Media Studies

A2 Genre Study

SESSION 3
Hor r or imager y and
desensitisation
What is the effect of
extreme imagery?
 Could it affect our
moral wellbeing?
 Could it influence
our actions?
 Does it make
people enjoy
violence?
 Does it blur fantasy
and reality?
 Studies into horror
imagery and effects
Fear of the Configuratio
breakdown of n of night
law & order in and dark
horror films reminded
them of
their youth

Rats
WW2 was seen disliked; a
as an reminder
experience of of poor
real horror & living
compromised conditions
their interest Adapted from “From Beezlebub to
in imaginary Blair Witch” by PAUL WELLS (2000)
horror
 Studies into horror
imagery and effects
“PSYCHO” Hammer
was seen as films were
still an example
shocking & of vivid use
frightening of blood

Contempora
Contemporary
ry films
films like “THE
showed
EXORCIST”
good special
were too
effects
violent &
frightening Adapted from “From Beezlebub to
Blair Witch” by PAUL WELLS (2000)
 Studies into horror
imagery and effects
Believed Experienced
U.S. horror a slow
was disengagem
superior to ent with the
British genre
horror

Disliked
Noticed that the
the genre now predictabili
had less ty of 1980s
passive roles horror
for women; films
women fought
the monster Adapted from “From Beezlebub to
Blair Witch” by PAUL WELLS (2000)
 Studies into horror
imagery and effects
Were keen Loved
to learn comedic
about how aspects &
effects were were not put
created off by
predictability

Admired
Enjoyed the specific
spectacle directors
(blood and and their
gore), but work
understood
the concept of Adapted from “From Beezlebub to
film as artifice Blair Witch” by PAUL WELLS (2000)
 Are YOU
desensitised?
To discover whether the findings of PAUL WELLS are
correct, you are going to see clips from three texts which
you will be covering during the genre study.

Once you have seen each clip, write a short paragraph

about it, carefully considering the following points :

 What imagery sticks in your mind? Why?

 What was your gut reaction to it? How did it affect you
emotionally?
 Why do you think the clip affected you in that way?
What has happened
to horror imagery?
 From the 1930s to the
late 1960s, the images
were IMPLICIT.
 From the late 1960s to
mid 1990s, imagery was
more EXPLICIT.
 From the mid 1990s to
the present, imagery has
become more IMPLICIT
again.
What has happened
to horror imagery?

2006 Implicit 1930

1995 Explicit 1968

 What does desensitisation
tell us about audience
expectations?
Overall
 They want scenes of implied or explicit
violence
 They want to be scared as much as
possible
 They want much less predictability
within the genre
 Desensitisation-
a summary
Get back into the group you were in for the horror
synopsis exercise. Now, look at your work and
consider the fact that your target audience will be
desensitised to the imagery discussed in this lesson.

Write an evaluation of the imagery you would use in your

30 minute film, considering the following issues :

 Does your film satisfy the desensitised audience?

 Why or why not?
 Now that you have examined the importance of
images, what aspect of the visual style or plot you
would you change?
 Why have you chosen this element?