, “Night of the Living Dead”, is a horror movie taking place in the late 1960’s and set in a small town in Pennsylvania. The beginning scene opens with siblings, Barbara and Johnny arriving at a cemetery after three long hours of driving. Barbara and Johnny went to the graveyard to visit their late father's grave and as they were leaving Johnny decided to tease Barbara saying “They’re coming for you Barbara… look, there comes one of them now”. While they were walking to their car Barbara figured she would apologize to the man for what her brother had said but as she was about to speak the “man” grabbed her. When Johnny saw, he quickly ran to them and

Horror films have been around for over 100 years, petrifying people and bringing their worst fears to life but still they can’t get enough of this sick and gory genre that is unbelievably entertaining and captivating to the audience. Horror comes with many sub-genres from your bloody slashers like Friday the 13th to your Supernatural-Horrors like The Exorcist, but in the end they all seem to do their job by scaring you and leaving you with nightmares for weeks on end. Usually Horror’s films have the same character stereotypes such as the nerd, the jock, the slut, the virgin, the junky, the tough hero, the unlikely hero and last but not least the masked murderer, but yet they all play their own part in the making of these horrors movies whether it is the extremely slow walk the killer does but almost always catches the victim, or the unwise decision to split up and investigate where the unusual noise is coming from.

The 1920s also known as the “Roaring Twenties”, “Jazz Age” or the “Golden Age” by North Americans and Europeans were the years of economic and artistic growth as well as social and cultural change. Whether in the 1920s or present day, films are a result of the public’s demand for entertainment. However, the production of films is an art that subtly delivers hidden messages to the public or as Kracauer suggests, coded references. After World War 1, despite the hardships each nation had dealt with and the frustration towards those in power, the public was happy it finally ended. Afterwards, America dealt with economic prosperity and a rise of interest in entertainment and enjoyable activities, specifically films, to in a way make up for the

The 1950's known for its greaser styles, doo-wop music, and breakthrough rebilous movies, the 50's have remained memorable decades after its passing. Its styles and morals have continued to be an inspiration and find admiration even in today's life. The 2000's technicolor, technological, techno-you-name-it. The 2000s completely re-mastered modern living. iPhones, E-mails, 360 cameras, and the spectacular special effects in movies; with such drastic differences, how could the 1950s and the 2000s be even remotely the same?

“Angels on the Streets” is an enlightenment movie, from the Colonial Era, that gives the audience a glimpse on how the Korean film industry has been impacted due to Japanese colonization. Throughout the movie, Japanese influence can be seen through assimilation so that Koreans have to integrate to a Japanese way of thinking and living. Such assimilation can be seen through noticeable propaganda, introduction of Westernization, and the idea of being an imperial citizen in a new-nation state. Propaganda portrays ideas that are favorable towards Japanese living.

Silent horror films continued throughout the early 20th century. Some of the most famous horror films of this era included; The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), The Golem (1920), and Nosferatu (1920). These films feature a mad doctor, a vampire, and a monster that is never seen. (Wilson) These monsters were some of the very first to be introduced to horror but certainly not the last.

Horror films are movies that aim to elicit a strong physiological reaction in the viewer, such as raised heartbeat and fear. Three horror films by the names of Psycho, Scream and The Messengers will be analysed and compared to an episode of the popular children’s show Shaun the Sheep. Five elements will be addressed in this analysis, those being camera techniques, Mise-en-scene, Editing, Lighting and Sound.

There are many different types of film and film genres. A film can fit into more than one genre, but there are some genres that are more general than others. Some examples of film genre are animated, science fiction, documentary, comedy, and historical fiction. Within each genre, there are also specific characteristics that help support themes and story lines within that genre.

Japanese horror films are known for being incredibly spooky and leaving their audiences feeling unsettled. Perhaps it is the engaging plots or compelling acting, or maybe it is because these films are based on killers that many have already heard of. Films like Ju-On, Ringu, and A Slit-Mouthed Woman contain background information based on popular stories from long ago, which makes the films even more terrifying. While many horror films have no inspiration, Japanese horror films often draw influence from urban legends. Furthermore, these legends commonly focus on women as the central characters for the antagonist.