Codes and Conventions of Horror

In general, across all four sub genres of Horror, focusing mainly on the slasher sub genre; there are certain things that you expect to see time and time again. These are known as the codes and conventions and they are as follows:

Weapons

Slasher horror films tend to go for the more brutal weapons that create a gruesome and violent attack such as an axe, chainsaw, knife, dagger, rope and wire, kitchen cutlery and blunt objects e.g. pipes.

Carol J Clover explains the fact that horror films choose to use weapons like ‘knifes, hammers, axes, ice picks, hypodermic needles, red hot pokers, pitchforks and so on’ in her book ‘Men, Women and Chainsaw’s’. She begins by discussing the fact that they allow a kill to happen silently and therefore secretly so that ‘later victims’ remain unaware of their friends bodies lying undiscovered ‘yards away’.

However, as pointed out by Clover, this does not explain the decision to use other weapons like chainsaws and power drills in place of more silent ones like ‘arrow, spear…and sword’. Chainsaws do make a noise and a very loud one at that! Clover justifies this by pointing out that the weapons in horror are chosen primarily because they achieve ‘closeness and tactility’ or, in other words, a more personal and intimate kill. Arrows and spears, much like a gun, are shot from a distance. All horror weapons, be it a chainsaw or a knife or an axe, can be seen as ‘personal extensions’ of the human body, allowing the killer to be physically near to his victim and to be creative in his kill, leaving behind signs of his own personal signature butchering style and emphasising his power.

Clover says that horrors encourage a ‘fascination with flesh or meat itself’ and that they allow us to see what is normally ‘hidden from view’, such as the insides of the human body. Basically, weapons such as knives and chainsaws, etc, create more gore and gruesomeness and a much more graphic kill, which makes them more appealing to the horror fan who wants to witness hideous imagery. In addition, it lets the fans see what they, in ‘normal’ life, would otherwise be unable to see.

Examples of films that are famous for this type of weapon are;

‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ which featured a killer who used a chain saw as a main weapon to tear through his victims.

‘Edward Scissor Hands’ is an example where the use of kitchen cutlery is the way he attacks the characters where his fingers are made up of knifes and other everyday kitchen appliances.  The introduction of weapons that the audiences can recognise will make the film much more thrilling and frightening as they are able to relate to the situation and put themselves in the position of the characters being victimised. It will also make them feel unnerved within their own homes, knowing that their safety could be threatened by a killer who will have access to a number of would-be weapons lying around the house.

‘Psycho’ is famous for the shower scene where the female victim is attacked by a knife in the shower. This film is a brilliant example to show how a killer can be intimate with his victims, and create a more tactile death. Another one of Clover’s ideas is that by using knifes, rather than guns, a form of rape is achieved with the killer overpowering his weak victim. With reference to the rape-revenge film ‘I Spit on Your Grave’ she says that a victim can get her revenge if she attacks back with an equally phallic piece of weaponry: ‘a hands on knifing answers a hands-on rape’. This would not be achieved if using a weapon such as a gun. In this instance, she is talking about achieving revenge for a rape, but the idea does serve to suggest that death by a knife is in many ways a metaphorical rape, with the killer repeatedly plunging his knife, an obvious phallic symbol, into the body of his unyielding, non-consensual victim.

Other sub genres do not usually feature specific weapons that are used to kill off characters. Normally, when in need of a weapon, the characters in psychological and supernatural horror films tend to go for the first thing they see which could be anything from a lamp on their bedside table, to a kitchen knife they happen to be next to when the scene is in action.

Settings

Frequently used settings that you may see in any horror film could be Isolated, quiet and secluded settings. A film such as ‘Silent Hill’ is an excellent example of where a setting like this is the main one. Settings like this make it look like there is no escape from the enemy and the idea that you don’t know who is around is always frightening. Isolated settings also suggest that there is no one nearby who can save you. This setting works so well in ‘Silent Hill’ as it allows us to know that there is no one around to help the mother who has lost her child in this scary, empty environment. We are able to feel fear for the mother as we are able to see ghosts, zombies and so on lurking in the mists of the town and the fact that no one is around adds to the enigma and mystery of who took the daughter.  

Big haunted houses, warehouses and other big environments such as forests or woodland are also all examples of the main settings you see in horror films. ‘The Amityville Horror’ is a prime example of a film which uses a big haunted house as its main setting and at the centre of its story line. By using large environments, characters look trapped and isolated, while the fear of something lurking behind any closed door or tree is another reason why these settings are regularly used.

Another setting that is commonly used, more so in slasher horror films is a High School. These films are more so aimed towards teenagers because they are able to relate to the situation and the surroundings. Examples of films that use a high school setting are ‘Prom Night’, ‘Scream’ and ‘Halloween’. 

Characters

In horror, there are a range of familiar characters that audiences expect to see when watching a horror film. Some examples are as follows:

First of all, females are used a lot when it comes to the characters taking the role of the victim. Some theory to back up this claim is as follows-

Mick Martin and Marsha Porter “the woman that we see through the ‘I camera’ is scheduled for death. A subjective camera is used which makes it look like the viewer, is the killer”. The camera is therefore on the female victim at this time, for example, in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960’s slasher horror, ‘Psycho’; this is used when the killer is looking through a hole in the wall at his victim…

 Carol J Clover 1992 says “Some girls die for mistakes, others die because they are female”.

Women have long, brutal, drawn out deaths which is seen to be attractive to men. We often see several pretty women being killed and the number has increased over the last forty years: “filmmakers figured that the only thing better than one beautiful woman being gruesomely murdered was a whole series of beautiful women being gruesomely murdered.” (Schoell)

Also in horror films, mainly the slasher genre, aggressive behaviour is seen as masculine and outfits those who engage in it. Slasher films according to Carol J Clover 1992 “film is a world of phalluses lost and reclaimed...a world in which more or less phallically defined knives, power drills and chain saws float in free circulation...the difference, of course,  is that masculinising a woman is a far more acceptable project than feminising a man”. She uses Texas Chainsaw Massacre II as an example of where this is shown with Stretch, the Final Girl who holds up the chainsaw triumphantly at the end after slashing open the stomach of the threat. The general idea is that whoever has the knife, chainsaw or the phalluses have the power. In other words, the woman has to masculinise herself by acquiring a phallic weapon before she can triumph, devaluing her success in a way.

Point of view shots are used so that we can see the female characters through the killer’s eyes, as potential prey. This makes them seem weak, powerless and vulnerable.



The typical female victims you tend to see in horror films, mainly slasher, are…

The one who dies first, normally a female:

She would be unintelligent, sexually active and un-aware of any strange goings on that would be happening in the scene. This character is sometimes known as the sacrificial lamb, there to make it clear to the audience what will happen to girls who are behaving badly …

The dumb blonde:

 …who always dies towards the beginning of the film – for example, in the horror film ‘The Cottage’, Jennifer Ellison plays this character... This character will often make stupid mistakes and seem incredibly naïve; the audience will come to the conclusion that her death has come about because of her own lack of intelligence. The blonde hair will act as a visual signifier of her stupidity, but will also suggest her innocence and child-like helplessness.

The Sexual Transgressors:

These are scheduled for early destruction. According to Carol J Clover 1992, the genre is studded with couples trying to find a place where they can have sex and immediately afterwards, or during the act, being killed. It’s almost as if these characters are being punished for breaking the rules. For example, in ‘Halloween’ we meet a range of sexual transgressors and the films first victim is Michael Myer’s sister just after she has had sex.



Apart from the typical female victims that we see in horror films, the one female that isn’t shown as a victim is…

The Final Girl:

This is the lone female survivor who remains after her friends have been killed. An avid horror film watcher would be able to identify her from her friends at the very beginning. She would be the intelligent, level headed girl, who is watchful to the small signs of danger that her friends would ignore. Unlike her friends she is sensible, brave, wise, virginal and responsible. She would be the one who goes looking for the killer and will always be the first one to sense something not right. She looks death in the face as she battles with the killer for her life and manages to stay alive until she is either rescued of until she dispatches the killer herself. According to Clover by the end of the film, the point of view is hers: ‘we are in the closet with her, watching with her eyes the knife blade pierce the door; in the room with her as the killer breaks through the window and grabs at her...’

An example of the typical final girl who has all of the above traits is Lee Curtis, playing a victim of Michael Myers in the 1970’s classic slasher horror film, ‘Halloween’. She is the one who is being watched by the killer, is shown to be the main character from the very beginning. She is sensible and studious, unlike her friends who smoke, have sex and so on...

Something else that has become more common as horror films have progressed and changed through time is not having just one final girl, but instead having two or three female characters that fight their way to the end. For example these are the three survivors in ‘Sorority Row’- these are the girls throughout the film who know something is wrong. They question the weird noises they hear upstairs. They don’t ignore the screams and they always look for the killer. These are the three that dispatch the killer at the end of the film and are those who were confident, intelligent and sensible all through the film.

Then we move onto the male characters that we see appearing in horror films time and time again...

Male characters often play smaller roles in horror films, in comparison to female characters. This is because male fans prefer seeing women being tormented and killed. It supports an age old concept that women are the weaker sex, unable to defend themselves. Also, some say that it is more gratifying to see a male killer grappling with a female.

Male characters’ deaths are also shown in a less graphic way, quicker, are usually shot at a longer range, and sometimes you may not see the death. This is because seeing a man dying or in anguish is not appealing to watch, more so because of the fact that the main target audience of horror in general are male, so watching another male begging, and pleading for their lives is seen as UN appealing and not very masculine. For example, in the horror film ‘Scream’, around seven minutes of screen time is devoted to the suffering and killing of Casey Becker. The killer teases her and chases her until he gruesomely and graphically kills her. But then the killing of Steve occurs quickly and quietly, off screen where no one can hear or see what is happening.

The Killer:

 Usually male or a child of any gender who comes from a traumatised background with a hidden identity e.g. by wearing masks, lurking in the shadows of a wood, hiding behind doors etc. They are the outsiders of their families, and at school, with no friends etc. Clover defines them as “Emphatic misfits and outsiders”.  A lot of the time, the audience as well as the characters on screen do not get to see the face of the killer until the end, when he is dispatched and revealed to the audience and to the characters on screen. They seem to be invincible, and can escape death time and time again. Clover explains that the killers are “Superhuman: their virtual indestructibility”. She then goes on to explain that in films such as Halloween Michael Myers “repeatedly rises from blows that would stop a lesser man” and Friday the Thirteenth where Jason “survives assault after assault to return in sequel after sequel”. This adds to the fear that the audience already associate with the Killer as they are indestructible. The killers tend to be the same in different sequels that are made, whereas the victims change time and time again, also reflecting the superhuman powers, and the idea that they are invincible.  E.g. this is one of the killers from ‘The Last House on the Left’

Sights

The sights that you are most likely to see in every horror film are; blood, guts, graphic killings, shadows, dark lighting, weapons and so on. Without all of these, audiences will be unaware of the genre as it these things that define Horror. It is important to show them again and again so the audience can relate to the type of film they are watching and so they are able to see what they are expecting to see, or what they came to see.

Sounds

Sound is a huge part of the horror genre as it is used to create suspense, additional tension and, basically, to scare someone even more than they already are.

Contrapuntal Sound- this is where the sound doesn’t match the action that is happening on screen. E.g. in ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ children’s music is playing in the background, during the climax of the film trailer which contradicts the scary situation that they are in.  

This works well in horror films, as it sounds incredibly unnatural and creepy and serves to unnerve the audience and make them feel unsettled.

Eerie Music- music is one of the most important and key elements of a horror film. In most cases, music is used to create tension and fear. When eerie music is used, the audience can feel the build up of something bad that is about to happen. They are waiting for something to happen, just like the characters are in the film.  The music will often change and become more sinister and scary as we get closer to something bad happening. Also this type of music can be used to build up false expectation, creating more of a shock when something actually happens. From start to end in the trailer for the film ‘The Others’, there is a constant piece of music being played into the trailer which is creepy and eerie. It certainly creates tension and suspension and this eerie music builds you up for the climax at the end of the trailer where the sound then moves onto loud stabs and so on.

Lightening, rain, wind or other types of weather- sounds like these create realism. It is important to create realism because when something seems real in a horror film, it adds fear as the audience can relate to it. These sounds can also create a scary ambience. This is because people associate bad weather with being scared and so sounds related to these types of weather will carry that association. For example, in the film ‘Orphan’, about 1 and a half minutes into the trailer, the use of lightening makes the main character, Esther, look more demonic and dangerous than she already appears as the lightening shows her in the dark, standing over her adopted parents biological daughter.

 

Stabs- This is a sudden burst of music/ sound that is used to make the audience jump out of their skin. It will also accompany a dramatic even. An example of a trailer where there are a number of stabs used throughout is for ‘Paranormal Activity’. This makes the trailer incredibly jumpy and allows the audience to know that something bad is going to happen, or has just happened.

Silence- silence is deadly. It is scarier to hear nothing at all, then to hear some form of sound because when the sound does happen, it has more emphasis and it is unexpected and more frightening than ever. A brilliant example of where silence is used to create suspense and tension is at the beginning of the trailer for ‘The Strangers’ where the main female character is standing in her house, facing the camera, when behind her, we can see one of the antagonists.

Costume

In horror films, film makers try to keep the clothes as minimalistic as possible so attention doesn’t steer away from the narrative of the film. Colours are used to help the audience to determine the type of character they are looking at, for example, if the colour black is being worn, this could indicate the killer. Nevertheless, in some films, costume is a big part of the film, for example, masks/ Halloween costumes.

Some of the main types of costume you expect to see when watching a horror film, or the ones that are seen a lot in horror films are as follows…

Masks- this makes the killer look like they have no identity and makes the audience wonder who is behind the mask. It adds additional fear to what is hiding underneath. Masks can also make a face look demonic, emotionless and non-human.

Dark Clothes- usually worn by a killer which makes them look mysterious, troubled, evil and dangerous. Also,

Hooded Costumes- remind audiences of the grim reaper, who brings death to all he meets.

Boiler Suit- as a boiler suit is a labourer’s work outfit this makes the killer look like they have got a job to do (to terrorise/ kill the victims). Often ripped or covered in blood to make the ‘job’ look like it will be a sinister one.

Dirty clothes- this makes the victims look they have been through and ordeal, also we get the impression that their lives, minds, bodies have been tainted by the killer and his attack; both literally and metaphorically.

Lighting

Different types of lighting that are used in all horror films are;

Low Key Lighting- this allows dark shadows to be formed as there is a sharp contrast between light and deep, dark areas, otherwise known as Chiaroscuro.

Top Lighting- this creates a god like effect which can be used on a hero, or the character who dispatches the killer. The light comes from above, which highlights all the features of a character.

Back Lighting- this type of lighting creates a silhouette of a person/ object by shining the light from behind. This type of lighting is used a lot in horror films as it makes the person look evil and like they have no real identity.

Nightmare on Elm Street

Under Lighting- the light comes from below a subject which is regularly used in horror films as it creates a distorted effect.

The Blair Witch Project

Profile Lighting- this is where half the character/ object will be shrouded in shadow while the other half will be visible and lit.

Halloween

Ambient Lighting – this type of light is used a lot in gothic horror films as it is a ‘natural’ source of light either from the sun or the moon.

Twilight

Available Lighting- this is where the light isn’t created from specialised lighting equipment, but is just what is around you. An example where this is used in horror films could be when a character is in a house, and lighting from lamps or candles is used.

Twilight