Horror opening sequence research

Genre: Horror

Narrative/ theme:

-Dramatic climaxes/ suspense.

-Death/ murder/ torture

-Escape and chase

-Dark

-Confinement

-Supernatural/ spirits

-Madness/ psychotic

Setting:

-Isolated areas, buildings or towns. E.G Derelict buildings, wooded areas or post-apocalyptic city.

-The setting is invariably dark to add tension to the atmosphere and give a sense of the unknown.

-Dungeons, castles, caves, the underworld

-Lost islands, worlds, cities

Camera movement:

-Canting is used in lots of horror films to give an off balance feel or to make the audience feel disorientated. It may indicate that a character has been drugged or is deranged.

-Hand held shots are used a lot in horror films as it adds to the sense of realism; it also conveys a sense of immediacy and intensity. 

Characters:

-Villain E.G Sweeny Todd

-Vulnerable and weak

-A supernatural being E.G demons, aliens, witches.

-Monster creations E.G King Kong, Frankenstein, lock ness monster. 

-Psychopaths, the possessed, the obsessed, the brainwashed. E.G Emily Rose is possessed in ‘The exorcism of Emily Rose’

Music/ sound:

-Dark, eerie and ominous sound, which is usually non-diegetic.

-Music is often fast paced to increase suspense and intensity in a scene. It builds up the action on screen to its pinnacle point.

-There are often non-diegetic sound effects such as ghostly shrieks, howls and groans.

Lighting:

-The use of shadows is common to hide objects/ characters or so the audience can only see parts, which heightens the mood and atmosphere.

-Dark, low key lighting is also used for the same effect.

Example:

‘The haunting in Connecticut’ (2009)

-Plot: a family is forced to relocate for their son's health; they begin experiencing supernatural behavior in their new home, which turns out to be a former mortuary.

-Theme: Dark, supernatural, death, suspense.

-Setting: House was previously a mortuary.

-Character: vulnerable and weak- boy has cancer is taken over by the spirits of the dead.

Example:

'Texas Chair Saw Massacre' (1974)

-Plot: Five friends visiting their grandpa's old house are hunted down and terrorised by a chainsaw wielding killer and his family of grave-robbing cannibals. 

-Theme: Dark, death, murder, escape/ chase. 

-Setting: old house/ slaughterhouse.

By Rosie King