Horror and Human Experience

Camera Shots

Long

Establishes setting and shows characters compared to objects
Similar to third person point of view in literature.

Close-up

Highlights emotion: encourages identifying with characters
Detail on objects: encourages viewers to pay more attention

High

Makes subject appear less powerful

Often used filming victims
in horror films Ex) The Mist

Low

Makes subject appear more powerful

Lighting

High-key

Suggests a lack of threat

Opposite in The Mist

Low-key

Makes subject seem isolated

Lower lighting suggested safety

Sound

Soundeffects

Used to emphasis content in film

Soundtrack

Creates atmosphere and emphasizes elements

Ex) Dramatic
music in The Mist
upon evil arrival

The Fantastic

The unknown - not explained
Explanation doesn't make sense

Often an indirect supernatural source:
ex) The Mist but not always ex) The Lottery

Psychological Horror

Focuses on monster within/
represents aspect of ourself

Deviant/abnormal human psychology
Supernatural/human Ex) I am the Doorway

Moral Allegory

Rules/punishment
Focus on society
and good vs. evil

Often supernatural intrusion into
everyday life. Ex) Insidious.

Could be seen as The Lottery due to
focus on dystopic society

Scared Witless

Sigmund Freud's theory:
id, ego, superego.

Immaterial cause &
Fascinated dread,
Aristole and catharsis

The Mist

Psychology of Fear

Physical sensation

Limbic systems & neurostructures
fear-arousing stimuli, amygdala
startle reflex: motor neurons in brain

Sensation caused by conclusion of The Lottery

Stephen King on Fear

Imaginary fears
& phobias. Blinding
effect of fear

Welsh sin eater, replacement of
personal fears with other ones
and simulated risks