Elissa Newton

The strange thrill of the unknown has always caused many to be lured in to the search of things out of the ordinary, such as the supernatural or the mysterious. This is no exception when it comes to the popular movie genre of horror, where the frightening portrayals and other contributing elements of the films give a satisfying adrenaline rush to thrill seekers.  As the movie progresses, common factors typical of horror can create this adrenaline and the general feeling of being unsafe during the showing of this genre.  From the soundtrack, to the imagery, and all the way even to the framework and focus of each of the scenes, each portion of the movie is carefully laid out to give the sense of the monsters shown to the audience breathing down one’s neck, or perhaps hiding in the shadows of the darkened room surrounding the unsuspecting persons.

It is no shock and most certainly a standard of horror movies the sounds given in the course of the run time are intended to give a scare to the audience.  The subtleties of the sounds, or perhaps in some cases, their intensity, create a feeling of tension, insecurity, and the sensation of being watched or followed, making viewers jumpy and more prone to being scared.  These sounds can range from the creak of a rusty door hinge, the heavy patter of approaching footsteps amidst a tense scene, a sudden shriek of pain or fear, a violin playing in a minor key whilst building in volume, and even the sounds of heavy or strained breathing.  Each of these sounds, both individually and combined, create an atmosphere of tension around the characters in the scene, and begins to warn the viewer of the movie something is about to happen.  This, in turn, conjures up the feeling of wariness within the watchers, getting the heart rate to increase and the adrenaline to flow within their blood in anticipation of what is to come.  Another unheard contributor of the terror is something called infrasound.  It is below the human hearing range, but even though unheard, can cause several factors of ideal horror sensations in someone who hears it for a long enough time.  These feelings include chills down the spine or nervous feelings of revulsion or fear, according to a study done on infrasound in Manchester, England on September 8, 2003.  When these feelings are generated, the horror movie has done its job in creating the creepy factor intended to scare its audiences.

Along with the sounds placed within the movie, the imagery in the scenes of a movie are also extremely well placed and orchestrated to generate further feelings of unease and terror.  Without the images, and the placement of said images, there would be little that would truly scare the watcher, even if the aim is to be more psychologically directed than the average horror film.  The imagery of a horror movie can include a wide range of products to achieve the sensations of fear highly sought after.  Gore, which is not uncommonly used in several of the films of this genre, is always something that can get the audience’s blood pumping, especially if the appearance is sudden or unexpected.  It triggers the natural sense of danger nearby and a need for staying away from said danger, whatever it may be portrayed as in the film.  Another aspect of the visual uses is the suddenness of certain portions of each scene.  A murderer very suddenly grabbing his chosen victim from behind while in the shadows would beget a shock from the audience, as well as the accompaniment of the aforementioned sounds already present in the scene.  Yet another contributing factor to the visuals of the movies is the way the actors are shown for the movie.  Desperation, fear, and or many other select emotions on the protagonist’s, or the victim’s, face will also portray the desired effect for the chosen scene.

A crucial part of the horror movies is the framework, which fits hand in hand with the visual aspects of the horror movies, yet is its own category in a way.  With each scene within a film, there are things one sees, typically to the forefront of the focus, and things one will not see on the screen.  It is the things one does not see that cause the most fear in the horror genre.  The frames of the scene are set precisely at certain widths and on certain characters or objects that will produce the greatest feelings of fear within the audience.  Oftentimes, there will be a danger that will not be present on the screen, and yet there is the knowledge something is there, and that stirs up the adrenaline and wariness the filmmakers seek to create in their audiences.  The focus of a scene will also bring these sensations within the frame of each scene of the movie.  For example, the focus of the scene could be on the character speaking, but something in the shadows could move behind him, out of the focus and in the unknown.  Even though it was not within the focus of the scene, it has created more tension and given the question of whether or not the characters are truly secure in the scene to the audience.  It is this factor of the unknown that builds more fright and makes the audience question their own safety.

As shown in the points of interest and structures above, the sounds, imagery, frames, and focus of each scene all pull together during each movie to stimulate the need of security and the fear of that which is not known in an audience.  Even that which is not seen and that which is not heard can create the effects of being afraid in an individual.  All of the components must work together to frighten and thrill the audience and give the desired effect of a horror movie.

Bibliography

The Exorcist. Dir. William Friedkin. Warner Bros. 1973. Film.

“Infrasound Linked to Spooky Effects.” NBC News. NBC News, 4 October, 2015. Web. 7 September, 2003.

A Nightmare On Elm Street. Dir. Wes Craven. New Line Cinema. 1984. Film.

You’re Next. Dir. Adam Wingard. Hanway Films. 2013. Film.