THE HOW TO OF HORROR

Like all films, there are things that make up horrors. Some are more obvious than others, but all are crucial to making a good horror.

DARKNESS

The scariest scenes in horror movies are normally set when it's dark. The dark just seems to be associated with mystery and the unknown. It wouldn't really be scary if there was bright sunshine outside.

The darkness shown below in: A Nightmare On Elm Street, 1984

(A Nightmare On Elm Street, 1984)

ISOLATION

Whenever a character is in danger, they're normally alone. They could be home alone, working late in the office or out for a walk. Being alone makes the character more vulnerable to whatever the danger is. If they're alone no one can help them.

Isolation shown below in: Insidious Chapter 3, 2015

(Insidious: Chapter 3, 2015)

DON'T GO IN THE BASEMENT/ATTIC

For some reason, in horror, bad things always happen in the attic and basement. As soon as they mention the attic or basement, you know something bad is coming.

Going Into The Basement shown below in: The Haunting Of Hill House

(The Haunting Of Hill House, 2018)

NON-SCARY JUMPSCARES

To keep the audience on edge, jump scares are often used on non-scary moments. This can be anything from an unexpected noise or an unexpected knock at the door.

One of my favourite examples is in: The Woman In Black, 2012, where the crow flies out of the fire place. This isn't scary at all, and even though I know it's coming, I always jump.

(The Woman In Black, 2012)

BAD WEATHER

Like the darkness, the scary moments in horror often happen when the weather is bad. Often rain, wind and fog. Like with darkness, these tend to be associated with negative feelings compared to bright sunshine.

One example of this is in: IT, 2017

(IT, 2017)

FIRST TO DIE

The first death in a horror movie is key to setting the scene of the whole film. The first death just gives the audience an idea of what the tone of the tone of the film is going to be and what the danger is.

One of the most iconic first deaths is those in the Scream movies. Scream film makers weren't afraid of casting a very popular actor (at the time) and killing them off within the first scene of the movie. As shown here from Scream, 1996, where Drew Barrymore was killed off.

(Scream, 1996)

Of course there's other codes and conventions in horror like the suspense building music, the blood and gore, and the props used, I could go on forever...

Thanks for reading!