The Horror genre is one of the most
popular in film, often pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense. Recently, new directors have been evolving it to a more psychological scary instead of a more traditional slasher film version.
The main reason horror appeals widely today is its ability to attract a young audience wanting to feel that little adrenaline rush, and those who search it most are usually those in their teen years. A strong example of a recent horror film that did well is “It”, which changed Steven kings original story and made it more modern along with a sequel.
Horror films include dark, scary themes like survival, monsters, and psychological terror. These stories usually have a main protagonist or group of characters facing challenges that push them to their limits. In The conjuring, the Perron family battles supernatural forces in their own home. In a different kind of horror, like A Quiet Place, characters face a psychological battle with themselves, dealing with challenges in their own head struggle to survive in silence.
Horror’s narratives cover supernatural entities, urban legends, and many other non-human things. Even when the plot involves the paranormal, characters react how someone like us would, often with dread and disbelief. Whether the antagonist is a demon or ghost, horror films treat the fake threat as a real one, connecting the story to the audience which then makes them more one with the story. A famous example of this is Halloween, where Michael Myers is treated as a real, unstoppable villain and the victims react like regulars instead of a hero.
Production techniques in horror often include low-key lighting and sudden cuts to create tension. Sound is another major component, eerie, soft music and sudden loud noises help make jump scares scary. Many horror directors also use close-up shots, shaky cams, and disorienting angles to emphasize terror. For example, Hereditary uses a blend of atmospheric sound and unsettling visuals to build a slow-burn horror experience. The art direction in horror films often uses dark, moody palettes to enhance the grim atmosphere. In The Babadook, the film’s shadowy, claustrophobic aesthetic reinforces the isolation and psychological tension felt by the characters.
Marketing for horror films typically involves shocking trailers, creepy posters, and viral social media movements to get an audience and build suspense for the movie’s release. They usually include a main part of the story like the Clown for It or the big smile for both Smile 1 and 2. In my opinion one of the best campaigns, they set up actors all over and their jobs were to just stand and hold a smile with a shirt advertising the movie. They even went to the extent to hire actors, buy them World Series tickets right behind home plate, most likely costing anywhere from 8-15 thousand dollars, to insure they’d almost always be in the cameras view and then the whole game the actors smiled at the camera in their direction without flinching.
These are all amazing horror movies watched by myself and are sure to keep you at the edge of your seat and get that heart pumping.