300 word summary of 12 icons of horror
Light - can symbolize many things, such as hope, escape, and even death. Sunlight normally provides a sense of comfort so the opposites of sunlight and horror can be unnerving, such as the graveyard scene in Night of the Living Dead (1968). Candles, lanterns, and flashlights are common sources of light in horror, as the light can only be cast so far while the surrounding darkness is full with shadows.
Weapons – A majority of horror films involve the use of weapons, from machine guns to chainsaws. Weapons have phallic symbolism that suggests masculine power/patriachy and the woman that outsmarts the monster essentially castrates him. Leather face's weapon in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) is the ultimate phallic symbol of power. The type of weapons a writer chooses for his or her monster – knife, gun, sword, club, saw.
Masks – with films like slasher classics masks are most often used to disguise evil. Masks usually hide everything except for the eyes, which makes them unnerving, like doll faces. In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leather face wears three different masks (made from human skin) that reflect his mood or victim. And who will ever forget hockey-masked Jason or white-faced Michael Myers which reinforce the stereotype of a mask.
Doors and Windows – Doors and windows have many symbolic meanings. With windows, a person has a limited perspective and is like a spectator, not part of the outside world. The person looking through the window may be frightened of the world outside or physically unable to be part of it. On the other hand, a character can walk through a door and doors are symbolic of opportunity. However in horror doors and windows typically represent entrapment or freedom. In the film night of the living dead doors are dangerous as zombies can get through them.
religious symbolism - In most horror films religion is used as the monster usually believes that things such as voodoo, satanic, or christian beliefs are stronger than humans, they therefore use a supernatural take to show power over people, usually men over women. religion also symbolizes life and death, this is demonstrated when characters in films attempt to fight off inner and outer demons and good vs evil.
symbols of death - In horror films death is almost unstoppable and obvious that it will occur as that is partly why you would watch a horror, however there are multiple props and objects that are used to symbolize death, for example in religious horrors things like graves, crucifixes, coffins and more are used to represent or foreshadow death.
keys and locks - In horror films keys and locks are seen as a way of hiding things and containing secrets or hiding places and objects that will end up causing the victim to find a way of getting in which will lead to their entrapment or death.In certain films such as the others, keys and locks are used in order to protect her children as their condition will lead to their death if sunlight gets to them.
color - Colors in horror films often consist of typical colors which represent death or danger such as red which symbolizes blood and death, black represents darkness and fear but white represents good as it connotes hope. These colors are meant to symbolize the difference between good and evil. Red and Black are the signs of hell which is evil, and white is heavenly and pure.
Dolls - Normally dolls are seen as nice, innocent, nurturing things that young kids play with, however horror films subvert this stereotype and make them come across as controlling as they usually posses kids, scary due to their in-proportionate bodies and killers, this is shown in Chucky and Annabelle.
Mirrors – Mirrors, or a mirror effect such as reflections in glass or water, can have many symbolic meanings though typically represent the multiple qualities of characters. Broken mirrors have obvious connotations of shattered lives and personalities. Mirrors can also represent vanity, and sexual themes – we display our bodies and beautify ours faces in front of them in private. Mirrors can also reflect dangers.
Tunnels and Corridors - these have a yonic symbolization as they represent female power over men which is a fear for men. In-addition to this it represents how a woman can give or take away someones life, this is demonstrated in TEETH.
Fabric – Fabric appears in many forms in horror, such as drapes, tapestries, and furniture dust coverings. Fabric can disguise horror and intensify it through movement or the suggested presence of something behind it. The protagonist can also hide behind fabric, but of course is not protected by it. In The Others (2001), the mother hears voices in the home and enters a room where all the stored items are covered with dust cloths. As the voices intensify, she begins pulling down the cloths to try to reveal the source.
Weapons – A majority of horror films involve the use of weapons, from machine guns to chainsaws. Weapons have phallic symbolism that suggests masculine power/patriachy and the woman that outsmarts the monster essentially castrates him. Leather face's weapon in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) is the ultimate phallic symbol of power. The type of weapons a writer chooses for his or her monster – knife, gun, sword, club, saw.
Masks – with films like slasher classics masks are most often used to disguise evil. Masks usually hide everything except for the eyes, which makes them unnerving, like doll faces. In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leather face wears three different masks (made from human skin) that reflect his mood or victim. And who will ever forget hockey-masked Jason or white-faced Michael Myers which reinforce the stereotype of a mask.
Doors and Windows – Doors and windows have many symbolic meanings. With windows, a person has a limited perspective and is like a spectator, not part of the outside world. The person looking through the window may be frightened of the world outside or physically unable to be part of it. On the other hand, a character can walk through a door and doors are symbolic of opportunity. However in horror doors and windows typically represent entrapment or freedom. In the film night of the living dead doors are dangerous as zombies can get through them.
religious symbolism - In most horror films religion is used as the monster usually believes that things such as voodoo, satanic, or christian beliefs are stronger than humans, they therefore use a supernatural take to show power over people, usually men over women. religion also symbolizes life and death, this is demonstrated when characters in films attempt to fight off inner and outer demons and good vs evil.
symbols of death - In horror films death is almost unstoppable and obvious that it will occur as that is partly why you would watch a horror, however there are multiple props and objects that are used to symbolize death, for example in religious horrors things like graves, crucifixes, coffins and more are used to represent or foreshadow death.
keys and locks - In horror films keys and locks are seen as a way of hiding things and containing secrets or hiding places and objects that will end up causing the victim to find a way of getting in which will lead to their entrapment or death.In certain films such as the others, keys and locks are used in order to protect her children as their condition will lead to their death if sunlight gets to them.
color - Colors in horror films often consist of typical colors which represent death or danger such as red which symbolizes blood and death, black represents darkness and fear but white represents good as it connotes hope. These colors are meant to symbolize the difference between good and evil. Red and Black are the signs of hell which is evil, and white is heavenly and pure.
Dolls - Normally dolls are seen as nice, innocent, nurturing things that young kids play with, however horror films subvert this stereotype and make them come across as controlling as they usually posses kids, scary due to their in-proportionate bodies and killers, this is shown in Chucky and Annabelle.
Mirrors – Mirrors, or a mirror effect such as reflections in glass or water, can have many symbolic meanings though typically represent the multiple qualities of characters. Broken mirrors have obvious connotations of shattered lives and personalities. Mirrors can also represent vanity, and sexual themes – we display our bodies and beautify ours faces in front of them in private. Mirrors can also reflect dangers.
Tunnels and Corridors - these have a yonic symbolization as they represent female power over men which is a fear for men. In-addition to this it represents how a woman can give or take away someones life, this is demonstrated in TEETH.
Fabric – Fabric appears in many forms in horror, such as drapes, tapestries, and furniture dust coverings. Fabric can disguise horror and intensify it through movement or the suggested presence of something behind it. The protagonist can also hide behind fabric, but of course is not protected by it. In The Others (2001), the mother hears voices in the home and enters a room where all the stored items are covered with dust cloths. As the voices intensify, she begins pulling down the cloths to try to reveal the source.
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