Compare and contrast the ways in which two horror films Use horror genre conventions

Iconography is a conventional device used to develop the audiences horror at colours, shapes or items that are often exaggerated to emphasise the effect. The device of iconography are signs associated with a particular genre. Commonly used iconography in the horror genre is the dripping blood, giving the impression of violence, or murder. It is a very important convention in the horror genre. However, iconography does not have to be instantly recognisable. In "Dark water", we first notice very early in the film the dark water stain on the ceiling of the room. At this point in the film, this means nothing. However, as the plot thickens, we begin to notice this stain whenever the horror appears. This creates a sense of horror in itself. From what first appeared a normal water stain now becomes a terrifying piece of horror iconography. We also notice that wherever the daughter runs away to, a red handbag appears. Wherever it is put, this bag always finds its way to the scene of the horror. Just like the stain, wherever the audience see the bag, they expect horror to follow. From two objects that are in themselves relatively ordinary, the director has created two objects of strong horror iconography that act as a sort of trigger to the audiences horror, and the expectation of the imminent horror gives some scenes a very tense atmosphere. The water tower on the top floor is a place of dread for the woman. The woman and her daughter seem to be drawn to it, and it also becomes an atmospheric setting. Throughout the film, the woman is intimidated by it, and it is a crucial scene when she is finally strong enough to confront it. This act of confrontation relates to many parts of the audience and the iconography of the water tower represents this. A red handbag, a water stain, and a water tower. These are not scary things, but the director does well to develop these into terrifying pieces of horror iconography. In "The mothman prophecies", there are many pieces of iconography. At the start of the film, the director uses blurred, distorted images of electrical wires and currents. This seems somewhat inhuman, and creates an immediate unstable atmosphere in the audience. When John and Mary Klein visit a house, they are incredibly happy. The first thing that threatens this, is in the form of iconography. At the height of their happiness, we notice a moth fly above their heads. This would not mean anything, except the audience watching it know that the word "moth" appears in the title, therefore it is presumed significant. This results in tension within the audience, it also subsequently leads to the first sighting of the "mothman", and to Mary Klein's death. Colour is also well used in "The mothman prophecies". The red lipstick in the opening sequence, and the blurred extreme close-up shots of red traffic lights are frequently used. Red gives a sense of violence, and develops tension. The close ups and strange sounds and lights are fundamental in creating the atmosphere for "The mothman prophecies". These effects create an atmosphere of confusion and this is exploited well. Both "Dark water" and "The mothman prophecies" use conventional iconography well to develop, and create horror. They both use relatively normal things, such as a handbag or a light to develop the audiences already established horror and create a scary atmosphere.

Narratives can be used by a director to distort a film of the horror genre and to confuse or help the audience understand the plot. The use of narratives is a commonly used convention, and is portrayed in many different ways. In "Dark water", a crucial part of understanding the plot, is watching the narratives within the film. At certain parts in the film, the director uses anti-linear narratives, or flashbacks. We recognise these flashbacks because of the yellow rinse the scene is given. This rinse gives the scenes a sense of abnormality, and is instantly recognised as a scene that is not in the same time frame as the other clean scenes. In "The mothman prophecies", we do not witness any flashbacks. Almost all of the film is in normal order, and although the plot its self includes a change in the order of time, It is presented in a normal order. Towards the end of the film, John Klein starts to have flashbacks of what is going to happen. It is some sort of vision, and the director uses this technique to give the audience instant anticipation of what is to come.

Language is an opportunity for a director to express horror using set conventions or individually using a range of camera angles and effects. Camera angles and movement, special effects and sound devices. These are all important conventions, and commonly used in both films to create horror. The camera angle is the position of the camera relative to the horizontal plane of the subject. Low-angle shots are below the subject, and are used to make subject appear tall and powerful. Whereas in a high-angle shot, the subject appears small and weak. Camera distance is the distance of the camera from the subject, with close-ups to show fear. Whilst camera movement is an actual or stimulated movement relative to the subject. This can show the point of view the director wants the audience to see a scene from, and can also give the impression of somebody being followed. In "Dark water" the director chooses to use many high-angle shots to show the woman and her child. This is incorporated into the film so they are watched on security camera monitors. This gives the impression that they are being watched and makes them seem inferior. The audience is also able to see the two characters through the monitor, but unable to see what is watching them because of the camera position, this creates suspense. The director also, as is conventional, uses many close-ups of the woman's face in order to show her horror. This is extremely effective as we cannot see what she is seeing, only her reaction to it. The director then cuts abruptly to show the cause of the horror. Not much camera movement is actually used in "Dark water". However, when it is used, it is in the top floor, the place where the horror seems to be. Here the director pans the scene, using a slow, steady movement across the corridor from a fixed point. As the scene is in a corridor of a block of flats, there should be nothing out of the ordinary. The director uses this to his advantage, and as the camera slowly pans the scene, he suddenly introduces the horror into it. This results in some horrifying jolts. The only high angle shot used is in the anti-linear narratives, in which the audience is shown a young child that has been abandoned. The yellow rinse used creates a foreign feel to the scene, and the high angle shot emphasises the small , weak, isolated child that we later understand to be the main horror. In "The mothman prophecies", the director seems to favour two types of camera distance, extreme close-up, and a more favourable long shot. He uses extreme close-ups of various things such as wires and traffic lights to disorientate the audience, and give a sense of confusion and the abnormal. Whenever outside or in his car, John Klein is held in a long shot. Many times in the film, the director has the camera zoom out from a close up of the car to a long shot, as it moves. This is ambitious and effective. When the camera follows the car from this long shot, it gives the audience the impression that something is following him.

Sound devices can be used to develop emotion by creating sounds that can identify the tension, confusion, sadness and jolts within the audience. However, the two directors use these devices in very different ways in very different ways. In "Dark water", the director uses this, as is conventionally done in many different films. He arranges and brings together the dialogue, sound effects and music, and combines them all onto one master track. Often in "Dark water" we hear the woman speaking to her daughter with the dripping of water in the background, all the time with the tension building as the music builds up to its climax. In "The mothman prophecies" it is quite different. The director breaks the conventional way sound devices are used, and uses his own techniques to create suspense and horror. There is no music, but sound effects are continuously used throughout the film. The director use strange distorted sounds to give a sense of the abnormal. He does this well, and although it does not build the tension as the music does in "Dark water", it certainly creates an air of uncertainty for the audience.

Special effects are an increasingly common convention in modern horror films, not an essential convention but they can be effective in adding to an already hostile atmosphere with colour and image effects. Both films use it effectively in their own unique way. In "Dark water" there is are hardly any special effects at all, other than the yellow rinsed anti-linear scenes, until the final scenes. The director uses other techniques to create horror. This works to his advantage however, as when he finally brings special effects into the film in the form of the dead girl, this has an even greater effect than at the start of the film, due to the height of the tension. In "The mothman prophecies", special effects are much more frequent. They are first used in the scene where the "moth man" flies at the car. Red filters are used to create this startling image that jolts the audience, and develops the audiences fear of the abnormal. In contrast to "Dark water", the special effects of the "mothman" is brought in very quickly, and towards the end of the film he is not as frightening as he was at the start.

I believe that both films, "Dark water", and "The mothman prophecies, use certain conventions well to develop the audiences horror. I believe that "Dark water" complied well with the basic horror conventions, with good effect. The director of "The mothman prophecies" evidently tries to break certain conventions, when at times I feel it would have been more effective to have just gone along with them. The devices used by both directors were at times individual, but the audiences understanding and horror was created around the basic guide lines of the genre's conventions. The iconography in "Dark water" was well used, and I believe the director did well to create some very frightening sequences using only a red handbag and a water tower. The director of "The mothman prophecies" included some good iconography, but it was at times hard to understand, and too often he expects the audience to read between the lines. The main horror in both films, the dead girl in "Dark water", and the "moth man" in "The mothman prophecies" were both terrifying but for two crucial mistakes by the two directors. In "Dark water" it was terrifying not knowing what the thing was. As soon as the audience see it, they know what it is, but the mystery has gone, it is no longer frightening. In "The mothman prophecies", although the audience know what the "mothman" looks like they still do not know what it is, and what it can do. The director makes the mistake of making it speak. By doing this he humanises it, it is not as supernatural as the audience first believes. I believe both films suffer because of this.

Overall, I believe that "Dark water" uses horror genre conventions to the best effect. The director merges his own ideas with traditional conventions to great effect in the film, but it does not work well with the Hollywood aspects of the film. Horror genre conventions are evident in both films and the way they are directed has given me obvious indications on the effect the horror conventions can have on a film when used well, and the adverse effect when not used well. Both Japanese and American society are evident in these films, and the style of the films are similar to the nationality of the two directors. Horror conventions are used in both films, but the way they are used are quite different, and these contrasting styles are key in how effective the two films are to their audience.