Codes and conventions in

horror movies

• The codes and conventions of a horror film are almost like the 'rules'

that a horror movie must follow in order to be successful.

Here‟s a list of conventions that people often associate with horror movies:

oBlood

oScreams

oDeath

oKilling

oDarkness

oEvil

oHaunted houses

oGhosts

oVictims

oExorcism

oDevil

One of the main conventions in

horror movies are isolated places,

to create a mysterious

atmosphere. Isolated places are

usually known for having some

„dark‟ past incidents or myths.

My movie Other horror movies

• Small communities

• Lakes

• Countryside

• Subways

• Dark streets

• Alleyways

• Abandoned houses

Most demonic horror movies have

children as the evil spirit or as the

victim, for example the movie 6th

sense. Possibly because children

are more sensitive/vulnerable

therefore becoming the victims.

My movie Other horror movies

Men- often portrayed as

brave, therefore always

willing to this discover the

mystery (evil). The male

audience usually compare

themselves to them.

Women/children-

vulnerable/sensitive hence

usually becoming the

victims.

The majority of horror

movies also have the ghost

(when a girl) dressed in the

stereotypical old/dirty white

long dress and usually with

long black hair. For example

I used the movie „the ring‟ as

a main influence as I liked

the effect the girl‟s

appearance had on me as

the audience.

Intertextuality This is the practice of deliberately including references

to one text in the narrative of another.

I done this to engage the interest of the audience by

appealing to their prior knowledge and experience of

horror movies.

For example, the ghost‟s costumes/appearance in my

trailer is very similar to the ghost in the movie “the

ring”.