Horror

How has the horror genre changed over time?

• While watching a horror film you prepare yourself for something scary to be revealed . Familiarity with these codes and conventions- the character, the setting, the music- from watching similar horror films all raise your expectations, even if there is nothing there.

• Filmmakers can manipulate our emotions by meeting or cheating the expectations we have, the popularity of certain kinds of texts proves that for many audiences familiarity breeds contentment rather than contempt.

Changes in Horror

• Over the years the horror genre has been forced to change and adapt to suit audiences as not to become boring and predictable and instead continue to entertain and scare viewers. These changes include the plots becoming more complex and psychologically baffling, a change in the way films are shot and arranged and the blood and gore has increased to shock the viewers more and more.

Timeline• 1930’s – horrors were based on literature and films such as Dracula and Frankenstein were made.• 1950’s-1960’s – alien and monster movies were created to take away some of the nations fear

during the cold war, by allowing human kind to seem in control and as wanting and achieving peace allowing them to escape from the realities of fear of nuclear attack. During this era movies such as Godzilla and Them! were produced.

• 1970’s – realism was introduced to the genre. More relatable films generated more fright during this time. Films such as the legendary Psycho and Halloween were created.

• 1980’s – in the 80’s slashers were the most popular of horror films such as Nightmare on Elm Street. Also special effects were used more and more during this decade creating monsters as the villains resulting in films such as An American Werewolf in London and The Thing.

• 1990’s – psychological thrillers are introduced and fear of the unknown is used widely. Films such as The Blair Witch Project, which was the first of its kind and changed the horror genre completely, introducing a completely unique style. Also films such as se7en had a lot of religious connotations, the victims having to pay for their sins.

• 2000’s – with films such as Saw were made. Also predictions for world chaos and destruction such as The Day after Tomorrow and 1012, as well as inescapable and unprovoked deaths such as in the film Final Destination. More recently films such as Paranormal Activity and The Orphan have reintroduced psychological horrors.

Scream

• Scream was one of the first horror films to self-consciously parody the conventions of the genre. It was considered to be groundbreaking when it was released in 1998 but only two years later, after a spate of similarly inter-textual and self-reflective films, Scary Movie, a parody of these parodies, was released in 2000. In order to enjoy Scary Movie audiences would need to be familiar not only with conventions of horror but also with films that parody them, showing just how quickly genres change and audiences become familiar with these changes.

Psycho• Psycho broke all film conventions by displaying its leading female protagonist having a lunchtime affair in

her white undergarments in the first scene; also by photographing a toilet bowl - and flush - in a bathroom (a first in an American film), and killing off its major 'star' Janet Leigh a third of the way into the film (in a shocking, brilliantly-edited shower murder scene accompanied by screeching violins).

• A satirical parody of scenes from various Hitchcock films, including some from Psycho, were included in Mel Brooks' comedy High Anxiety (1978). The shower scene itself has been referenced, spoofed and parodied in numerous films, including Brian De Palma's The Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and Dressed to Kill (1980), Squirm (1976), Victor Zimmerman's low-budget Fade to Black (1980), Tobe Hooper's The Funhouse (1981), John De Bello's Killer Tomatoes Strike Back! (1990), Martin Walz' The Killer Condom (1997, Ger.), Wes Craven's Scream 2 (1997), Scott Spiegel's From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999), and the animated Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003).

• Like many of Hitchcock's films, Psycho is so very layered and complex that multiple viewings are necessary to capture all of its subtlety. Symbolic imagery involving stuffed birds and reflecting mirrors are ever-present. Although it's one of the most frightening films ever made, it has all the elements of very dark, black comedy. This film wasn't clearly understood by its critics when released.

• Within the film Hitchcock, which is based on the making of Psycho, it shows the struggles Hitchcock had to go through just so a toilet could be seen on camera and how he had to be careful when filming the shower scene do to the woman being nude. He had to convince many he could make this film.

Carrie

• The remake begins with a prologue showing a traumatised Margaret White (Julianne Moore) giving birth to Carrie. Moore, giving a typically committed performance, is a self-harming bundle of neuroses who seems more disturbed and more emotionally damaged than Piper Laurie – though ultimately inspires more pity than terror.

• This scene is very graphic and therefore would probably not have been acceptable within the original as audiences are now desensitised to this.

Audience and Ratings• Audiences are now desensitised to things such as gore, sex, taboo language and religious scenes within a

horror film. For example, Scream 1, 2 and 3 were released between 1996 and 2000, they were all rated 18. However, the 4th Scream with was released in 2011 and was only rated 15. There is no difference in the content, yet the rating has lowered because audiences are used to it and it has less effect on them than it did.

• The BBFC criteria for different ratings:What is allowed in a 15 film? The guidelines are split into boundries and sub catergories. These are: Discrimination, Drugs, Horror, Imitable Behaviour, Language, Nudity, Sex, Theme And Finally Violence. For all of these a 15 film has to have the guidelined ammount. For example for drugs, "Drug taking may be shown, however should not promote missuse". This means that 15 films are allowed to use drugs, however they must not show the full use of them or promote them to the audience. Another example is Horror,"Strong threat and meanass are permitted, unless sardistic or sexualised". This means that you are allowed to show most gruesome or gory scenes unless they are extremely over the top.What is allowed in an 18 film? There is really no limit in an 18 movie. You are allowed to show pretty much almost anything. Examples of what 18 movies may contain are: "risks harm to individuals through violent and dangerous acts". "Illegal drug use" things such as these that could encourage younger minds to repeat these acts that is why they only allow persons who are 18 years or older to watch them at the cinema.Is there a real difference between a 15 and 18? the answer is yes, depending on what the film contains, some very bad films may just scrape into being a 15 it all depends on the contents.