Genre

Four Key features of Genre 

1) Narrative; The story
2) Characters; the people in the narrative
3) Themes; the issue the film deals with
4) Iconography; The visual style of the film


Typical Action Film 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujByokX6VdA
(James Bond)

Narrative = Drug Trafficking, trying to capture the trader.

Typical characters = Well known, hench men, either experienced or an adoptive character.

Themes = Drugs, Criminals, Violence, technology, Weapons, Perpetrator.

Iconography = Set in different countries, Fast pace, Colour, Special effects and lots of editing.


Horror

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1fu_sA7XhE
(Jaws) 

Narrative: Killer shark, bloody deaths, screams, capturing the killer.

Typical characters: Vunerable (Girls), Children.

Themes: Death, Gore, Sharks, Deep water.

Iconography: Usually smaller isolated places, innocent people can not escape or try unsuccessfully.



Different features of HORROR:

- Supernatural 
- Fantasy
- Nightmares
- Fear and Terror
- Ghosts
- Aliens
- Vampires 
- Werewolves
- Curses
- Torture
- Monsters
- Serial Killers
- Innocent Woman
- Weapons
- Located in fields or normal environments
- Children as Possessed characters

Pyscho: This film is a typical horror film, as the victim is a young, pretty blonde woman. 

Paranormal Activity: This is a more recent example , it is typical as it effects young children and vunerable women.  It is in a house which makes it more isolated and the audience can identify with the setting.  It is also a case of the 'Unknown' Making it scarier.

Shutter Island: Deals with the mentally ill, it is scripted so the audience have no control of how the person feels or reacts though his actions, we 'are' the character, making us rely on the character to defeat the 'evil'.