Examples of Horror Films

Mama (original short with interview with Guillermo Del Toro)

This two minute indie short from Spain captures the claustrophobia and panic of a domestic horror while also being supernatural and creepy with the warped mother figure that is the focus of the short. This is currently being made into a feature length film and is being produced by Guillermo Del Toro who is famous for Pan's Labyrinth and other twisted films. This is a good example of a horror film because although it was very short and doesn't really feature much action, the domestic an claustrophobic setting makes this a very creepy and tense short film. The one shot technique where the there is no editing, makes the tension build up because the lack of editing loses the disconnect from the events on the screen and creates tension. 

REC

REC is a Spanish cult horror film from 2007. This is a good example of a horror film because the use of a story but the fact it isn't obvious at first glance, makes the events seem more believable and focused on the characters and their experiences. Also, the use of a found-footage format puts the audience in the action so when something runs at the screen - it runs at the audience which makes the horror seem more personal. This can sometimes be a negative in a film because it is used as a gimmick but in REC makes the format seem natural and the fact they are news-reporters makes the use believable. Furthermore, the use of mise-en-scene in the character design creates terrifying monsters which shock the audience and are genuinely scary without going over-the-top and seeming un-realistic. This film has some of the scariest scenes in film history but they only work in context with the rest of the film which makes the whole film work and become enjoyable. 

28 Days Later

28 Days later is a British horror film from Danny Boyle. This is a very good example of a horror film because it uses a variety of stylistics which create a sense of panic and madness with the zombies in the film. Also the first use of running zombies breaks the conventions of the zombie film genre and makes the zombies seem much more terrifying. Furthermore, the film doesn't just have zombies as the antagonists, the use of people as the main antagonists shows an in-depth criticism of human nature and shows people as just as bad as the zombies they are fighting. This makes the characters look more vulnerable and in more danger, creating tension. The film was made on a low budget using basic cameras, this made the quality of the film look more like the news because of the grainy style. This makes it seem more surreal and realistic at the time, creating fear in the audience.