Source 4 Flashcards
(100 cards)
Horror Films’ Purpose
Horror films aim to evoke emotions like fear, disgust, shock, and terror. They often use various elements such as supernatural themes, violence, mutilation, blood, and death to elicit these responses. This makes horror distinct from thrillers, which focus more on suspense and human-driven tension rather than gore or the supernatural.
Cultural Perception of Horror
Despite being financially successful, horror films have often been regarded as low-brow in popular culture. They are seen as less respectable than other genres like drama or science fiction. Some critics view horror as an outlier, akin to a rebellious child in cinema that is tolerated but not fully accepted.
Horror’s Historical Roots
Horror has deep roots in Western literary traditions, with its origins traceable to ancient stories such as the Babylonian Gilgamesh. It has evolved through Gothic literature and Victorian-era fiction, with iconic characters like Dracula and Frankenstein continuing to inspire modern horror films.
The Genre’s Dual Nature
The horror genre’s popularity is driven by both its financial success and its cultural impact. While it may be seen as lesser by some, its significant global fanbase and continued commercial success indicate that there’s a deeper psychological and emotional draw. The genre serves both as an outlet for dark emotions and as a source of entertainment, which explains its resilience in the film industry.
Disrespect Towards Horror Films
The general disdain for horror films might stem from their “cheapness” in production, but this doesn’t account for the deep emotional connection that fans have with the genre. Horror films allow viewers to experience intense emotions like fear in a controlled, safe way. Despite their lower budgets, these films manage to provide an experience that many find compelling and exciting.
“It seems an unaccountable pleasure which the spectators of a well-written tragedy receive from sorrow, terror, anxiety and other passions, that are in themselves disagreeable and uneasy” (Hume, 1907).
Meaning: People enjoy feelings like fear and sadness when they are in a story, even though these emotions are usually unpleasant.
Importance: This helps explain why people like horror films, even though they make us feel scared or uncomfortable. It sets up the idea that fear can be enjoyable in a controlled setting.
“The horror film occupies in popular culture roughly comparable to that of horror literature. That is to say, it is generally ignored, sometimes acknowledged with bemused tolerance, and viewed with alarm when it irritates authority - rather like a child too spirited to follow the rules that rendition has deemed acceptable” (Etchison, 2011).
Meaning: Horror films are often ignored or looked at strangely, like a child who doesn’t follow the rules. People like it, but it’s still seen as less respectable.
Importance: This shows that, even though horror is popular, it’s often not taken seriously by critics or the film industry. It helps explain why horror is both loved and disrespected.
“A taste of horror is a taste for something seemingly abnormal and is therefore deemed to require special attention” (Tudor, 1997).
Meaning: Liking horror is considered unusual, which is why it gets special attention and discussion.
Importance: This explains why horror is interesting to study. It’s seen as different from other genres, making it worth exploring.
“The current paper sets out to review the literature regarding the appeal of horror and why and how horror cinema exerts the effects that it does” (Cherry, 2009).
Meaning: The paper will review existing research on why people like horror and how it affects them.
Importance: This shows that the essay is based on research and aims to answer why horror films work on viewers emotionally and psychologically.
What is the origin and meaning of the word “horror”?
Origin: The word “horror” comes from the Greek word phryke, meaning “shudder,” and refers to the physical reactions of fear, such as shivering and trembling.
Analysis: This shows that horror has a strong connection to visceral, bodily reactions, not just mental or emotional experiences.
How does the passage define horror in terms of two types: genuine horror vs. art horror?
Paraphrased: Genuine horror involves real threats to survival, while art horror (like in movies) comes from imagined or supernatural fears.
Analysis: This distinction highlights how horror as a genre can provoke both primal survival instincts and fantasy-based fears that are unrelated to actual danger.
According to the passage, what physiological responses can horror films trigger in viewers?
Paraphrased: Horror films can cause viewers to experience physical reactions such as trembling, faster heart rate, and even changes in skin response.
Analysis: These responses show how horror films affect the body as much as the mind, creating an immersive experience that engages both.
How does Cantor (2004) describe the impact of horror films on viewers?
Quote: “Approximately 46% of the sample reported experiencing sleep disturbances after the event and 75% reported having experienced anxiety.”
Analysis: This demonstrates the lasting psychological effects of horror films, showing how they can cause real anxiety and disrupt daily life long after the viewing experience.
What role does the presence of monsters play in horror films, according to Carroll?
Paraphrased: Carroll argues that monsters are key to horror because they exist outside our understanding of reality—they defy the rules of nature and science.
Analysis: This idea emphasizes how horror films create fear by presenting the unnatural or the unknown, tapping into universal human anxieties about things beyond our control.
What does Freud mean by the “uncanny” in relation to horror?
Quote: “Horror films also invariably present a Manichean view of the world, where good battles evil.”
Analysis: This reflects the idea that horror often explores a world where fundamental moral conflicts play out, adding depth to the narrative by framing it within the context of good vs. evil.
How does the film The Blair Witch Project fit into the horror genre?
Paraphrased: The Blair Witch Project is an example of the found-footage subgenre, which uses a specific filming style to increase realism and create immersion.
Analysis: This style enhances the emotional impact by making the audience feel as if they’re experiencing the events firsthand, a key feature of the horror genre’s ability to elicit fear.
What is the significance of “priming” in horror film enjoyment?
Paraphrased: “Priming” means giving viewers information about a film’s content before watching it, which can heighten their emotional response, such as fear.
Analysis: This suggests that horror films can be more effective at triggering fear if the viewer is already mentally prepared for the shock, showing how psychological factors influence the viewing experience.
What auditory devices are commonly used in horror films to create fear and suspense?
Paraphrased: Horror films often use sounds like creaking doors, screams, or unexpected loud noises to make viewers afraid. A sudden loud sound after silence, like a jump scare, is particularly effective in creating tension.
Analysis: These sounds manipulate the audience’s anticipation and reactions, heightening emotional engagement with the film.
How is sound used in iconic horror films like Psycho and Halloween?
Quote: “Carpenter has noted that when his film was screened without a soundtrack to a film executive ‘she wasn’t scared at all. I then became determined to ‘save it with music’” (Hayward, 2009).
Analysis: This shows how crucial sound and music are in horror films. Without these elements, even a well-crafted film might fail to create the same emotional impact.
What is the role of music in horror films?
Paraphrased: Music in horror can influence how we emotionally interpret scenes, with certain music styles enhancing tension or fear. Discordant music, like the Devil’s tritone, is often used to create unease.
Analysis: Music in horror serves as a tool to shape how we perceive what’s happening on screen, manipulating our emotional responses to deepen fear.
What is the “jump scare,” and how does it use sound effectively?
Paraphrased: A jump scare occurs when there’s a sudden loud noise after a period of silence. Often, the sound is disconnected from what’s shown, amplifying the shock value.
Analysis: The unexpected nature of the jump scare plays on primal fears, taking advantage of the body’s startle reflex to generate a powerful emotional reaction.
How does the startle reflex (SR) relate to horror films?
Quote: “The first known example of a startle effect in horror film is seen and heard in The Cat People (1942)… when the sound of a bus door opening occurs just when the viewer is expecting an attack.”
Analysis: The startle reflex is a powerful tool in horror, making the audience jump in reaction to sudden, unexpected sounds. It highlights how auditory triggers can provoke intense physical reactions to what may otherwise be a non-threatening situation.
What is the relationship between fear and the startle reflex in response to horror stimuli?
Paraphrased: When watching fear-related content, the startle reflex (SR) is stronger. It reflects our emotional reactivity to perceived threats, amplifying the physiological response to fear.
Analysis: This connection shows how horror films tap into our emotional and physiological responses, using sound and visual cues to enhance the feeling of fear.
What scientific evidence supports the impact of auditory stimuli on fear?
Quote: “Frightening music has been associated with changes in monoamine receptor activity in the caudate nucleus and right amygdala” (Zhang et al., 2012).
Analysis: This study suggests that horror music has a direct impact on brain activity related to fear, supporting the idea that auditory elements are crucial in shaping our emotional experience of horror films.
