Evolution of Horror

I would say that I am very familiar with the Horror genre after years and years of watching Horror movies. I've notice that techniques that directors use. The father of Horror, Alfred Hitchcock produced the famous Psycho that shocked all audience during the 60s. He killed off the main character Marion. In cinematography, Hitchcock uses cut and editing to direct the audience to what he want that audience to look at. He also utilizes shadows of black and white films. Now many contemporary directors like to use the frame of screen to produce an effect scare. They would do a close up of the actor’s face only to reveal the monster or the ghost. I can guarantee that 8 out of 10 movies have scenes where the camera is close up to the girl’s face while she slowly turns around in a haunted ally. Sound play a crucial role, too. The dramatic and loud sounds that accompany the appearance of the monster successfully allow the audience to feel the tension that the actors convey. In one of the scene of James Wan’s SAW, a girl is seen with a contraption in her face. The camera soon made 360 turns with several jump cut of different angles around the girl as she struggle to get out meanwhile music loud music plays. This shot made the audience more tensed without spending much money. In a more recent movie Insidious, again directed by James Wan, he use cut and editing in a different way. EH would do a medium shot of the ghost and cut to the same shot but with a sinister face of ghost. It’s subtle and last only for a second or two but nevertheless it affectively scared the audience. There are many ways to use the basics of cinematography to change the feeling that affect the audience. From the cut and editing that Hitchcock uses and the cut and editing that Wan uses produce very different effects to audience.