 Horror films are unsettling movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, disgust and horror from viewers  They startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural  Overlap with fantasy, science fiction and thriller genres.

 Isolation  You are alone, or in the middle of nowhere. Thus, no one can help you.  The Uncanny  You are at your home and the horror is also there. Your home is unsafe, or unhomely.

 No longer classic Good vs. Evil (monster)  More confusing and morally ambiguous  Unhappy endings…realism  “A horror movie doesn't just have to be cheap fun, it can also make a serious point.” Zinoman

 Revolves around anticipation and suspense  Aim to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats  The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery  Emphasizes the danger that the protagonist faces  Presents a highly stressful climax

 Action Thriller  An Action Thriller uses physical action to create suspense within the film: chases, fights, battles, and races  Examples: Die Hard, Kill Bill Vol. 1, The Bourne Identity

 Crime Thriller  Crime Thriller film is a sub-genre that incorporates the suspenseful aspects of a thriller with a crime film plot: serial killers, murderers, robberies, manhunts  Examples: The Usual Suspects, The Fugitive, Jagged Edge

 Science Fiction Thriller  Science Fiction Thriller incorporates hypothetical, science-based themes into the plot of the film: heroes, villains, unexplored locations, fantastical quests, advanced technology, “future-gone-bad”, alien invasions, dystopian scenarios, super-diseases  Examples: Aliens, Inception, District 9

 Religious Thriller  Religious Thriller film incorporates religious themes, including religious questions, ceremonies, and objects: exorcisms, demon possession, church cover-ups  Examples: The Devil’s Advocate, The Ninth Gate, The Da Vinci Code

 In addition to the traits of a regular Thriller, a Psychological Thriller incorporates elements of drama and mystery film  The suspense in this sub-genre comes from the mind, rather than from a physical threat  The protagonists in Psychological Thrillers must rely on their mental resources to solve the situation  Because of their nature, many Psychological Thrillers cross over into the Horror genre

 Emphasizes the psychology of its characters and their unstable emotional states  Complex and tortured relationships between obsessive and pathological characters  Can also cause discomfort in audiences by privileging them with information that they wish to share with the characters  Often presents a plots twist  Examples: Memento, Rear Window, Taxi Driver