Horror Film : A Subject Sunmmary.

Horror films are movies that strive to capture responses of fear, horror and terror from viewers. Their plots frequently involve themes of the supernatural. Horror movies also usually include a central villain. Early horror movies were largely based on classic literature of the gothic/horror genre, such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. More recent horror films, in contrast, often draw inspiration from the insecurities of life after World War II, giving rise to the three distinct, but related, sub-genres: the horror-of-personality Psycho film, the horror-of-armageddon Invasion of the Bodysnatchers film, and the horror-of-the-demonic The Exorcist film. The last sub-genre may be seen as a modernized transition from the earliest horror films, expanding on their emphasis on supernatural agents that bring horror to the world.^[1]

Photo courtesy : About.com
Horror films have been criticized for including graphic violence and dismissed as low budget B-movies and exploitation films. Nonetheless, all the major studios and many respected directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Roman Polanski, Stanley Kubrick, William Friedkin, Richard Donner, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Romero have made forays into the genre. Serious critics have analyzed horror films through the prisms of genre theory and the auteur theory. Some horror films incorporate elements of other genres such as science fiction, fantasy, mockumentary, black comedy, and thrillers.

It was in the early 1930s that American film producers, particularly Universal Pictures Co. Inc., popularized the horror film, bringing to the screen a series of successful Gothic features including Dracula (1931), and The Mummy (1932), some of which blended science fiction films with Gothic horror, such as James Whale's The Invisible Man (1933). Tod Browning, director of Dracula, also made the extremely controversial Freaks based on Spurs by Ted Robbins. Browning's film about a band of circus freaks was so controversial the studio burned about 30 minutes and disowned it. These films, while designed to thrill, also incorporated more serious elements, and were influenced by the German expressionist films of the 1920s. Some actors began to build entire careers in such films, most notably Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The iconic make-up designs were then created by Universal Studios, Jack Pierce.
Horror Films are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden      worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events. They deal with our most primal nature and its fears: our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our revulsions, our terror of the unknown, our fear of death and dismemberment, loss of identity, or fear of sexuality.

Whatever dark, primitive, and revolting traits that simultaneously attract and repel us are featured in the horror genre. Horror films are often combined with science fiction when the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens. The fantasy and supernatural film genres are not synonymous with the horror genre, although thriller films may have some relation when they focus on the revolting and horrible acts of the killer/madman. Horror films are also known as chillers, scary movies, spookfests, and the macabre.

Horror films go back as far as the onset of films themselves, over a 100 years ago. From our earliest days, we use our vivid imaginations to see ghosts in shadowy shapes, to be emotionally connected to the unknown and to fear things that are improbable. Watching a horror film gives an opening into that scary world, into an outlet for the essence of fear itself, without actually being in danger. Weird as it sounds, there's a very real thrill and fun factor in being scared or watching disturbing, horrific images. Horror films, when done well and with less reliance on horrifying special effects, can be extremely potent film forms, tapping into our dream states and the horror of the irrational and unknown, and the horror within man himself. (The best horror films only imply or suggest the horror in subtle ways, rather than blatantly displaying it, i.e., Val Lewton's horror films.) In horror films, the irrational forces of chaos or horror invariably need to be defeated, and often these films end with a return to normalcy and victory over the monstrous.

Of necessity, the earliest horror films were Gothic in style - meaning that they were usually set in spooky old mansions, castles, or fog-shrouded, dark and shadowy locales. Their main characters have included "unknown," human, supernatural or grotesque creatures, ranging from vampires, demented madmen, devils, unfriendly ghosts, monsters, mad scientists, "Frankensteins," "Jekyll/Hyde" dualities, demons, zombies, evil spirits, arch fiends, Satanic villains, the "possessed," werewolves and freaks to even the unseen, diabolical presence of evil. Horror films developed out of a number of sources: folktales with devil characters, witchcraft, fables, myths, ghost stories, Grand Guignol melodramas, and Gothic or Victorian novels from Europe by way of Mary Shelley or Irish writer Bram Stoker. In many ways, the expressionistic German silent cinema led the world in films of horror and the supernatural, and established its cinematic vocabulary and style. 

How to Make a Successful Horror Film

They are some tips for you how to make a good horror film, please check this out the point !

1. Get a scary idea for the movie.
2. Add scary and scratchy, eerily atmospheric music for suspense.
3. Add scary, screechy music for when something surprising happens.
4. Have a scary killer/ monster/whatever. (For some reason killers/monsters that don't talk are scarier than ones who do) Make sure their motive is simple (revenge/insanity is good)
5. Make something completely ordinary the center of the drama (paper bag, telephone, toilet, doorbell, TV, videotape). If you do it well, it will be scary!
6. Have a plot twist (at the end or middle end).
7. Add good effects (if the blood looks like ketchup you're not going to scare anyone!) If you choose to go with effects...that is. Its proven that a sudden moment of suspense without graphic bloody violence is more scary because the watcher's imagination finds the scariest possible outcome that they personally can imagine... much scarier than even a realistic gore fest... think De Niro's Hide and Seek... Scary because of the suspense, not because of the blood, or the realism of said blood.

Have more actors than you think you need. Trust me they will come to a lot of use.

• In a sequel, never change the originals ending for retcon. It will confuse the audience and will cause non-originality.
• Research by watching some scary movies and find what made them scary. Don't steal ideas though it is plagiarising and the audience can notice it. Be as original as you can!
• Make sure you plan your movie well before you start filming; don't get over excited and write the script as soon as possible, but try writing a two-page, three act (beginning, middle and end) plot overview. It helps flourish your ideas for what will happen in key moments.
• Practice a little with different ideas.
• Be bold with ideas! Use any ideas that can shock the audience and get a reaction from them. Don't worry about being too extreme, that's what editing is for.
• Watch the TV show UNSOLVED MYSTERIES, you get plenty of ideas. Disturbing is very scary. The Exorcist, Do You Wanna Know A Secret, and When A Stranger Calls, were all really disturbing and all very scary.
• Right before the scariest part, have a normal or calm scene. Then out of nowhere have something scary happen. It will be much more unexpected and scare people more. Don't try and make it too obvious though, for example "Alicia is walking in the woods then the masked killer jumps out from behind a tree and kills her". Let the moment grab your audience suddenly by the throat, like, have a tree suddenly come alive and eat her OR have the masked killer waiting back at home, disguised as someone she knows, then get her.
• Read online criminal archives, you're able to understand better about massacres and such (provides a believability for your movies).
• Make sure not to make it unrealistic. The more realistic, the scarier the movie will be.
• Start out by making small, short movies to practice with. They're fun, easy, and are excellent for creating new ideas.
• Use great quality video editing software, not that cheap downloadable junk. Here are some good software programs: Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer, Apple Final Cut Express, and Sony Vegas.
• Define your characters and give them good characterization, the audience will get attached to whatever characters they like best. This captivates the audience more.
• In the movies, make it seem that safety is available (at the moment), but have a *believable* event that makes it not come. (like the cops have to respond to another call instead of going to the house).
• If you have a sequel, don't change it to the extreme. (Ex. Jimmy died in the first movie from a blow to the head. Jimmy died in the second movie from being gutted then buried alive.)
• There is a big difference between scary and gory! Wes Craven has this down great. But just because gory isn't very scary doesn’t mean you can't have gory just don't make the movie depend upon gore. Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most successful horror film directors and he never used gore that was near excessive in his movies. Some of his movies are scary and not gory.
• If you find more originality or better acting out of improvising(acting without a script), go for it!! Many famous films lacked permanent lines and staging. Just keep the point clear and don't get too carried away.
• Get your script proof read by HONEST people, not just your folks as they can be too nice, have some friends who will say which parts they liked and which parts need revising. Remember, the things that you write that you won't like, others possibly will like.
• If you can't feel you can work alone, get a friend(s) to brainstorm with you.
• This goes along with #6 make something totally safe totally creepy. (A nursery, a computer.) Anything people depend upon... too bad TV has already been done!
• Basing things off true stories or saying they were true make thing twice as scary. Texas Chainsaw Massacre was based on a true story about a killer named Ed Gein. You can take events and exaggerate the story line, it makes a good movie)... it was scary. Blair Witch project was said to be true Update: It wasn't either, but the way it was made makes it very possible)... it was also scary.
• If you are going to have fake blood, don't use tomato sauce; tomato juice works really well.
• Stalkers are scary (if you do it right).
• Mythical creatures (vampires, werewolves, witches) can, sometimes, be scary but don’t count on it. Many mythical monsters now are constantly "updated" but are still the work of fantasy.
• Sometimes, a quick ending, something possible can have an effect.
• If you are doing a scary movie make sure that you have good actors....(not your little sister)
• Best recommended if using high quality cameras (HD), which is the best!
• For creating an excellent soundtrack, buy the MAGIX Music Maker Software. You can buy some CD's that contain scary sound effects and noises. Then import the CD to your computer using Windows Media Player, all you have to do is drag and drop the audio to the MAGIX timeline.
• Avoid using music that was already in a movie like John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN.
• Make sure the people can act its not good if the characters are not believable!
• Don't make sequels that make the series seem to be never ending. Friday the 13th had many many sequels. Everyone expected to know what to happen in the sequels. Saw movies seem to come out every year. After seeing Saw I and II, you know what's going to happen. If you do that, the movie will not be scary. If you do plan to make a sequel, make sure to is a continuation of the story. For example don't make movies like in the first movie Jimmy dies after being stabbed by a knife. In the second movie, Jimmy dies after drowning. In the third movie, Jimmy dies in explosion. Jimmy dies after he is decapitated in the fourth movie.
• Make sure to use realistic props. If you use guns make sure they don't have the stupid orange tip on it.
• If your little sister or brother is around make sure thay are at least 100 meters from the camera so that they are not heard. (Unless, of course, they're in the movie)
• Make sure your friends (actors) are devoted to the movie so they don't mess it up.
• Have the title make sense. If your movie is called "Sunshine" and the movie has nothing to do with the title at all, then you need something different.
• Add a strange twist to it. Kill off the person that seems least likely to die. Turn the sweet, innocent child into an accomplice of the murderer, luring people to their doom. Do something that no one will ever see coming.
• When using a soundtrack, don't use the same sound track over and over again. As well, don't use music too much, or the audience will know when the scary/gory parts are about to happen.
• Also, when using music, it is a good idea to have the music on while "Jimmy is looking for the possessed lady in the bath", and then when he looks, nothing is there. It makes your viewers even more scared.

• n a sequel, never change the originals ending for retcon. It will confuse the audience and will cause non-originality.
• Research by watching some scary movies and find what made them scary. Don't steal ideas though it is plagiarising and the audience can notice it. Be as original as you can!
• Make sure you plan your movie well before you start filming; don't get over excited and write the script as soon as possible, but try writing a two-page, three act (beginning, middle and end) plot overview. It helps flourish your ideas for what will happen in key moments.
• Practice a little with different ideas.
• Be bold with ideas! Use any ideas that can shock the audience and get a reaction from them. Don't worry about being too extreme, that's what editing is for.
• Watch the TV show UNSOLVED MYSTERIES, you get plenty of ideas. Disturbing is very scary. The Exorcist, Do You Wanna Know A Secret, and When A Stranger Calls, were all really disturbing and all very scary.
• Right before the scariest part, have a normal or calm scene. Then out of nowhere have something scary happen. It will be much more unexpected and scare people more. Don't try and make it too obvious though, for example "Alicia is walking in the woods then the masked killer jumps out from behind a tree and kills her". Let the moment grab your audience suddenly by the throat, like, have a tree suddenly come alive and eat her OR have the masked killer waiting back at home, disguised as someone she knows, then get her.
• Read online criminal archives, you're able to understand better about massacres and such (provides a believability for your movies).
• Make sure not to make it unrealistic. The more realistic, the scarier the movie will be.
• Start out by making small, short movies to practice with. They're fun, easy, and are excellent for creating new ideas.
• Use great quality video editing software, not that cheap downloadable junk. Here are some good software programs: Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer, Apple Final Cut Express, and Sony Vegas.
• Define your characters and give them good characterization, the audience will get attached to whatever characters they like best. This captivates the audience more.
• In the movies, make it seem that safety is available (at the moment), but have a *believable* event that makes it not come. (like the cops have to respond to another call instead of going to the house).
• If you have a sequel, don't change it to the extreme. (Ex. Jimmy died in the first movie from a blow to the head. Jimmy died in the second movie from being gutted then buried alive.)
• There is a big difference between scary and gory! Wes Craven has this down great. But just because gory isn't very scary doesn’t mean you can't have gory just don't make the movie depend upon gore. Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most successful horror film directors and he never used gore that was near excessive in his movies. Some of his movies are scary and not gory.
• If you find more originality or better acting out of improvising(acting without a script), go for it!! Many famous films lacked permanent lines and staging. Just keep the point clear and don't get too carried away.
• Get your script proof read by HONEST people, not just your folks as they can be too nice, have some friends who will say which parts they liked and which parts need revising. Remember, the things that you write that you won't like, others possibly will like.
• If you can't feel you can work alone, get a friend(s) to brainstorm with you.
• This goes along with #6 make something totally safe totally creepy. (A nursery, a computer.) Anything people depend upon... too bad TV has already been done!
• Basing things off true stories or saying they were true make thing twice as scary. Texas Chainsaw Massacre was based on a true story about a killer named Ed Gein. You can take events and exaggerate the story line, it makes a good movie)... it was scary. Blair Witch project was said to be true Update: It wasn't either, but the way it was made makes it very possible)... it was also scary.
• If you are going to have fake blood, don't use tomato sauce; tomato juice works really well.
• Stalkers are scary (if you do it right).
• Mythical creatures (vampires, werewolves, witches) can, sometimes, be scary but don’t count on it. Many mythical monsters now are constantly "updated" but are still the work of fantasy.
• Sometimes, a quick ending, something possible can have an effect.
• If you are doing a scary movie make sure that you have good actors....(not your little sister)
• Best recommended if using high quality cameras (HD), which is the best!
• For creating an excellent soundtrack, buy the MAGIX Music Maker Software. You can buy some CD's that contain scary sound effects and noises. Then import the CD to your computer using Windows Media Player, all you have to do is drag and drop the audio to the MAGIX timeline.
• Avoid using music that was already in a movie like John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN.
• Make sure the people can act its not good if the characters are not believable!
• Don't make sequels that make the series seem to be never ending. Friday the 13th had many many sequels. Everyone expected to know what to happen in the sequels. Saw movies seem to come out every year. After seeing Saw I and II, you know what's going to happen. If you do that, the movie will not be scary. If you do plan to make a sequel, make sure to is a continuation of the story. For example don't make movies like in the first movie Jimmy dies after being stabbed by a knife. In the second movie, Jimmy dies after drowning. In the third movie, Jimmy dies in explosion. Jimmy dies after he is decapitated in the fourth movie.
• Make sure to use realistic props. If you use guns make sure they don't have the stupid orange tip on it.
• If your little sister or brother is around make sure thay are at least 100 meters from the camera so that they are not heard. (Unless, of course, they're in the movie)
• Make sure your friends (actors) are devoted to the movie so they don't mess it up.
• Have the title make sense. If your movie is called "Sunshine" and the movie has nothing to do with the title at all, then you need something different.
• Add a strange twist to it. Kill off the person that seems least likely to die. Turn the sweet, innocent child into an accomplice of the murderer, luring people to their doom. Do something that no one will ever see coming.
• When using a soundtrack, don't use the same sound track over and over again. As well, don't use music too much, or the audience will know when the scary/gory parts are about to happen.
• Also, when using music, it is a good idea to have the music on while "Jimmy is looking for the possessed lady in the bath", and then when he looks, nothing is there. It makes your viewers even more scared.

And see another TIPS here .....!

Sources : www.wikihow.com, clamhead.vox.com