Codes and conventions of a horror

Films within a genre such as horror will generally make preferences to death, pain, fear and the dark side that exists within most people's sub-conscience. Other criteria will include a villian or supernatural force, blood, a chase and a helpless victim.

Horror films are also designed to elicit tension and suspense, taking the viewer through the agony and fear of the victim.

John Carpenter's "halloween", Wes Craven's "scream" and "The texas chainsaw massacre", all stick to these traditional conventions of horror films. All three male antagonists are evil personified, wear masks, chase helpless female protagonists and kill people with carving knives or other similar weapons.

Horror films are generally set in an idyllic suburban neighbourhood, which are the embodiment of hapiness and peace until stability is disturbed by unusual occurences.

Most horror films follow a typical story line of a lonely female alone in her house late at night, when either a phone or a door bell rings, an she happens to pick up the phone or answer the front door, only for the rest of the story to unravel from behind this. Much of the story line is predictable an typical of a horror film, eg, the female answering the front door, despite the logic of what is to happen next.