Killers
- 1. Killers in Horror Films I have done some research into killers in horror films. It was quite interesting...
- 2. Deformed facial features: To look different Rape: A common event An everyday object - weapon within society that isn’t He has a back story: correct. he becomes dehumanised when Survives death thrown and he kills anyone who is in his way to becoming He has a back human again. story: His mum was a nun who Almost presents a got trapped and similar theme to jigsaw, being raped, becoming thankful to have life. pregnant to then Theme: Life vs. have Freddy. Deformed facial features death. An everyday object - weapon Mask: depersonalising Mask: He has a back story: he dehumanisation/ develops cancer and realises people are not depersonalisation thankful for their lives. Therefore, he gives them This film is based the opportunity to be more on a true story and grateful and their decision has a background: defines whether they live or Leatherface was die. abused by his Themes of society – parents when appreciating what young. you have! An everyday object - weapon Life vs. death
- 3. All of the ones I found are disguised by a We see representations of morals within society, All the characters that I found mask or have deformed facial features. for example rape, abuse or life appreciation have a back story. They have a This almost isolates them from society, represented through the films. They are based troubled history that causes what makes them stand out and look different. on moral judgements and we commonly see they do to happen. Their difference makes them look more messages represented through whom may get The four examples shown on the scary and menacing. killed. They may spread the messages of morals previous page talk about their in society which are being hidden. back story and how that is They are also depersonalised connected to what they do know. & their humanisation is almost Their back story can often also Stripped. They no longer look like normal connote a theme. For example humans & similar to the rest of us! Jigsaw develops cancer and tries to make people appreciate their lives more by giving them the opportunity before killing them. This can represent the theme of life vs. death and which one are we aiming for more. Do we WHAT DO THE KILLERS appreciate what we have in life? HAVE IN COMMON? Commonly, the back story is connected to the film title. For example Freddy Krueger has the back story of his mother being raped on elm street. We then see him kidnap and kill children in the same place explaining why the Most of the killers in horror films have some sort of weapon. film is called ‘Nightmare on elm This can sometimes be seen as a body part for examples knives street’. as fingernails. Or it can be a physical extension weapon like a bread knife. They are commonly everyday objects that anyone can get hold of and most people have probably used in life. This Resurrection is a key theme within horror makes the story and watching the weapons used more scary as it films. Most of the killers/antagonists get shows you the extreme danger that can be caused with basic killed yet still survive and go on to live and objects. kill further.
- 4. How has this helped me? After researching the conventions portrayed through killers in horror films I now know what features my killer should have. The Christine Blundell make up work shop will help me when creating facial disfigurement in order to dehumanise my killer. I will try to enforce that my killer has a weapon, an everyday one as this emphasizes the danger that can be caused with basic objects and heighten the tension. I will try to portray themes within my trailer like life vs. Death as witnessing death can immediately heightening the suspense for the audience and also attempting to help spread an ideology. Resurrection is a clear theme portrayed in horror films as all killers seem to live on even when they appear to have died. These concepts obviously create successful villains/killers in horror films and therefore I will use Burton’s idea of creating my own character with these conventions therefore ensuring it varies from all others however I will still follow the same killer formula as it has success.