Horror Sub-Genre Research

J-Horror Definition: Japenese horror fiction, More tradional horror genre compared to western interpretation of horror

Outlining Characteristics: Tends to focus on pyschological horror eg: builidng suspense Usually involving ghosts, poltergeists Will contain Japanese characters Many contain themes of folk religion eg: exorcism and possession J-Horror

‘The Grudge’ Is an Example of a Japanese horror film 0sBeE J-Horror The grudge can be recognised as a japanese horror film because the main character who plays the grudge is Japanese and plays the part of a female possessed by a spirit which is a common narrative in Japanese horror movies. Historically the Japanese associate spirts with water which is why frequently throughout this modern Japanese horror film the Grudge appears in locations like the bathroom or outside in the snow

Slasher-Stalker Definition: A sub-genre within horror and thriller involving a psychopathic stalker murdering a sequence of victims usually with a bladed weapon and in a graphically violent way

Outlining Characteristics: Usually a male stalker/slasher Props include blood and bladed weapons for example a knife, machete, axe or chainsaw Narratives often includes acts of violence towards women with women interested in sexual activity being the first to be killed, there is often a ‘final girl’ who survives The villain/killers identity is often hidden through the mise en scene such a creative lighting, a mask or camera techniques Slasher-Stalker

‘Friday the 13 th ’ is one of the most well known examples of a stalker-slasher horror movie. It ca be clearly recognised within this sub-genre because the narrative involves a male serial killer who murders a sequence of victims using a machete. His identity is concealed using the mask in the pool of blood shown in the poster, these are props comonly used within this sub-genre. The film included explicit sexual content, the female character involved in this is the first to be murdered where as there is a ‘final girl’ who survives unil the end. This a comon theme belonging to the stalker- slasher sub- genre. Slasher-Stalker IE