BBC Tour Movie

The Storyline

After putting her son up for adoption 16 years ago, Helen is now a very successful working lady. Today is just a normal day for Helen. As she is driving home from work, she is listening to the radio where a radio debate is taking place about having the right to find your child that you put up for adoption. As the radio debate is taking place, Helen has flashbacks of putting her son up for adoption and becomes very distressed. When she gets home everything is still normal as she makes a coffee. However, as these normal, everyday things are happening, not to Helen's knowledge, her son that she put up for adoption has found her address and is on his way to seek his revenge. The rest of the film shows the horrible boy that her son has become and how he goes about seeking his revenge. 

Key Conventions of The Horror Film Genre

- Setting:

Horror films are often set in small communities, isolated places, dark streets/alleyways, large cities or urban environments. For example, dark woods, abandoned houses, haunted houses/hotels, graveyards, scary/dark churches and anywhere else dark or isolated.

- Iconography:

Horror films often include dark colours, like red and black which links the film to evil and danger. Also, low-key lighting can create a dark environment, shadows and unfamiliar shapes that create suspense. Props and other common objects that are seen in horror films are things like weapons, masks, religious symbols, knives, chainsaws and supernatural images.

- Technical codes:

Different camera shots can create, fright, terror, suspense, panic, alarm and a fear of the unknown. For example, high and low camera angles can emphasize the power of the villain or the vulnerability of the victim. Handheld shots can make it difficult for the audience to know what is going on and portrays a fear of the unknown. Extreme close up shots can also convey raw emotion, for example a screaming mouth or fearful eyes. Sound is also very important in horror movies. Disturbing sounds like footsteps, a heartbeat and deep breathing can make the film scary to watch for the viewer.

- Characters:

Characters that are often included in a horror film include heroes/victims, policemen/women (good or bad), stalker, villain, monster, serial killer, strange children, stalker, ghosts, demons and werewolves. 

Information from: http://www.slideshare.net/marine18/horror-genre-conventions

Horror Genre Directors

1.    Alfred Hitchcock (Born:13^th August 1899, died:29^th April 1980, aged 80)

·         Hitchcock was an English film director and producer of films but mainly famous for his horror and thriller films, e.g. Psycho

·         He began his film making career in 1919 illustrating title cards for silent films at Paramount's Famous Players-Lasky studio in London. There he learnt scripting, editing and art direction, and rose to assistant director in 1922

·         His first completed film as director was The Pleasure Garden in 1925

·         Hitchcock then went on to produce

·         In physcho he created one of the most iconic scenes in the history of the horror film genre. This is when a woman got murdered in the shower and the music that was created for this scene is still used today in horror films.

Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000033/bio

2.    Wesley Earl “Wes” Craven (Born: 2^nd August 1939, age 73)

·            Wes is an American film director, writer, producer and actor

·            He was best known for his directing of horror films, e.g. A Nightmare on Elm Street

·            Craven wrote, directed and edited his first film in 1972; The Last House of the Left

·            Craven also directed the entire Scream series, The Hills Have Eyes and many more well-known horror films

·            Craven is most famous for A Nightmare on Elm Street and the Scream series for their box office hits and being so successful that they created him a cult following

·            The most recent film that Craven directed was Scream 4 in 2011.

Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Craven

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000127/bio

3.    Oren Peli (Born:1970, age 41-42)

·            Peli is an Israeli American film director, producer and screenwriter

·            He is most famous for his creation and directing of Paranormal Activity in 2007 a very successful and well-known horror film

·            He also produced Paranormal Activity 2, 3 and Insidious in 2010 and 2011

·            Peli is in the process of producing Paranormal Activity 4, which is due to come out this year

·            Peli is most well-known for the production of the horror film Paranormal Activity, which was a box office hit, even with a very low budget of only $15,000.

Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oren_Peli