Write a written analysis of two horror films

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Alex Bull

Write a written analysis of two horror films

        The horror genre is characterized by the attempt to make the viewer experience dread, fear and terror. Some of the most common elements include vampires, zombies and werewolves.

        One of the films which I am going to analyze is “Halloween” by John Carpenter which starred Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence. This film was made in 1978; this was considered the film which started the “slasher film” genre. This genre was continued in dozens of violent movies throughout the 1980s.

        Halloween grossed over $60 million, and was a surprise hit; it was one of the most successful independent films ever made.

        The meaning in this film, I believe, is the idea that everyone who dies in the film is sexually promiscuous, while the “innocent” virgin heroine survives. With the main character “Laurie” a virgin, she is able to escape mostly unharmed as does Tommy Doyle, but others who are more promiscuous and sexually active are less fortunate and suffer deadly consequences as victims. In this film, murders often occur after sexual encounters when victims are distracted and off-guard.  It is almost seen as some kind of “punishment” for those who are sexually active and use drugs. Although Carpenter has said that this was not intentional.

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        Halloween made the audience experience fear and terror throughout as the suspenseful stalkings and killings are seen from the point of the killer’s eyes, a few times looking through the mask, this makes us as an audience feel more involved in the film and therefore feel more fear towards the people getting chased/killed. Other scenes are viewed through the eyes of the characters in danger or by heavy breathing of Michael Myers, this builds suspense for us a viewer and we wonder what will happen next when we most expect it. Almost every scene is filmed with the camera consistently ...

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