Wes craven
Wes Craven was an American film director, writer, producer, and actor known for his work on horror films, particularly the sub genre of slasher. He was best known for creating the 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' franchise featuring the Freddy Krueger character. Craven also directed all four films in the 'Scream' series, and co-created the Ghostface character. Some of his other films include 'The Hills Have Eyes', 'The Last House on the Left', 'The People Under the Stairs', 'Red Eye', 'The Serpent and The Rainbow', and 'Vampire in Brooklyn'. He passed away on 30th August, 2015. Craven died of brain cancer, at the age of 76, at his home in Los Angeles.
Wes craven wrote many interesting ideas about classic horror themes/ideas and the things you expect to see depending on the sub genres.
One thing he feels is quite predictable in horror films is that the story line always involves the absence of parents/authority. This creates tension and suspense for a horror film audience because they know that the 'site of activity' character is never going to survive the situation, with nobody to help them, they're are vulnerable. For example, in 'The Ring', the two girls are alone in the big house and one of the girl's mum rings to say she's not going to come home. Another example could be in Wes Craven's first 'Scream' film, Casey is home alone when the killer starts ringing her and her parents don't come back until it's too late.
Another thing he says is that all horror films are aimed at a target audience of 15-25. This is why the characters in horror films are usually attractive younger teens/adults. This engages the viewers more and makes them connect more with what's on screen because they feel that it could happen to them.
The last of his most popular and interesting ideas is that horror films are more scary when the setting is a place that we would expect to be safe. This makes it much more intense. Safe places you wouldn't expect to be killed in could be: a hospital, your own home, a shopping center.
Wes craven wrote many interesting ideas about classic horror themes/ideas and the things you expect to see depending on the sub genres.
One thing he feels is quite predictable in horror films is that the story line always involves the absence of parents/authority. This creates tension and suspense for a horror film audience because they know that the 'site of activity' character is never going to survive the situation, with nobody to help them, they're are vulnerable. For example, in 'The Ring', the two girls are alone in the big house and one of the girl's mum rings to say she's not going to come home. Another example could be in Wes Craven's first 'Scream' film, Casey is home alone when the killer starts ringing her and her parents don't come back until it's too late.
Another thing he says is that all horror films are aimed at a target audience of 15-25. This is why the characters in horror films are usually attractive younger teens/adults. This engages the viewers more and makes them connect more with what's on screen because they feel that it could happen to them.
The last of his most popular and interesting ideas is that horror films are more scary when the setting is a place that we would expect to be safe. This makes it much more intense. Safe places you wouldn't expect to be killed in could be: a hospital, your own home, a shopping center.
Carol Clover
Carol J. Clover is an American professor of film studies, rhetoric language and Scandinavian mythology.She has been widely published in her areas of expertise. Her 1992 book 'Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film' was very successful and made her well known because in the book she developed her "final girl" theory, which changed conceptions of gender in horror films.
The idea of final girl theory can be applied to many horror films/programmes, particularly slashers. The theory says that there is always a girl who lives to the end of the attacks and is the one to confront the killer. Carol Clover says that this girl should stereotypically be brunette, intelligent and appear sensible and perhaps sexually unavailable compared to her friends who will all gradually be killed. Clover's theory says that a final girl is often represented as masculine and should even have a name that could be given to a boy...Charlie, Sydney, Alex. The final girl has been observed in many films including 'Alien' and 'Halloween'.
By Chloe Harris
The idea of final girl theory can be applied to many horror films/programmes, particularly slashers. The theory says that there is always a girl who lives to the end of the attacks and is the one to confront the killer. Carol Clover says that this girl should stereotypically be brunette, intelligent and appear sensible and perhaps sexually unavailable compared to her friends who will all gradually be killed. Clover's theory says that a final girl is often represented as masculine and should even have a name that could be given to a boy...Charlie, Sydney, Alex. The final girl has been observed in many films including 'Alien' and 'Halloween'.
By Chloe Harris