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C
Connor Wiffen

This document provides background information on several horror film directors: - Hideo Nakata is a Japanese director known for films like Ringu and Dark Water. He prefers a quiet, subtle style of horror compared to Western films. - Ari Aster directed the critically acclaimed horror film Hereditary. He aims to make films that unsettle audiences and "betray" their expectations. - Julia Ducournau's film Raw tackles sexuality and body horror. She seeks to portray women's experiences in a more empowering way. - James Wan is an influential director known for films like Saw and The Conjuring. He emphasizes developing characters, subverting expectations, and crafting memorable set pieces.

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Final Major Project Background Research Connor Wiffen
Hideo Nakata Director of The Ring (Ringu 1998) Quotes Differences in supernatural threats in Japan and Western cinema: “Asian ghosts can stand just behind you and can stare at you and doesn't say anything, just stands and stares at the main character. And that could be scary from our point of view... Whereas western movies, in general, westerns ghosts are an evil existence and are meant to do something to the victims, they attack the victims.” Opinion on working in Hollywood In Hollywood, the shooting days were so painful, as I was given newly written pages of the script every day and producers lectured me how to shoot a scene. I was about to say that I have to leave the film as I began to lose my patience. But because I argued back strongly, the producers and the studio began respecting me as a filmmaker, so the post production went smoothly.” When her niece is found dead along with three friends after viewing a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) sets out to investigate. Along with her ex-husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), Reiko finds the tape, watches it -- and promptly receives a phone call informing her that she'll die in a week. Determined to get to the bottom of the curse, Reiko and Ryuji discover the video's origin and attempt to solve an old murder that could break the spell. In this moody Japanese horror film, newly-single mom Yoshimi Matsubara (Hitomi Kuroki) is enduring a bitter divorce and struggling to keep custody of her young daughter, Ikuko (Rio Kanno). As the unstable Yoshimi tries to make a fresh start in a new apartment, strange occurrences in the building gradually begin to take their toll. When Yoshimi and Ikuko both start seeing unsettling visions of a ghostly little girl, it's clear that they're being drawn toward the supernatural. Sara (Haruka Shimazaki) is cast to play a small role in a stage play directed by Gota Nishikino (Mantaro Koichi). Aoi (Riho Takada) and Kaori (Rika Adachi) are the lead actresses and they prepare hard every day. Then, a female staff member is found dead in the theater. Aoi falls down and loses consciousness. Sara is then picked to takeover her lead role. Ringu (1998) Dark Water (2002) Ghost Theater (2015) • IMDb. (n.d.). Hideo Nakata. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0620378/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Lambie, R. (2011). Hideo Nakata interview: on directing Chatroom, the Internet, and making films in the UK. [online] Den of Geek. Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/17568/hideo-nakata-interview-on- directing-chatroom-the-internet-and-making-films-in-the-uk [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Collin, R. (2016). How Japan's obsession with 'dead wet girls' changed horror. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/how-japans-obsession-with-dead-wet-girls-changed-horror/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Monahan, M. (2005). Film-makers on film: Hideo Nakata. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmmakersonfilm/3640202/Film-makers-on-film-Hideo-Nakata.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. Japanese Shooting style: “We edit on camera, meaning we can cut a scene into many shots on the set and shoot bits and pieces. Whereas in western film, directors are obliged to shoot out a scene from different angles and numerous sizes.” Water being a common theme in his films and J-Horror in general "I think on a subconscious level," he says, "we Japanese people have a fear of water. We live in a small island country, we have lots of natural disasters involving water, and Japanese ghosts are believed to appear in wet places, such as rivers, the sea, the mist. Bibliography Common narratives in his movies • Long black haired girl • Ghost’s don’t usually directly harm the characters • Main character is a woman Born in Okayama, Japan, Hideo Nakata moved away from his home in the country to attend the University of Tokyo, where he studied physics and journalism. This relocation also provided him with access and opportunity to watch about 300 films per year as well as obtain numerous odd jobs on movie sets, sparking his interest in filmmaking. Upon graduating, he became an assistant director at Nikkatsu Studios; he worked there for seven years under the mentorship of Masaru Konuma, who provided Nakata with his film education.
Ari Aster Quotes Bibliography Director of Hereditary Ari received his MFA in Directing from the AFI Conservatory. He has written and directed several short films - most notably MUNCHAUSEN (starring Bonnie Bedelia), BASICALLY, and the controversial 30-minute THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE JOHNSONS. His films have played the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, the New York Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Slamdance, and many others. His novel Sammy Barthowe At Your Service! was a finalist for the Starcherone Prize for Innovative Fiction.. • Fear, D. and Fear, D. (2018). ‘Hereditary’: Inside the Making of a Modern Horror Classic – Rolling Stone. [online] Rollingstone.com. Available at: https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/hereditary-inside-the-making-of-a-modern-horror-classic- 629141/ [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. • Mortimer, B. (2018). Ari Aster interview: Hereditary, horror cinema. [online] Den of Geek. Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/ari-aster/58400/ari-aster-interview-hereditary-horror-cinema [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. • Koresky, M. (2018). Interview: Ari Aster - Film Comment. [online] Film Comment. Available at: https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/interview-ari-aster/ [Accessed 1 May 2018]. • Ward, S. (2018). Behind the Scenes of 2018's Scariest Film with 'Hereditary' Director Ari Aster. [online] Concrete Playground. Available at: https://concreteplayground.com/wellington/arts-entertainment/behind-the-scenes-of-2018s-scariest-film-with-hereditary- director-ari-aster [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. • Aster, A. (2018). BIO — ARI ASTER. [online] ARI ASTER. Available at: https://ari-aster.squarespace.com/ari-astersquarespacecom/about/ [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. Opinion on the horror genre in Hollywood “I think so many horror films are made extremely cynically, and it’s because there is a built i n audience, and the films are easier to get financed because you can make them cheaply, and the upside is potentially huge.” Expanding upon Hereditary implies that resolution might be the most horrific thing of all. “I don’t have faith, but that film, I feel it, and it’s upsetting because then I’m dropped back into my life, where I don’t really have a god.” Pitch for Hereditary “I’m making a film about a possession ritual from the perspective of the sacrificial lambs. That’s what the film is meant to be doing.” "I wanted to make a film that was a serious inquiry into questions about grief and trauma, that then spirals into something else.” Fundamentals of his vision for the movie “To make a film that betrays you on every level, where you become invested in all these people, and what happens to them is not fair. You have to contend with it. My biggest problem with recent horror films is that I really feel like there’s this agenda— I don’t know if it’s a studio agenda—to let you off the hook. And if everyone gets fucked at the end, they make sure you’re not invested in anybody.” Feature Film - Hereditary When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they have inherited. Ari Aster had previously directed some genre short films – he considers himself a genre filmmaker which you can see from the range of shorts he has made in different genres with: The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (Drama) The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is a 2011 American short film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film stars Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock as members of a suburban family in which the son is involved in an abusive incestuous relationship with his father. Munchausen (Silent) Munchausen is a 2013 American silent short film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film stars Liam Aiken as a boy about to go off to college, and Bonnie Bedelia as his overprotective mother who goes to great lengths to keep him from leaving her.His Fears “I’m afraid of dying alone. I’m afraid of being responsible for something horrible happening to someone I love and then not being forgiven. I’m afraid of somebody in my family turning on me…, but my nightmares as a kid were always about someone who matters most to me changing.”
Julia Ducournau Director of Raw Quotes Describing the film as not being a horror movie “I didn’t write it to scare people. As a big horror buff, when I go to see a horror movie I want to be super scared. I want to jump off my seat and I want to yell in the theatre. And that’s really not what I did here, I didn’t do jump scares or any of the traditional horror movie grammar. For me, the movie is really a crossover between comedy, drama, and body horror. And body horror itself is a subgenre of horror that’s not really scary, and would barely qualify as horror. For me, it’s way more humane, and more about raising questions that are disturbing. It’s not meant to make you jump in your seat.” Talking about how women are shown on screen “I’m fed up with the way young women and their discovery of sexuality is portrayed on screens. I feel it’s always a victim’s story that’s being told. It’s always about the fear, or the doubt afterwards. “Am I gonna get the reputation?” “Is he gonna call me?” “Is it the right guy?” “Did I do the right thing with him?” This has nothing to do with sexuality. Sexuality is not a victim. That’s more about social mores – a voice in the head, not in the body.” • Harmon, S. (2017). Raw director Julia Ducournau on how to make a horror film as creepy as possible. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/22/raw-director-julia-ducournau-on-how-to-make-a-horror-film-as-creepy-as-possible [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Thomas, L. (2017). Raw director Julia Ducournau: ‘I’m fed up with the way women’s sexuality is portrayed on screen’. [online] British Film Institute. Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/interviews/raw-director-julia-ducournau [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Rife, K. (2017). Raw’s Julia Ducournau on love, laughter, and eating human flesh. [online] Film.avclub.com. Available at: https://film.avclub.com/raw-s-julia-ducournau-on-love-laughter-and-eating-hum-1798258893 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • YouTube. (2017). Julia Ducournau Discusses "Raw". [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b62YWx8xy0w [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Junior. (2011). [film] Directed by J. Ducournau. France: Kazak Productions. • Raw. (2016). [film] Directed by J. Ducournau. France: Focus World. Talking about her importance in focus within a scene “When I see a party scene I am gonna look in the background for any extras pretends to dance when there is no music and when I see that, I get taken out of it” Talking about tackling something that others see as too ambitious “To get people on board you have to get people excited. You have to make them want to be there. With excitement you can achieve anything, its really about believing in your shot.” Bibliography Stringent vegetarian Justine (Garance Marillier) encounters a decadent, merciless and dangerously seductive world during her first week at veterinary school. Desperate to fit in, she strays from her principles and eats raw meat for the first time. The young woman soon experiences terrible and unexpected consequences as her true self begins to emerge. Raw Junior Justine, who goes by Junior, is a 13-year-old tomboy with pimples and a unique sense of humor. After unexpectedly contracting a stomach virus, her body becomes home to a bizarre metamorphosis. Quotes Julia Ducournau is a French film director and screenwriter. She attended film school at La Fémis in Paris, where she studied screenwriting. In 2011, her short film JUNIOR won the Petit Rail d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Her first feature, the horror movie RAW, won the coveted FIPRESCI prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
James Wan Director of The Conjuring Quotes Quotes James Wan (born 26 February 1977) is an Australian film producer, screenwriter and film director of Malaysian Chinese descent. He is widely known for directing the horror film Saw (2004) and creating Billy the puppet. Wan has also directed Dead Silence (2007), Death Sentence (2007), Insidious (2010), The Conjuring (2013) and Fast & Furious 7 (2015). Horror doesn’t have to be expensive. What I think makes the horror genre so special is that the smallest things can create a big impact,” Wan said. “A creaking door can send chills up your spine, and it doesn’t cost anything.” Turn classic horror on its head. “With ‘Insidious,’ we wanted to tell a haunted house story that really wasn’t a haunted house story at all,” Wan said. “With ‘Saw,’ it was about making a small, contained horror thriller, but one that would stand out from the pack of other indie [horror] films.” Develop great set pieces “Your set pieces have got to be the kind of stuff that people talk about around the water cooler the morning after they’ve seen the movie,” Undermine your audience “If they’re expecting something to happen, what can you do to undermine that expectation?” Wan said. “I’m always trying to find new ways to break an audience’s expectation of the genre.” Appeal to primal human fears “Growing up, we all had all kinds of childhood fears that can kind of make for an acid flashback,” His Creative Process “When I make a movie, I know exactly how I want to make it. Even though sometimes I storyboard, I'm not necessarily a big fan of doing storyboards, but I do it just for the crew and just so the producers feel comfortable. Yes, I can kind of share my vision with everyone else, but I generally go in knowing exactly where every shot is going to be, where to put the camera, and how to do these things. It's just kind of what I do.” Three most important components of a horror film and in your eyes “This may sound like a cliché, but I'll also speak about why it's so important. I think creating characters and story are truly the two most important things. I know, like I said, that is a cliché thing to say, but it doesn't matter what genre your work is in, whether it's horror, science fiction, drama, or whatever. If you have characters that you care about, that is hands down the most important thing. You have to take time to tell their story before you just throw all these scary things at the audience. Otherwise, it just works on a very superficial, surface level. Then obviously, the story that either is a bit interesting or where you find ways to surprise the audience, that is important as well. Even though I'm working within the framework of a haunted house story, which has such established tropes and roles, I like to find new things within that structure. And that leads me to the third thing that I think ultimately is very important, which are the scares. The scares have to work for audiences, and a lot of times, people may not understand why it works for them, but it works on a very psychological and emotional, reactional level. I think I'm very lucky in that I have a bit of a sixth sense, or understanding of what is considered scary for people, and I like to take that and kind of fuck with them. Ultimately the fears that work in these movies come down to three big things, and I always try to remember that or at least have one of these three things in my films. There’s the fear of the unknown; that is a very common fear for all of us because we don't know what happens, therefore we're kind of apprehensive about it. Then, there’s fear for one's life; human preservation is an idea that a lot of horror movies prey on. All the classic slasher movies are about someone running for their life or trying to not get killed, right? Then obviously the third one, which is one that I play a lot in the two Conjuring films, is fear of losing their loved ones. That is very important.” Very real, true-to-life setting with the overtly supernatural events “I just love the idea of this real amalgamation of the real world and the fictitious world, and how the two of them just gel together to the point where you're not sure what is and isn't real." Talking about his influences I can't point anything specific out, but I'm a big David Lynch fan, he's a big influence on Saw, and another director I truly admire as well, is an Italian, Dario Argento? These two guys have a big impact on us, Deep Red, Lost Highway. Talking about his influences “We think craft is important, and the irony has always been that horror may be disregarded by critics, but often they are the best-made movies you're going to find in terms of craft. You can't scare people if they see the seams.” Tone “When we handed in our first cut, the Sundance version, we were essentially told the film was too intense. Really? I'm going to be penalized for doing what I'm supposed to do as a director? I think they have a problem with the 'tone' as well. How do you cut 'tone'? How do you censor 'tone’?” Why do you like horror so much? “More than anything, that’s true with a lot of movie genres, but the horror genre is a real director’s medium, because it really lets you craft the film, and it really lets you play with all facets of filmmaking, from working on the script to working with the actors on set to how you move your camera to how you edit. All of that stuff goes toward that larger, bigger picture at the end of the day. What we’re shooting on set is just a small portion. A lot of times, that dread comes from the sound design, the music and the edit.” Catharsis in watching a scary movie. “I’ve always said that being fearful and wanting to be frightened by things is a primal emotion. I hate to use this cliché, but it’s true: Why the (expletive) do we get on roller coasters, and why do we scream our lungs out and get so terrified, and yet when the roller coaster finally pulls up to the platform, we’re all smiling? Horror movies are like that. It gets your heart pumping. It gets you to the edge of danger and the edge of potential harm, yet at the end of the day, you know you’re in the safety of a movie theatre. And once the movie is done, and once you’ve experienced those crazy, fun moments, you know you get back to your everyday life. It’s really a thrill ride. That’s what we all love about watching scary movies.” Trade Marks • Ventriloquist dolls • Frequently works with Leigh Whannell • Backwards tracking shot • Frequently casts Patrick Wilson • His characters are often ordinary people forced into horrible situations • Many of his films revolve around parents desperately trying to protect Their children • Brutal and unflinching portrayal of violence • His films are often scored by Joseph Bishara
James Wan Quotes Movies Saw Photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell) and oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom. As the two men realize they've been trapped by a sadistic serial killer nicknamed "Jigsaw" and must complete his perverse puzzle to live, flashbacks relate the fates of his previous victims. Meanwhile, Dr. Gordon's wife (Monica Potter) and young daughter (Makenzie Vega) are forced to watch his torture via closed-circuit video. After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife's life and threatens his own. Dead Silence In 1970, paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed (Patrick Wilson) Warren are summoned to the home of Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger (Ron Livingston) Perron. The Perrons and their five daughters have recently moved into a secluded farmhouse, where a supernatural presence has made itself known. Though the manifestations are relatively benign at first, events soon escalate in horrifying fashion, especially after the Warrens discover the house’s macabre history. The Conjuring Saw franchise veterans James Wan and Leigh Whannell team with Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli to give the familiar haunted house story an exciting new twist with this tale of a family that moves into an old house and begins to suspect they are under siege from otherworldly forces when their young son inexplicably falls into a deep coma. As devoted parents Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) struggle in vain to uncover the root cause of their son's condition, the stress of the situation gradually begins to take its toll on their once-strong relationship. Later, when darkness falls and specters appear to reach out for them from the shadows, the frightened parents realize they're dealing with powers beyond human comprehension. Barbara Hershey and Lin Shaye co-star. Insidious • Winfrey, G. (2016). 5 Rules From James Wan For Making a Successful Horror Movie in 2016. [online] IndieWire. Available at: https://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/5-rules-from-james-wan-making-a-successful-horror-movie-in-2016-1201709025/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Wixson, H. (2016). Interview: James Wan on His Creative Process, Returning to Horror with THE CONJURING 2 and His Approach to AQUAMAN - Daily Dead. [online] Daily Dead. Available at: https://dailydead.com/interview-james-wan-creative-process-returning-horror-conjuring-2- approach-aquaman/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Williams, H. (2016). Interview: James Wan Is The Man Who Made Horror Personal Again. [online] Kotaku Australia. Available at: https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/06/interview-james-wan-is-the-man-who-made-horror-personal-again/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • IMDb. (2019). James Wan. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1490123/bio?ref_=nm_dyk_qt_sm#quotes [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Menon, S. (2013). I’m afraid of scary movies: James Wan. [online] https://www.hindustantimes.com/. Available at: https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/i-m-afraid-of-scary-movies-james-wan/story-CgdM3kPjBcXZ1RbIb0e8zK.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Goodykoontz, B. (2016). Characters matter to 'Conjuring' director James Wan. [online] Eu.azcentral.com. Available at: https://eu.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2016/06/10/james-wan-interview-conjuring-sequel/85573972/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. Bibliography
My Previous Work Quotes I was the editor for this production and it was what initially cemented the idea that I would like to take a step into the horror genre. Watching the film be produced from the side lines instead, not being able to contribute or take control made the urge even greater. Aspects of the editing style I used have been implemented into the more recent products I have made as well whether that be the harsher blacks or general aesthetics. Whilst the second production is in a different form of media I still think the final act of the stop motion short implements a few conventions of the horror genre with the POV shots and environment. The final piece production I edited together for a friend was the tipping point for me as he again chose to make a short in the horror genre but this time the way he filmed it allowed me to meld the production into something more in line with the style I had in mind but I was still restricted by what he had filmed so by the end of doing it I had fully committed to producing my own short within the genre with my own concept and vision for the Final Major Project of the course.
Horror Theory History of Horror • The driving force behind horror has always been to draw inspiration from mythology, urban legends, fairy tales, and literature. Early European and Hollywood films such as Nosferatu (1922) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), and Universal Studios’ Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932) began to establish horror as crowd-pleasing spectacles. • Britain’s Hammer Horror became a major producer in the 1950s with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958), and The Mummy (1959) – all of which were extremely successful, and notably launching the career of Christopher Lee. • Psycho (1960) emphasised Hitchcock’s exquisite touch for psychological horror; with Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968) shifting towards the occult, and paving the way for The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976) and Poltergeist (1982). The supernatural left its lasting trademark on horror films with Stephen King’s adaptations Carrie (1976) and The Shining (1980) providing playgrounds for Brian De Palma and Stanley Kubrick to showcase their unique styles. • The supernatural and the abstract work of H.P. Lovecraft has consistently provided a platform for all generations of filmmakers to experiment with their own styles. Roger Corman, John Carpenter, David Cronenberg and Guillermo Del Toro all carry distinctly Lovecraftian peculiarities. • The extreme, disturbing violence of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was particularly transgressive, and ground-breaking in helping to usher in the intense gore- fests prevalent in the 1980s. A host of controversial ‘video nasties’ emerged in that period, with British social activist Mary Whitehouse leading a crusade to heavily cut or ban the films altogether. Themes • Horror is the one genre regarded of being overly repetitive in terms of themes and motifs. Teenagers are often the lead characters, and very often sliced apart to the delight of the audience. High school is a setting for inner and physical change for horror protagonists, and teens and children are portrayed as the paragons of innocence, particularly girls. The titular character in Carrie expels ferocious power on her classmates when humiliated; while Ginger Snaps (2000) synergises hormonal changes with a transformation into a werewolf. • Empathy is arguably the most powerful tool in a filmmaker’s arsenal, yet horror’s most popular characters are the sadistic villains Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and Michael Myers. While Halloween’s (1978-2002) Michael deals with his family issues rather dramatically; Friday the 13th’s (1980-2001) Jason stalks generations of summer campers; and Freddy Krueger kills teens in the one place their parents can’t protect them, their dreams, in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984-1994). • Religion, vulnerability and semiotics as simple as ‘don’t trust strangers’ routinely pad out the genre. Modern interpretations of fear brought about by racism are satirised cleverly in Get Out (2017), and The Witch’s (2015) internalised horror of a family in crisis drives the narrative alongside supernatural elements. The Omen is another good example of a story that gets under your skin because the horror is supplemented with real-world fears and anxieties. Ghost stories such as The Woman in Black (2012) are often allegorical tales of coping with loss.
Horror Theory Codes and conventions • While susceptible to cliché, and often playing on it to manipulate audience expectations or provide twists, horror relies on providing a shocking, intense or blood- curdling experience. Classic horror devices are twisted into something different, for example, Insidious (2010) is a contained thriller disguising itself as a haunted house story. Tension and dramatic irony are pushed, with the audience left to fill in the eerie gaps, and being let in on the killer’s search for his victims. Phone-lines are mysteriously cut (updated now with no signal) and cars don’t start. • Helplessness and loneliness are universal fears capitalised on, only to be more terrifying, and dramatically satisfying, when you discover you’re not alone. Vulnerability is taken to another level in Hush (2016) when a deaf writer must deal with the masked killer at her window. • The ghosts, entities, and outlandish villains exhibit irregular, otherworldly movement; which is often complemented with camera work creating a sense of confusion, and jump cutting to add to the tension. Children are at the centre of hauntings, possession, or are just downright creepy. Their parents never believe their stories about the monsters under the bed, in the closet, or peaking into their windows. Who’s going to believe little Andy when he tells you his toy Chucky (Child’s Play (1988)) is the one behind it all? • Memorable set pieces are especially prevalent in modern horror. The Saw (2004) franchise is built around its selection of torturous ‘games’; while some narratives are created entirely through shock value such as Hostel (2005) or The Human Centipede (2009). Sub-genres • Found footage’ horrors such as Paranormal Activity (2007), Quarantine (2008), and The Blair Witch Project (1999) elicit a strong response through perceived realism and the camera work providing a sense of confusion. The Blair Witch Project was a rousing box office hit due in part to its innovative ‘true story’ marketing. • David Cronenberg is synonymous with ‘body horror’, featuring graphic destruction or mutation of the human body, in his works The Fly (1986), Scanners (1981), and Videodrome(1983) • Sci-fi horror capitalises on the anxiety of the unknown, with Apollo 18 (2011), Alien (1979), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), and The Thing all raising notable scares. • Dario Argento’s Suspiria (1977) helped define the Italian Giallo horror movement – with mystery and crime blended into the atmosphere – and eventually giving providing the backdrop to the Slasher movie. • I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and Prom Night (1980) underline their action with fun and cliche, in the slasher sub-genre propped up by A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th. • And with cliché comes parody: The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Scream, Shaun of the Dead, Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010), What We Do in the Shadows (2014), and the Scary Movie franchise (2000-2013).
Bibliography  So The Theory Goes. (2017). Genre Theory: Horror. [online] Available at: https://www.sothetheorygoes.com/horror/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Prince, S. (2004). The horror film. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press.  Yorku.ca. (n.d.). Genre Theory: The Horror Film. [online] Available at: http://www.yorku.ca/mlc/4319/03-04/gold/gold1.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Russo, J. (2015). Genre theory in relation to horror. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/JRusso98/genre-theory-in-relation-to-horror-49415530 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Gadsby, G. (2015). Genre Theories in relation to the horror genre.... [online] prezi.com. Available at: https://prezi.com/wjccdtku_yfw/genre-theories-in-relation-to-the-horror- genre/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Prohászková, M. (2012). The Genre of Horror. [pdf] Trnava: University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Available at: http://www.aijcrnet.com/journals/Vol_2_No_4_April_2012/16.pdf [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/asmediastudies/downloads/case- studies/horror.pdf  Grant, B. (n.d.). Screams on Screens: Paradigms of Horror. [pdf] N/A: Brock University. Available at: http://file:///D:/Downloads/85-Article%20Text-392-1-10- 20100404%20(1).pdf [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Celtx Blog. (n.d.). How to Scare People: The Elements of Horror Movies - Celtx Blog. [online] Available at: https://blog.celtx.com/the-elements-of-horror/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Leeder, M. (2018). Horror Film: A Critical Introduction (Film Genres). 1st ed. Calgary: Bloomsbury Academic [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Totaro, D. (2000). To Scare or Not to Scare. [online] Offscreen.com. Available at: https://offscreen.com/view/horror [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].

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  • 1. Final Major Project Background Research Connor Wiffen
  • 2. Hideo Nakata Director of The Ring (Ringu 1998) Quotes Differences in supernatural threats in Japan and Western cinema: “Asian ghosts can stand just behind you and can stare at you and doesn't say anything, just stands and stares at the main character. And that could be scary from our point of view... Whereas western movies, in general, westerns ghosts are an evil existence and are meant to do something to the victims, they attack the victims.” Opinion on working in Hollywood In Hollywood, the shooting days were so painful, as I was given newly written pages of the script every day and producers lectured me how to shoot a scene. I was about to say that I have to leave the film as I began to lose my patience. But because I argued back strongly, the producers and the studio began respecting me as a filmmaker, so the post production went smoothly.” When her niece is found dead along with three friends after viewing a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) sets out to investigate. Along with her ex-husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), Reiko finds the tape, watches it -- and promptly receives a phone call informing her that she'll die in a week. Determined to get to the bottom of the curse, Reiko and Ryuji discover the video's origin and attempt to solve an old murder that could break the spell. In this moody Japanese horror film, newly-single mom Yoshimi Matsubara (Hitomi Kuroki) is enduring a bitter divorce and struggling to keep custody of her young daughter, Ikuko (Rio Kanno). As the unstable Yoshimi tries to make a fresh start in a new apartment, strange occurrences in the building gradually begin to take their toll. When Yoshimi and Ikuko both start seeing unsettling visions of a ghostly little girl, it's clear that they're being drawn toward the supernatural. Sara (Haruka Shimazaki) is cast to play a small role in a stage play directed by Gota Nishikino (Mantaro Koichi). Aoi (Riho Takada) and Kaori (Rika Adachi) are the lead actresses and they prepare hard every day. Then, a female staff member is found dead in the theater. Aoi falls down and loses consciousness. Sara is then picked to takeover her lead role. Ringu (1998) Dark Water (2002) Ghost Theater (2015) • IMDb. (n.d.). Hideo Nakata. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0620378/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Lambie, R. (2011). Hideo Nakata interview: on directing Chatroom, the Internet, and making films in the UK. [online] Den of Geek. Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/17568/hideo-nakata-interview-on- directing-chatroom-the-internet-and-making-films-in-the-uk [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Collin, R. (2016). How Japan's obsession with 'dead wet girls' changed horror. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/how-japans-obsession-with-dead-wet-girls-changed-horror/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Monahan, M. (2005). Film-makers on film: Hideo Nakata. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmmakersonfilm/3640202/Film-makers-on-film-Hideo-Nakata.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. Japanese Shooting style: “We edit on camera, meaning we can cut a scene into many shots on the set and shoot bits and pieces. Whereas in western film, directors are obliged to shoot out a scene from different angles and numerous sizes.” Water being a common theme in his films and J-Horror in general "I think on a subconscious level," he says, "we Japanese people have a fear of water. We live in a small island country, we have lots of natural disasters involving water, and Japanese ghosts are believed to appear in wet places, such as rivers, the sea, the mist. Bibliography Common narratives in his movies • Long black haired girl • Ghost’s don’t usually directly harm the characters • Main character is a woman Born in Okayama, Japan, Hideo Nakata moved away from his home in the country to attend the University of Tokyo, where he studied physics and journalism. This relocation also provided him with access and opportunity to watch about 300 films per year as well as obtain numerous odd jobs on movie sets, sparking his interest in filmmaking. Upon graduating, he became an assistant director at Nikkatsu Studios; he worked there for seven years under the mentorship of Masaru Konuma, who provided Nakata with his film education.
  • 3. Ari Aster Quotes Bibliography Director of Hereditary Ari received his MFA in Directing from the AFI Conservatory. He has written and directed several short films - most notably MUNCHAUSEN (starring Bonnie Bedelia), BASICALLY, and the controversial 30-minute THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE JOHNSONS. His films have played the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, the New York Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Slamdance, and many others. His novel Sammy Barthowe At Your Service! was a finalist for the Starcherone Prize for Innovative Fiction.. • Fear, D. and Fear, D. (2018). ‘Hereditary’: Inside the Making of a Modern Horror Classic – Rolling Stone. [online] Rollingstone.com. Available at: https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/hereditary-inside-the-making-of-a-modern-horror-classic- 629141/ [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. • Mortimer, B. (2018). Ari Aster interview: Hereditary, horror cinema. [online] Den of Geek. Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/ari-aster/58400/ari-aster-interview-hereditary-horror-cinema [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. • Koresky, M. (2018). Interview: Ari Aster - Film Comment. [online] Film Comment. Available at: https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/interview-ari-aster/ [Accessed 1 May 2018]. • Ward, S. (2018). Behind the Scenes of 2018's Scariest Film with 'Hereditary' Director Ari Aster. [online] Concrete Playground. Available at: https://concreteplayground.com/wellington/arts-entertainment/behind-the-scenes-of-2018s-scariest-film-with-hereditary- director-ari-aster [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. • Aster, A. (2018). BIO — ARI ASTER. [online] ARI ASTER. Available at: https://ari-aster.squarespace.com/ari-astersquarespacecom/about/ [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019]. Opinion on the horror genre in Hollywood “I think so many horror films are made extremely cynically, and it’s because there is a built i n audience, and the films are easier to get financed because you can make them cheaply, and the upside is potentially huge.” Expanding upon Hereditary implies that resolution might be the most horrific thing of all. “I don’t have faith, but that film, I feel it, and it’s upsetting because then I’m dropped back into my life, where I don’t really have a god.” Pitch for Hereditary “I’m making a film about a possession ritual from the perspective of the sacrificial lambs. That’s what the film is meant to be doing.” "I wanted to make a film that was a serious inquiry into questions about grief and trauma, that then spirals into something else.” Fundamentals of his vision for the movie “To make a film that betrays you on every level, where you become invested in all these people, and what happens to them is not fair. You have to contend with it. My biggest problem with recent horror films is that I really feel like there’s this agenda— I don’t know if it’s a studio agenda—to let you off the hook. And if everyone gets fucked at the end, they make sure you’re not invested in anybody.” Feature Film - Hereditary When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they have inherited. Ari Aster had previously directed some genre short films – he considers himself a genre filmmaker which you can see from the range of shorts he has made in different genres with: The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (Drama) The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is a 2011 American short film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film stars Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock as members of a suburban family in which the son is involved in an abusive incestuous relationship with his father. Munchausen (Silent) Munchausen is a 2013 American silent short film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film stars Liam Aiken as a boy about to go off to college, and Bonnie Bedelia as his overprotective mother who goes to great lengths to keep him from leaving her.His Fears “I’m afraid of dying alone. I’m afraid of being responsible for something horrible happening to someone I love and then not being forgiven. I’m afraid of somebody in my family turning on me…, but my nightmares as a kid were always about someone who matters most to me changing.”
  • 4. Julia Ducournau Director of Raw Quotes Describing the film as not being a horror movie “I didn’t write it to scare people. As a big horror buff, when I go to see a horror movie I want to be super scared. I want to jump off my seat and I want to yell in the theatre. And that’s really not what I did here, I didn’t do jump scares or any of the traditional horror movie grammar. For me, the movie is really a crossover between comedy, drama, and body horror. And body horror itself is a subgenre of horror that’s not really scary, and would barely qualify as horror. For me, it’s way more humane, and more about raising questions that are disturbing. It’s not meant to make you jump in your seat.” Talking about how women are shown on screen “I’m fed up with the way young women and their discovery of sexuality is portrayed on screens. I feel it’s always a victim’s story that’s being told. It’s always about the fear, or the doubt afterwards. “Am I gonna get the reputation?” “Is he gonna call me?” “Is it the right guy?” “Did I do the right thing with him?” This has nothing to do with sexuality. Sexuality is not a victim. That’s more about social mores – a voice in the head, not in the body.” • Harmon, S. (2017). Raw director Julia Ducournau on how to make a horror film as creepy as possible. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/22/raw-director-julia-ducournau-on-how-to-make-a-horror-film-as-creepy-as-possible [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Thomas, L. (2017). Raw director Julia Ducournau: ‘I’m fed up with the way women’s sexuality is portrayed on screen’. [online] British Film Institute. Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/interviews/raw-director-julia-ducournau [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Rife, K. (2017). Raw’s Julia Ducournau on love, laughter, and eating human flesh. [online] Film.avclub.com. Available at: https://film.avclub.com/raw-s-julia-ducournau-on-love-laughter-and-eating-hum-1798258893 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • YouTube. (2017). Julia Ducournau Discusses "Raw". [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b62YWx8xy0w [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Junior. (2011). [film] Directed by J. Ducournau. France: Kazak Productions. • Raw. (2016). [film] Directed by J. Ducournau. France: Focus World. Talking about her importance in focus within a scene “When I see a party scene I am gonna look in the background for any extras pretends to dance when there is no music and when I see that, I get taken out of it” Talking about tackling something that others see as too ambitious “To get people on board you have to get people excited. You have to make them want to be there. With excitement you can achieve anything, its really about believing in your shot.” Bibliography Stringent vegetarian Justine (Garance Marillier) encounters a decadent, merciless and dangerously seductive world during her first week at veterinary school. Desperate to fit in, she strays from her principles and eats raw meat for the first time. The young woman soon experiences terrible and unexpected consequences as her true self begins to emerge. Raw Junior Justine, who goes by Junior, is a 13-year-old tomboy with pimples and a unique sense of humor. After unexpectedly contracting a stomach virus, her body becomes home to a bizarre metamorphosis. Quotes Julia Ducournau is a French film director and screenwriter. She attended film school at La Fémis in Paris, where she studied screenwriting. In 2011, her short film JUNIOR won the Petit Rail d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Her first feature, the horror movie RAW, won the coveted FIPRESCI prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
  • 5. James Wan Director of The Conjuring Quotes Quotes James Wan (born 26 February 1977) is an Australian film producer, screenwriter and film director of Malaysian Chinese descent. He is widely known for directing the horror film Saw (2004) and creating Billy the puppet. Wan has also directed Dead Silence (2007), Death Sentence (2007), Insidious (2010), The Conjuring (2013) and Fast & Furious 7 (2015). Horror doesn’t have to be expensive. What I think makes the horror genre so special is that the smallest things can create a big impact,” Wan said. “A creaking door can send chills up your spine, and it doesn’t cost anything.” Turn classic horror on its head. “With ‘Insidious,’ we wanted to tell a haunted house story that really wasn’t a haunted house story at all,” Wan said. “With ‘Saw,’ it was about making a small, contained horror thriller, but one that would stand out from the pack of other indie [horror] films.” Develop great set pieces “Your set pieces have got to be the kind of stuff that people talk about around the water cooler the morning after they’ve seen the movie,” Undermine your audience “If they’re expecting something to happen, what can you do to undermine that expectation?” Wan said. “I’m always trying to find new ways to break an audience’s expectation of the genre.” Appeal to primal human fears “Growing up, we all had all kinds of childhood fears that can kind of make for an acid flashback,” His Creative Process “When I make a movie, I know exactly how I want to make it. Even though sometimes I storyboard, I'm not necessarily a big fan of doing storyboards, but I do it just for the crew and just so the producers feel comfortable. Yes, I can kind of share my vision with everyone else, but I generally go in knowing exactly where every shot is going to be, where to put the camera, and how to do these things. It's just kind of what I do.” Three most important components of a horror film and in your eyes “This may sound like a cliché, but I'll also speak about why it's so important. I think creating characters and story are truly the two most important things. I know, like I said, that is a cliché thing to say, but it doesn't matter what genre your work is in, whether it's horror, science fiction, drama, or whatever. If you have characters that you care about, that is hands down the most important thing. You have to take time to tell their story before you just throw all these scary things at the audience. Otherwise, it just works on a very superficial, surface level. Then obviously, the story that either is a bit interesting or where you find ways to surprise the audience, that is important as well. Even though I'm working within the framework of a haunted house story, which has such established tropes and roles, I like to find new things within that structure. And that leads me to the third thing that I think ultimately is very important, which are the scares. The scares have to work for audiences, and a lot of times, people may not understand why it works for them, but it works on a very psychological and emotional, reactional level. I think I'm very lucky in that I have a bit of a sixth sense, or understanding of what is considered scary for people, and I like to take that and kind of fuck with them. Ultimately the fears that work in these movies come down to three big things, and I always try to remember that or at least have one of these three things in my films. There’s the fear of the unknown; that is a very common fear for all of us because we don't know what happens, therefore we're kind of apprehensive about it. Then, there’s fear for one's life; human preservation is an idea that a lot of horror movies prey on. All the classic slasher movies are about someone running for their life or trying to not get killed, right? Then obviously the third one, which is one that I play a lot in the two Conjuring films, is fear of losing their loved ones. That is very important.” Very real, true-to-life setting with the overtly supernatural events “I just love the idea of this real amalgamation of the real world and the fictitious world, and how the two of them just gel together to the point where you're not sure what is and isn't real." Talking about his influences I can't point anything specific out, but I'm a big David Lynch fan, he's a big influence on Saw, and another director I truly admire as well, is an Italian, Dario Argento? These two guys have a big impact on us, Deep Red, Lost Highway. Talking about his influences “We think craft is important, and the irony has always been that horror may be disregarded by critics, but often they are the best-made movies you're going to find in terms of craft. You can't scare people if they see the seams.” Tone “When we handed in our first cut, the Sundance version, we were essentially told the film was too intense. Really? I'm going to be penalized for doing what I'm supposed to do as a director? I think they have a problem with the 'tone' as well. How do you cut 'tone'? How do you censor 'tone’?” Why do you like horror so much? “More than anything, that’s true with a lot of movie genres, but the horror genre is a real director’s medium, because it really lets you craft the film, and it really lets you play with all facets of filmmaking, from working on the script to working with the actors on set to how you move your camera to how you edit. All of that stuff goes toward that larger, bigger picture at the end of the day. What we’re shooting on set is just a small portion. A lot of times, that dread comes from the sound design, the music and the edit.” Catharsis in watching a scary movie. “I’ve always said that being fearful and wanting to be frightened by things is a primal emotion. I hate to use this cliché, but it’s true: Why the (expletive) do we get on roller coasters, and why do we scream our lungs out and get so terrified, and yet when the roller coaster finally pulls up to the platform, we’re all smiling? Horror movies are like that. It gets your heart pumping. It gets you to the edge of danger and the edge of potential harm, yet at the end of the day, you know you’re in the safety of a movie theatre. And once the movie is done, and once you’ve experienced those crazy, fun moments, you know you get back to your everyday life. It’s really a thrill ride. That’s what we all love about watching scary movies.” Trade Marks • Ventriloquist dolls • Frequently works with Leigh Whannell • Backwards tracking shot • Frequently casts Patrick Wilson • His characters are often ordinary people forced into horrible situations • Many of his films revolve around parents desperately trying to protect Their children • Brutal and unflinching portrayal of violence • His films are often scored by Joseph Bishara
  • 6. James Wan Quotes Movies Saw Photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell) and oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom. As the two men realize they've been trapped by a sadistic serial killer nicknamed "Jigsaw" and must complete his perverse puzzle to live, flashbacks relate the fates of his previous victims. Meanwhile, Dr. Gordon's wife (Monica Potter) and young daughter (Makenzie Vega) are forced to watch his torture via closed-circuit video. After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife's life and threatens his own. Dead Silence In 1970, paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed (Patrick Wilson) Warren are summoned to the home of Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger (Ron Livingston) Perron. The Perrons and their five daughters have recently moved into a secluded farmhouse, where a supernatural presence has made itself known. Though the manifestations are relatively benign at first, events soon escalate in horrifying fashion, especially after the Warrens discover the house’s macabre history. The Conjuring Saw franchise veterans James Wan and Leigh Whannell team with Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli to give the familiar haunted house story an exciting new twist with this tale of a family that moves into an old house and begins to suspect they are under siege from otherworldly forces when their young son inexplicably falls into a deep coma. As devoted parents Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) struggle in vain to uncover the root cause of their son's condition, the stress of the situation gradually begins to take its toll on their once-strong relationship. Later, when darkness falls and specters appear to reach out for them from the shadows, the frightened parents realize they're dealing with powers beyond human comprehension. Barbara Hershey and Lin Shaye co-star. Insidious • Winfrey, G. (2016). 5 Rules From James Wan For Making a Successful Horror Movie in 2016. [online] IndieWire. Available at: https://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/5-rules-from-james-wan-making-a-successful-horror-movie-in-2016-1201709025/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Wixson, H. (2016). Interview: James Wan on His Creative Process, Returning to Horror with THE CONJURING 2 and His Approach to AQUAMAN - Daily Dead. [online] Daily Dead. Available at: https://dailydead.com/interview-james-wan-creative-process-returning-horror-conjuring-2- approach-aquaman/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Williams, H. (2016). Interview: James Wan Is The Man Who Made Horror Personal Again. [online] Kotaku Australia. Available at: https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/06/interview-james-wan-is-the-man-who-made-horror-personal-again/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • IMDb. (2019). James Wan. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1490123/bio?ref_=nm_dyk_qt_sm#quotes [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Menon, S. (2013). I’m afraid of scary movies: James Wan. [online] https://www.hindustantimes.com/. Available at: https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/i-m-afraid-of-scary-movies-james-wan/story-CgdM3kPjBcXZ1RbIb0e8zK.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. • Goodykoontz, B. (2016). Characters matter to 'Conjuring' director James Wan. [online] Eu.azcentral.com. Available at: https://eu.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2016/06/10/james-wan-interview-conjuring-sequel/85573972/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019]. Bibliography
  • 7. My Previous Work Quotes I was the editor for this production and it was what initially cemented the idea that I would like to take a step into the horror genre. Watching the film be produced from the side lines instead, not being able to contribute or take control made the urge even greater. Aspects of the editing style I used have been implemented into the more recent products I have made as well whether that be the harsher blacks or general aesthetics. Whilst the second production is in a different form of media I still think the final act of the stop motion short implements a few conventions of the horror genre with the POV shots and environment. The final piece production I edited together for a friend was the tipping point for me as he again chose to make a short in the horror genre but this time the way he filmed it allowed me to meld the production into something more in line with the style I had in mind but I was still restricted by what he had filmed so by the end of doing it I had fully committed to producing my own short within the genre with my own concept and vision for the Final Major Project of the course.
  • 8. Horror Theory History of Horror • The driving force behind horror has always been to draw inspiration from mythology, urban legends, fairy tales, and literature. Early European and Hollywood films such as Nosferatu (1922) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), and Universal Studios’ Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932) began to establish horror as crowd-pleasing spectacles. • Britain’s Hammer Horror became a major producer in the 1950s with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958), and The Mummy (1959) – all of which were extremely successful, and notably launching the career of Christopher Lee. • Psycho (1960) emphasised Hitchcock’s exquisite touch for psychological horror; with Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968) shifting towards the occult, and paving the way for The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976) and Poltergeist (1982). The supernatural left its lasting trademark on horror films with Stephen King’s adaptations Carrie (1976) and The Shining (1980) providing playgrounds for Brian De Palma and Stanley Kubrick to showcase their unique styles. • The supernatural and the abstract work of H.P. Lovecraft has consistently provided a platform for all generations of filmmakers to experiment with their own styles. Roger Corman, John Carpenter, David Cronenberg and Guillermo Del Toro all carry distinctly Lovecraftian peculiarities. • The extreme, disturbing violence of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was particularly transgressive, and ground-breaking in helping to usher in the intense gore- fests prevalent in the 1980s. A host of controversial ‘video nasties’ emerged in that period, with British social activist Mary Whitehouse leading a crusade to heavily cut or ban the films altogether. Themes • Horror is the one genre regarded of being overly repetitive in terms of themes and motifs. Teenagers are often the lead characters, and very often sliced apart to the delight of the audience. High school is a setting for inner and physical change for horror protagonists, and teens and children are portrayed as the paragons of innocence, particularly girls. The titular character in Carrie expels ferocious power on her classmates when humiliated; while Ginger Snaps (2000) synergises hormonal changes with a transformation into a werewolf. • Empathy is arguably the most powerful tool in a filmmaker’s arsenal, yet horror’s most popular characters are the sadistic villains Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and Michael Myers. While Halloween’s (1978-2002) Michael deals with his family issues rather dramatically; Friday the 13th’s (1980-2001) Jason stalks generations of summer campers; and Freddy Krueger kills teens in the one place their parents can’t protect them, their dreams, in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984-1994). • Religion, vulnerability and semiotics as simple as ‘don’t trust strangers’ routinely pad out the genre. Modern interpretations of fear brought about by racism are satirised cleverly in Get Out (2017), and The Witch’s (2015) internalised horror of a family in crisis drives the narrative alongside supernatural elements. The Omen is another good example of a story that gets under your skin because the horror is supplemented with real-world fears and anxieties. Ghost stories such as The Woman in Black (2012) are often allegorical tales of coping with loss.
  • 9. Horror Theory Codes and conventions • While susceptible to cliché, and often playing on it to manipulate audience expectations or provide twists, horror relies on providing a shocking, intense or blood- curdling experience. Classic horror devices are twisted into something different, for example, Insidious (2010) is a contained thriller disguising itself as a haunted house story. Tension and dramatic irony are pushed, with the audience left to fill in the eerie gaps, and being let in on the killer’s search for his victims. Phone-lines are mysteriously cut (updated now with no signal) and cars don’t start. • Helplessness and loneliness are universal fears capitalised on, only to be more terrifying, and dramatically satisfying, when you discover you’re not alone. Vulnerability is taken to another level in Hush (2016) when a deaf writer must deal with the masked killer at her window. • The ghosts, entities, and outlandish villains exhibit irregular, otherworldly movement; which is often complemented with camera work creating a sense of confusion, and jump cutting to add to the tension. Children are at the centre of hauntings, possession, or are just downright creepy. Their parents never believe their stories about the monsters under the bed, in the closet, or peaking into their windows. Who’s going to believe little Andy when he tells you his toy Chucky (Child’s Play (1988)) is the one behind it all? • Memorable set pieces are especially prevalent in modern horror. The Saw (2004) franchise is built around its selection of torturous ‘games’; while some narratives are created entirely through shock value such as Hostel (2005) or The Human Centipede (2009). Sub-genres • Found footage’ horrors such as Paranormal Activity (2007), Quarantine (2008), and The Blair Witch Project (1999) elicit a strong response through perceived realism and the camera work providing a sense of confusion. The Blair Witch Project was a rousing box office hit due in part to its innovative ‘true story’ marketing. • David Cronenberg is synonymous with ‘body horror’, featuring graphic destruction or mutation of the human body, in his works The Fly (1986), Scanners (1981), and Videodrome(1983) • Sci-fi horror capitalises on the anxiety of the unknown, with Apollo 18 (2011), Alien (1979), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), and The Thing all raising notable scares. • Dario Argento’s Suspiria (1977) helped define the Italian Giallo horror movement – with mystery and crime blended into the atmosphere – and eventually giving providing the backdrop to the Slasher movie. • I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and Prom Night (1980) underline their action with fun and cliche, in the slasher sub-genre propped up by A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th. • And with cliché comes parody: The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Scream, Shaun of the Dead, Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010), What We Do in the Shadows (2014), and the Scary Movie franchise (2000-2013).
  • 10. Bibliography  So The Theory Goes. (2017). Genre Theory: Horror. [online] Available at: https://www.sothetheorygoes.com/horror/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Prince, S. (2004). The horror film. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press.  Yorku.ca. (n.d.). Genre Theory: The Horror Film. [online] Available at: http://www.yorku.ca/mlc/4319/03-04/gold/gold1.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Russo, J. (2015). Genre theory in relation to horror. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/JRusso98/genre-theory-in-relation-to-horror-49415530 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Gadsby, G. (2015). Genre Theories in relation to the horror genre.... [online] prezi.com. Available at: https://prezi.com/wjccdtku_yfw/genre-theories-in-relation-to-the-horror- genre/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Prohászková, M. (2012). The Genre of Horror. [pdf] Trnava: University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Available at: http://www.aijcrnet.com/journals/Vol_2_No_4_April_2012/16.pdf [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/asmediastudies/downloads/case- studies/horror.pdf  Grant, B. (n.d.). Screams on Screens: Paradigms of Horror. [pdf] N/A: Brock University. Available at: http://file:///D:/Downloads/85-Article%20Text-392-1-10- 20100404%20(1).pdf [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Celtx Blog. (n.d.). How to Scare People: The Elements of Horror Movies - Celtx Blog. [online] Available at: https://blog.celtx.com/the-elements-of-horror/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Leeder, M. (2018). Horror Film: A Critical Introduction (Film Genres). 1st ed. Calgary: Bloomsbury Academic [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].  Totaro, D. (2000). To Scare or Not to Scare. [online] Offscreen.com. Available at: https://offscreen.com/view/horror [Accessed 21 Jan. 2019].