What is a Horror Film

In this Blog I am writing about, what is a horror film? In this blog I will be talking about all the aspects of the horror film, the personal, ideological and Industrial/Financial parts of the film.

Personal
The Audience’s own identification with the Fears or Terrors of narrative, the monster in the darkness or fear of the other. There is also the fear of the body being ripped or punctured, our own boundaries being transgressed. The emergence of a terror, at any level being shown from a safe distance. Horror films are designed to scare the make the emotions of fear, horror and terror to the viewers.

Ideological
The implicit that is a hidden message within the narrative of the theme of punishment rejection and/or revolution at subjects which deviate from ‘correct’ thinking. From simplistic to the basic messages e.g. ‘The virgin, good girl’, surviving the villain at the expense of the rebellious ‘slutty’ friend. To the more nuanced or subtle fears of Strangers/Hitchhikers breaking our boundaries.

The condemnation of any deviant, i.e. not religious. Our perception that the power of science can defeat the darkness at the expense of older beliefs in religion and superstition. In our modern understanding of fear we rationalise the supernatural and defeat it with psychology rather than Latin chants. Modern creates ‘demons’ by crusading against sections of society and labelling them.

Are there so many paedophiles today, rather than in the past? In the past there probably weren’t any records of attacks at the times. How many mental patients have escaped the hospital and stalked and then killed innocents?

Industrial/ Financial
Perhaps the most lucrative genre in the film industry HORROR draws in huge audiences justifying the continual re-invention, re-making and franchising of every successful HORROR product.

We wonder whether there should be an Indiana Jones or a Lethal Weapon 5 but no question is raised over the legitimacy of producing Saw 6 or re-making a Nightmare on Elm Street after 9 previous incarnations.