RESEARCH ON CHOSEN FILM GENRE

RESEARCH ON CHOSEN FILM GENRE;

Horror movies are large and heterogeneous group of films that, via the representation of disturbing and dark subject matter, seek to elicit responses of fear, terror, disgust, shock, suspense, and, of course, horror from their viewers. Horror is a protean genre, spawning numerous subgenres and hybrid variants: gothic horror, supernatural horror, monster movies, psychological horror, splatter films, slasher films, body horror, comedy horror, and postmodern horror.

We usually define “fear” as a negative emotion, which is unpleasant. Normally, we desperately want to avoid this emotion because it causes distress and terror. However, the aesthetics and psychology behind horror films explain “fear” can be a pleasurable

experience. “Fear” is an essential element in horror genre, which is why we consistently crave the adrenaline rush in scary films. Neuroscientists, psychologists, and filmmakers constantly study viewers’ fear responses to see which techniques can terrify audiences.

Filmmakers and producers create elements of mystery, suspense, gore, terror, and shock into their film, which creates tension. Different mise-en-scene, including lighting, costume, and incongruous sounds, creates the suspense leading to a big reveal. In the same fashion, multiple size shots and camera angles like long tracking shots can capture the character’s nervousness leading to tension.

The horror genre stands out from most others as it offers a completely different

experience. The audience are frequently on the edge of their seats with adrenalin

pumping which gives an intense feeling of fear that lasts throughout.

Thrillers are dark, engrossing, and suspenseful plot-driven stories. They very seldom include comedic elements. Any novel can generate excitement, suspense, interest, and exhilaration. Suspense is a crucial characteristic of the thriller genre. It gives the viewer a feeling of pleasurable fascination and excitement mixed with apprehension, anticipation, and tension. These develop from unpredictable, mysterious, and rousing events during the narrative, which makes the viewer or reader think about the outcome of certain actions. Suspense builds in order to make those final moments, no matter how short, the most memorable. The suspense in a story keeps the person hooked to reading or watching more until the climax is reached.

An atmosphere of menace and sudden violence, such as crime and murder, characterize thrillers. The tension usually arises when the character(s) is placed in a dangerous situation, or a trap from which escaping seems impossible. Life is threatened, usually because the principal character is unsuspectingly or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentially deadly situation

Psychological horror is a sub-genre of horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre frequently overlaps with the related subgenre of psychological thriller, and often uses mystery elements and characters with unstable, unreliable, or disturbed psychological states to enhance the suspense, drama, action, and paranoia of the setting and plot and to provide an overall unpleasant, unsettling, or distressing atmosphere.

Some of my favorite psychological horror films:

. Last Night in Soho (2021)

. Get Out (2017)

. The Shining (1980)

. The Invisible Man (2020)

. A Quiet Place (2018)

. Split (2016)

. Hypnotic (2021)