"Drag Me To Hell"

• I decided to analyse "Drag Me To Hell" soon after watching the film. Like the trailer, the poster itself really stood out to me by featuring typical horror conventions. 
• Firstly, the main image strikes the audience as it is of a female who is seen to be vulnerable and you easily assume that she is the victim of the film. This highlights a convention that most horror movies use which is having a female character who is seen to be more fragile and weak than men. In the image itself, she looks like she is defeated from evil that evil is unstoppable. 
• The demonic hands in the picture also attracts horror fans as it shows that the film is based on the unknown and paranormal. Moreover, her facial expression also expresses she is in pain and she may be possessed. 
• By having the hands grabbing her down to hell, this also makes the audience aware that the hands are maybe of a demon. Additionally, the fire also symbolises death and hell which yet again is a typical convention in a horror movie. The title also links with the image and it  reinforces the fact that she is in the hands of the devil.
• The tagline also shows the character's background which makes the audience feel more involved with the poster. This may make the audience more aware and suspicious as they can relate to being put in the position in which 'Christine' is in. By having the tagline, it also allows the audience to feel sympathy for the character. 

Overall, I believe that the poster is successful in the way they follow horror conventions to speak out to the audience for example with the use of dull colours like red and orange. The image itself stands out and makes the audience feel uncomfortable as they are forced to feel sympathy for the character. 

Moral Panic

Below I decided to create a presentation based on the theory of moral panic and the key elements of the stages that moral panic experiences. It was created by Stan Cohen who basically defined moral panic as  an instance of public anxiety or alarm in response to a problem regarded as threatening the moral standards of society.

Here are examples of recent moral panics that occur in our society:

The monstrous feminine - Carrie (1976)

I decided to look back at the film Carrie and analyse a memorable scene which was the prom scene and I picked out how Carrie is represented in the scene and how Barbara Creed's theory is represented in the scene.

Barbara Creed

"In Carrie, the film's most monstrous act occurs when the couple are drenched in pig's blood, which symbolises menstrual blood in the terms setup by the film. Women are referred to as 'pigs', women 'bleed like pigs', and the pig's blood runs down Carrie's body at a moment of intense pleasure, just as her own menstrual blood ran down her legs during a similar pleasurable moment in the shower. Here, women's blood and pig's blood flow together signifying horror shame and humiliation" 

The Horror Reader, Chapter: Kristeva, Femininity, Abjection. 

Barba Creed's theory suggests that women in horror films are represented as downgraded and somehow being dirty and shameful. She believes this is shown in the film 'Carrie' where a menstruation cycle is seen to be embarrassing and not natural which is emphasised in the prom scene with the use of the 'pigs' blood which may refer Carrie to being an animal. 

In this scene, Barbara Creed's theory is emphasised in many ways for example Carrie is seen in a white dress which connotes purity and cleanliness but this is yet again emphasised by the sudden of pig's blood thrown on her. She is humiliated and when she is enjoying herself and finally feels accepted, something bad happens to ruin  her day. This yet again shows the shame and humiliation that she goes through and it is linked with the fire and the blood which are both the colour red and this connotes danger and death. This is scene is also similar to the shower scene in which she figures out that she has started her period and Barbara Creed's theory supports the fact that Carrie may be compared to animal as the pigs blood may emphasise that a menstruation cycle is shameful. 

Barthes' Enigma Code Theory!

I decided to create a Prezi which goes through what the 'Enigma Code' theory is and how it could be applied to modern horror films to make the audience question the plot of the film itself.



By analysing Barthes' Enigma Code Theory, it has allowed me to open my eyes in terms of creating my trailer because I can now feature some of these important codes to make my trailer more exciting. The main purpose of a trailer is to get the audience suspicious and interested and by featuring a code like the "hermeneutic code", it will interest more of my potential audience as they will want to solve the mystery of the actual story.

Blair Witch Project (1999)

People mainly thought the film was real because the way it was presented. Throughout the film, there is only hand-held footage which makes the film look realistic as it shows it may be a real life documentary. 

The film focuses on three students that make a documentary based on the blair witch legend. The audience can then see the remaining footage of what occurred throughout their journey in the woods.

Blair Witch Project was made in 1999 and is a psychological horror film, written and directed by both Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanche.

The film was made with a very low budget with only one camera and this relates to my horror project so taking notice of different camera angles used to make my trailer more effective is important. 

The "recovered footage" is presented as the film. 

The way the film is marketed is really clever for example the poster below is mystique. They also used actors that were not known which made the audience question who the people were. This yet again made the whole film seem more real as the poster looks serious. The poster also features short descriptions of each character which yet again will intrigue potential audiences as the poster was put up all around America.

Both trailers for the film are also effective and captures the audiences attention. 

The first teaser forces the audience to listen closely as there is a blank screen. This raises suspicion and there is also a close up on the girls eye which expresses her emotion which are shock. This puts the audience in a very uncomfortable position as they don't know what is going on. The trailer doesn't give anything away and successfully makes the audience more curious. The film reflects the ghost of Ely Kedward who was banished from the Blair Township for witchcraft in 1875. The second trailer features a lot of screaming and darkness which makes the audience wonder what is going on and there is ongoing panic with tension gradually building up. 

Are horror conventions subverted or followed?

By analysing the Blair Witch Project, I have learnt that special effects are not really needed to create a scary atmosphere as it can be done with just one camera with the use of different camera angles. I also have to keep in mind for my trailer to follow the conventions that the Blair Witch Project used for example they didn't give their storyline away which successfully attracts the audience to actually watch the film.

Theories focused on genre

The image below shows the two different theories that are both based on genre. The first theory from Steve Neale shows that all genres are influenced but then they can be differences and not repeated. It basically means that sets of horror conventions are repeated for example themes and ideas but they make the film more differently. The second theory is from Todorov who believes that genres are always improved for example they take whats already there and change it sometimes.

Then I decided to show typical ideas that are represented in a horror film and what exactly is expected from the audience to see in a horror film. By listening out the key 'ingredients' for a horror film, it will help me build my trailer by using some of the ingredients for example the concept of death and music in the trailer will obviously show it is focused on the genre horror.

Freud - "Male Gaze"

Sigmund Freud supports Laura Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' theory in many ways. He is one of the most famous thinkers in psychology history. He played a major role in the development of psychology. 

• He stated that at the heart of male neurosis is the worry of "castration." He believed that many men were in love with their mothers and yet feared that they might castrate them if they sought to consummate their desire. 
• This is why many men resist the sexual act and become "voyeurs", constantly getting a thrill from viewing women sexually but never actually having sex. 
• Visual pleasure is voyeuristic and narcissistic - we identify this with either the victim or the assailant. 
• Effects like hand-held camera or perspective shots achieve this identification.

An example of the "Male Gaze" (Laura Mulvey's theory) is below:

In this scene, we can see that there are plenty of close up shots of Megan Fox's body whilst working on the car. This is also in a voyeuristic position as the camera tilts up which allows the audience to look at her body. The man in the video is also seen glancing at her body whilst she is looking at the car and this emphasises the "male gaze" theory put in use.

Until the 1990's, horror viewing it had been argued, was primarily a male pleasure based on the lines that "attacking" is an "active" process and therefore an ascribed masculine trait, whilst to be attacked is a passive experience, traditionally a feminine trait. I believe Mulvey's theory is relevant today as we see examples of the "Male Gaze" in adverts, films and even music videos.

"The Last Exorcism"

• Above is another horror poster that really stood out to me. After watching the film, I decided to analyse the poster in detail picking out key elements that make it really effective.
• Firstly, the picture really strikes attention as it is of a lady possessed and this alerts the audience that the film focuses on "paranormal." 
• The colours used are dark and dull colours which also makes it even more scarier to look at because it makes the film look more serious. 
• There is also religious references on the poster for example there is a symbol of the cross right above the possessed lady. This reinforces the fact that the religion makes the devil weaker as she is bending over and she looks defeated by the cross. 
• Moreover, the catchphrase "Belive in him" also lets the audience know that there is no other choice but by believing in God and this is likely to get rid of the possession. 
• The words "Last Exorcism" are also in bigger letters which also shows the audience what the film's concept is about. 

Overall I believe that this poster is successful in forming typical horror conventions in it for example the shadows also make the whole poster more gloomy and terrifying. There is a good use in colours as they are mainly dull colours which link to the genre horror.

Below is the trailer for the film in which I decided to analyse. This will help me decide which sub-genre of horror I would like to focus on when creating my actual horror trailer.

At the start of the trailer, we instantly get religious references about demons. With the use of hand-held shots, there is focus on a caravan that seems to be burnt them. This emphasises the fact that the area is isolated which yet again is a typical horror convention. There is also good use of editing for example the text on the screen says “Reverend Cotton Marcus has performed over 47 exorcisms” and this introduces the main character to the audience. Further on in the trailer, there is plenty of close ups on the distressed looking women who seems to be possessed as she is sweating and she looks uncomfortable. She is also wearing white, which yet again highlights her purity and maybe that is the reason why she has been chosen by the devil. There is also a sudden silence in which the screen goes black and this leaves the audience suspicious, as they don’t know what is going to happen next. I think this has got to be one of my favourite trailers as all the tension adds up at the end and this is emphasised with the upbeat music.

Halloween (1978) - Analysis

Halloween is directed by John Carpenter who dedicated his career to horror. It is an independent film and it overtook 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' as the top grossing independent film ever. The whole film was completed in twenty one days and the actors wore their own clothes so there were no costumes planned. Halloween also has the most recognisable conventions of the 'slasher' genre. It is heavily influenced by the film 'Psycho' and there was a deliberate attempt with minimal reliance on explicit violence and gore.

In class we looked at the opening scene of Halloween (1978) and I decided to analyse it closely considering the types of camera shots used. Below is a Prezi I created which goes through the stages of editing, music and mise-en-scene used in the opening scene to create suspense for the audience.



There is also a negative representation of femininity in this scene for example the sister is portrayed at her weakest and most vulnerable point. Michael is seen to be looking down at his sister which shows he thinks of her as a sinner and decides to murder her. The reason for her death could be because she was impure and not innocent by taking part in such sinful acts with her boyfriend. Michael also sees the boy leaving but decides to leave him unharmed whereas the sister is murdered.

"The Devil Inside"

• The horror poster above really stood out to me as it follows all the typical horror conventions successfully. For me, the picture stood out as it shows a nun with dull eyes and this shows signs of possession. This emphasises the type of movie it is which is obviously a paranormal due to the nun supposedly turning evil by a bad spirit. 
• The picture also clearly links with the title as the words "Devil Inside" are bigger, bolder and in capitals which emphasises what the film focuses on. 
• Moreover, the catch phrase "No soul is safe" is also in capitals which makes it stand out even more. This is done to attract the audience in to watching the actual film. 
• It also says "Inspired by true events" which shows the film is realistic and this makes it even more terrifying as the mystery of the 'unknown' scares a lot of people.
• Looking more closer at the picture, we can see that there is scratches at the background and this is effective as a horror poster because it reinforces the fact that the nun is possessed and she is trying to get out and be free which is impossible. 
• The colours used also makes the poster look scarier as the main theme is red, black and white. The red connotes blood, danger and death which may be portrayed in the actual film. 

By analysing the horror poster above, I am able to learn and develop typical conventions seen on a horror poster. This will prepare me for the poster that I am going to make when I get on to creating a horror trailer. I will also be more confident in knowing what makes a successful horror poster and what is more effective to have on there for example I have learnt that red is a vital colour to have as it holds many connotations that link to horror.

Mulvey - 'Male Gaze'

Below is a powerpoint I created on slideshare and it explores Laura Mulvey's theory about the 'Male Gaze' in more depth.

Example of the 'Male Gaze' in use:

• In the opening scene for "Carrie", the camera is slowly panning across which captures the school girls naked and they are in the process of getting changed. Women are represented as innocent and are also portrayed as sex objects in this scene because there is a sense of voyeurism with the camera work used in the scene. It also highlights what a male would imagine it to be like in a locker room which is totally different from a women's perspective. Voyeurism means the compulsion to seek sexual gratification by secretively looking at sexual objects or acts; the actions of a Peeping Tom.

Paul Well's Research!

Paul Well decided to conduct a focus group study involving twelve people in different age groups (16-25, 26-40, 41-55, 56-80). Below is a table that represents the results that Well concluded from the research.

There are many different conclusions I can draw from this study for example the relationship to being frightened changes with age and relates to broader factors affecting emotional responses. An example of this conclusion is that 16-25 year olds "enjoy the spectacle - bloodletting and gore' whilst 56-80 year olds "were scared by rats" and had the "fear of breakdown of law and order" in mind whilst watching a horror movie. Another conclusion we can gather is that the audience between 1970's and 1990's are more anaesthetised to explicit special effects, whereas 'monster' films of 1920's and 1930's reported a very strong response to images and iconography of horror (when a cinema was new and unknown). The final conclusion from this study is that younger audience are aware of artificiality and this makes it harder to shock them. However, there are also limitations with this study itself. We can see it is a small study as Paul Well only took twelve members of each age groups opinions. This does not represent each age members opinion as everyone has a different opinion on horror movies itself. 

Analysing Carrie (1976) - Opening Scene

Music and editing are important in the opening scene for 'Carrie' for example at the start, the music is peaceful and mellow and this fits perfectly with the young girls in the shower room as it contrasts with what is in store for them later on in the film. We get the sense that the film is a teen movie due to it's typical setting (locker room) and the way the camera pans slowly which captures the girl's getting changed. There are some horror elements featured in this opening scene for example when Carrie realises she is bleeding (natural) but it suddenly turns into a horror due to a lot of shock.

Types of horror

Sub-genres of horror:

• Monster - Frankenstein, Dracula & Godzilla
• Slasher - Halloween, Scream
• Zombie - Night of the living dead (usually one survivor)
• Psychological thrillers - Psycho 
• Supernatural - Grave Encounters, Paranormal Activity 
• Disaster film - The end of the world 
• Gore - Saw

Personally I prefer Paranormal and Slasher because I find it scary how something like this could happen to you. For paranormal, I find the unknown really weird and creepy which is why I enjoy watching them. Such classic films like The Exorcist and The Omen are good examples of a paranormal film.

Claude Levi-Straus & Aristotle

Theories based on narratives

I decided to make a presentation about two important theorists called Claude Levi-Straus and Aristotle who both have theories that focus on the narrative. Claude Levi believes that narratives can only progress if there is a conflict between opposing forces for example good and evil. On the other hand, Aristotle simply believed that the characters and the plot are the most important feature.



By analysing both theories, I can consider Aristotle and Claude-Levi's theories when making my actual trailer in order to make them successfully for example I have to consider which characters and what plot to have to excite and keep the audience interested in my horror trailer.

Psycho VS Texas Chainsaw

I decided to compare both the films 'Psycho' and 'Texas Chainsaw' as they were both inspired by the Wisconsin serial killer, Ed Gein. Ed Gein is portrayed through the characters 'Leatherface' and 'Norman Bates.'

Difference & Similarities

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974

Texas Chainsaw is known to be a highly influential film focusing on the 'slasher' genre. It is written by Tobe Hooper and the film itself featured cast who were mainly non-professional actors and it only costed $83,532 to make the whole film. The film became the most successful film due to its use of the marketing techniques for example it used the false document technique and it was based on true events which made the audience feel that it could happen in reality. By following the documentary style, Hooper used his past documentary cameraman skills to create an important mise-en-scene. The house was modelled on crime scene notes describing Gein's house (the bones hanging from the ceileing) Moreover, the film was inspired by the Wisconsin serial killer, Ed Gein and this is reflected by the character called 'Leatherface.' The film is known to become a success because of word of mouth and not to a marketing campaign unlike Psycho.

Alfred Hitchcock - Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock is seen to be a iconic and highly influential film-maker of all time. He is a director and producer and he has directed more than fifty films. The film "Psycho" originally revolutionised the horror/thriller genre. It is still considered one of the greatest horror films of all time. Psycho is different in many ways for example it features a human killer who underneath is a psychotic serial killer. Psycho also represents new techniques like different ways of camera angles and point of view shots.

We started to look at the film "Psycho" and analysed the famous shower scene which starred Marion Crane (which is below).

Below I decided to mainly analyse how Hitchcock creates suspense and horror in the scene and how camera angles are used to convey messages. By analysing Hitchcock's techniques, it allows me to explore different ways on how to create successfully and effective shots which then I could use in my horror trailer.

Todorov's Theory!

Todorov's theory of narrative:

Todorov is a bulgarian philosopher who was a literature writer and he published twenty one books. Todorov felt that all stories start in a state of equilibrium which is then disrupted, setting in motion a chain of events. The resolution of the story is the creation of a new or different equilibrium.

Equilibrium: State of well being and normality between the protagonists
Disequilibrium: Normality is disrupted due to a conflict or an occurrence of an event
New Equilibrium: The outer force is defeated and a new state of well being is acquired.

Another simple way to look at Todorov's theory:

• A state of equilibrium 
• Disrupted by an agent of change
• Leads to a process of final resolution 
• Return to a new equilibrium 

I decided to apply his theory on the film 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2013." Here's the trailer for the film:

• Equilibrium: They first arrive at the house all relaxed thinking it's a holiday. They are surprised that Heather has inherited a mansion in which she can enjoy with her friends.
• Disequilibrium: The thief plans to steal items in the mansion and ends up dying in the cellar as Leatherface is there. From there, Leatherface starts to kill Heather's friends. 
• New Equilibrium: At the end, there is a new start of Leatherface and Heather because they discover that they are cousins and they end up living together. 

By analysing and applying Todorov's theory to a horror film, it makes me think about what kind of storyline I would want to feature and if I want to follow Todorov's theory itself in my trailer.

Propp's Theory!

Vladimir Propp's Character Theory

Vladimir Propp was a russian and formalist scholar. Propp was originally interested in the narrative of folk tales and this led him to identify a theory about characters and actions as narrative functions. There were only eight character types. The emphasis was on looking at characters not as representing real people but as functions whose role was to move the narrative forward. These ideas on character roles still apply to film and media today and an example of the theory in use is below which I applied to the film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

I think Propp's theory does play an important role in film and media today as many films feature characters that have specific roles to Propp's character theory. By researching the eight different character types, I can apply this knowledge when it comes to making my horror trailer and feature some of the characters in the trailer itself.