Codes and Conventions of Horror Films

Example of Horror Films are:

- Psycho - Alfred Hitchcock - Psychological

- The Shinning - Stanley Kubrick - Psychological

- Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Tobe Hooper - Gore

- The Exorcist - William Friedkin - Religious

All of these films are Made to unsettle and scare the viewer, they are designed to:

- Unnerve and Frighten.

- Fear and Alarm the viewer.

- In a way cause nightmares - refer to peoples fears.

- Entertain and cause an adrenaline rush.

Characters

- A killer or the bad person - These characters usually have a trademark way of killing people, the weapon he uses or the people he kills - For example 'Saw' the killer uses traps, or 'The Ring' where when the tape is played the people who viewed it will die in seven days.

- Good against Evil.

- The 'Bad Guy' usually has a feature, whether it's 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' where he wears the faces of his victims or whether it's 'Friday the 13th' where the killer wears a hockey mask.

- One person usually survives to 'tell the tale'.

Death is usually likely when...

- Someones says 'I'll be right back'.

- You go out to investigate  strange noise.

- Someone asks 'Who's there?'

Other Codes and Conventions include:

- Dark/shadowy lighting.
- Isolated location.
- Female victim.
- Disruption of normality.
- Sub plot of male/female relationship.
- Defeat of monster.