Pros, cons and the code and conventions of psychological horror films

Pros, cons and the code and conventions of psychological horror films

Psychological horror films are an element of fiction and they aim to create horrific or unsettling effects through the use of psychology. 

The typical code and conventions of a psychological horror film:

• Replaces physical threat with psychological ones 
• Explores the ind of the involved protagonists
• Creates discomfort by exposing common emotional fears and vulnerabilities 
• Reveals the darker parts of human psyche
• Common examples of psychological horror include movies such as "The Grudge" or "Orphan"
• They are based on factual occurrences in real life 
• Rely on the audience's mind to create the horror effect
• Expose evils that hide behind normality 
• Tend to use the twisted mind rather than be physical
• Jumpy moments rather than weapons
• Big houses, woodland, schools, warehouses, hospitals - this adds a sense of realism in relation to the audience
• Tend to have flash backs to inform the killers state of mind 
• Use children as killers - breaking the conventions to shock the audience
• The use of places such as hospitals immediately gives connotations of pain and death, which then may link to the actual plot of the movie. 
• Like most horror movies, scenes are typically set in the night to create a sense of fear for the audience. 

Pros

- Suggests how the mind can be used to haunt and play tricks on people

- Can be less expensive in terms of the use of costumes and props - psychological horrors often use the mind so therefore you may spend less.

- Can portray a sense of realism, particularly in the setting where places such as hospitals are used. 

- Often shows how normal people can also be affected psychologically. 

Cons

- It can be difficult to actually tell that the protagonist is possessed, haunted or disturbed through the screen

- Acting may be difficult for those who are not professionals, again this is due to the characters mainly being mentally disturbed rather than physically

- Location must be selected very carefully to create the correct atmosphere and mood of the film

-Most psychological horror movies rely mostly on editing, therefore editing must be of a high standard in order to for the 'horror' effect to show through.