Admit it, you knew it was coming…
Well, without further ado, here it is: HORROR RESEARCH.
Because I'm someone who loves to contextualize things for himself to better
appreciate where that comes from, I decided to fully contextualize horror as a genre
before analyzing anything else.
appreciate where that comes from, I decided to fully contextualize horror as a genre
before analyzing anything else.
There's something about a horror movie that's always fascinated film makers: the earliest
known horror movie can be traced back to legendary director Georges Méliès all the way
known horror movie can be traced back to legendary director Georges Méliès all the way
back in 1896. After this, a string of short horror films would be made until the first REAL
popular horror movie, 1910's Frankenstein.
However, from Nosferatu to The VVitch (at least historically speaking),
popular horror movie, 1910's Frankenstein.
However, from Nosferatu to The VVitch (at least historically speaking),
Horror has served as a genre to reflect contemporary anxieties, social concerns, and the
personal fears of the filmmaker/writer. Evidenced most adequately by 2017's Get Out, Horror holds up a mirror to the parts of society or our
collective consciousness we'd rather ignore due to our fear of them, whether it be the immortal or an
awkward handshake with a rich racist.
personal fears of the filmmaker/writer. Evidenced most adequately by 2017's Get Out, Horror holds up a mirror to the parts of society or our
collective consciousness we'd rather ignore due to our fear of them, whether it be the immortal or an
awkward handshake with a rich racist.
Horror has since evolved in many ways, now enveloping an entire canopy of productions from the
mainstream to the bizarre. However, a few conventions are useful at tying them all together,
but the one most relevant to our piece right now is the "mirror set up"
You know the scene:
but the one most relevant to our piece right now is the "mirror set up"
You know the scene:
Character A
(sweating)
Ah! There is a scare in the mirror perfectly framed for the audience, noooooo!
This common trope has been around since the 1970's, and is now a staple of horror. While I know me and
Jules want to use a mirror, we should be cognizant of its prevalence to not fall into "Scary Movie" Style
territory. Anyways, what I want to channel the most is Horror's oldest, yet least used horror tool: Art
House horror. Championed by Nosferatu and kept alive by staples like Midsommar, Art House Horror
is a style of horror movie that bases its horror not on an external force, but on the development of
a single character or relationship as the source of that horror. They're called art house due to
their uncompromising artistic liberties (Shot styles, plots, colors schemes), that break with the
"black clothes and blood, doom and gloom" traditions of horror classics in favor of a more unique look,
even if they could risk alienating a mainstream audience. However, Art house horror is on the rise,
and I wanna capitalize on it.
House horror. Championed by Nosferatu and kept alive by staples like Midsommar, Art House Horror
is a style of horror movie that bases its horror not on an external force, but on the development of
a single character or relationship as the source of that horror. They're called art house due to
their uncompromising artistic liberties (Shot styles, plots, colors schemes), that break with the
"black clothes and blood, doom and gloom" traditions of horror classics in favor of a more unique look,
even if they could risk alienating a mainstream audience. However, Art house horror is on the rise,
and I wanna capitalize on it.
Horror is the world's mirror, and this film's mirror aims to show that we should not fear having to
destroy ourselves to pretend.
Links of research:
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