Horror movies have been a trademark amongst audiences when Halloween time draws close, and has been for a very long time. The first horror film was made around the beginning of the 18th century, yet was lost over time, inspiring many films of the supernatural. From there the genre’s popularity boosted with movies like The Conjuring, Orphan, Scream, and Halloween are just a few of the many horror films that are popular amongst mature audiences. What exactly is it about these movies, and others, that draw in people, perhaps so far as to call them masterpieces?

Even the slightest shade or angle can greatly alter someone’s emotions. One of which is fear. Which is why cinematography plays a big role when making a horror film. Everything in it must evoke some sort of disturbance, uneasiness, and anxiety in its viewer to truly create this sensation of being a part of the film. Piper Kruger, a member of the film club, believes so too.

“If you do not have good cinematography, then it is not going to be a good film. The viewer isn’t going to feel they’re included in the film,” Piper said.  “They’re going to feel like they’re just watching it, they’re just consuming it, but they’re not really understanding what’s going on.”

With the underlying sensation of apprehension comes suspense. Surprise is what may or may not make or break a horror film. Shock is what reels in viewers. This is why many horror film directors turn to gore and jumpscares as a way to really scare and shock movie goers, yet there are times when gore may be taken too far or overdone to the point where it is lackluster.

“Directors shouldn’t do jumpscares often where it’s a constant thing,” Piper states. “They should be spaced out so you don’t know what’s going to happen next.” 

That doesn’t mean horror film directors should stray away from gore and sometimes movies may need it to really help enhance the fear factor, but what really counts is the plot and writing. For years audiences have had the same characters and the same storyline. This doesn’t mean directors need to come up with a plot that is beyond its time, but what counts is how realistic the movie truly feels. Without realism, viewers may not feel emotionally connected to the characters or the film or not even feel a single thing at all. In order to reach this level of realism, directors and writers need to be able to create situations that viewers would find themselves in with consequences and actions that audiences can understand. Empathy is the way into someone’s heart, mind, and fear, without it the whole movie can feel void. Leah Wagner, an avid horror movie lover, thinks that as well.

“I really do not like the main character in Pet Cemetery because the main character was really boring,” Leah said. “The main character kept doing things, at the end of the movie you weren’t scared. You just ask “Why did he do that?””

At the end of the day, people still go out and watch horror movies, whether they are good or bad. What is  important is that people can enjoy these movies and everything the genre has to offer.