Light Touch Horror Analysis'

Film - Genre - Year - Age rating

Scream- Slasher - 1996 - 18

• I like the use of technology throughout the film but particularly in the opening. I also found the way the telephone sound played over the opening credits to create ties between danger and the initial calm nature of the opening.

• I also strongly appreciate the use and development of horror ideography

• I like the sinister  yet realistic horror aspect. It throws in plot twists without being dramatic or a stretch. I find movies where there is s killer with a 'reasonable' motive to be much scarier and effective rather than movies where it is just a random monster like character on the loose.

• The main character throughout the film is female, and although often portrayed as vulnerable due to being a target, she is also portrayed as a hero in the sense she can hold her own and not the typical defenceless 'dumb blonde'. 

Donnie Darko - PsychoThriller/ Horror - 2001 - 15

• Donnie Darko is highly critically acclaimed and considered a cult classic. When watching it I liked the wide range of shot types and transitions and the over all creative concept.

• I find the use of lighting very notable and effective throughout the film, the colour scheme is very cold with blacks and blue. The use of night lighting is highly influential in creating atmosphere and tension.

• The school setting is highly charming despite the dark themes. This contradiction is very impactful. The main characters many layers is interesting to observe and it's nice to see a more unusual portrayal of a high school student, far from the usual.

• The opening is very impactful. It creates a lot of questions and creates nostalgic themes with the sound track and reminiscent scenes of ET.bThe use of long pans follows the slow pace often created in openings. The strange nature and behaviour of the character is highlighted and the credits and graphics connote the dark themes of the film.

Scream Queens - Black Comedy/ Horror - 2015 - 15

• Scream queens is a TV series, so hard to comment on in depth, however it is the main inspiration for creating a horror scenario within a cliquey sorority like group of girls

• I also like the many layers of the characters and how they're constantly being revealed along with the plot continuously thickening. There is also a large display of modern times, mostly to relate to their young audience

• There is also a lot of nostalgia created, mostly with flashbacks, but this helps appeal to a nicher market. A long with retro ideography the large presence of dark humour is highly entertaining and again appeals to niche yet large markets.

Halloween- Horror/ Slasher - 1978- 18

• One of the first of many teen slashers, Halloween although 'outdated' is one of my favourite movies. I find the opening highly effective. The whole thing is a POV shot from the killers perspective and I find it extremely effective when creating mystery, and tension in the audience. By revealing the killer at the end to be a kid it increases the shock factor.

Scream 4 - Slasher - 2011 - 18

• I like this film as the most modern inspiration for our project. It heavily involves modern technology and themes, appealing to a modern day young audience which is what we're striving to achieve with our film concept.

American Psycho - Horror/ Crime / Black Comedy - 2000 - 18

• I like that the film is from the killers perspective as it gives a whole new twist to the horror genre and classic storyline. This mixed with dark humour creates a very hard hitting film.