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With lots of horror films being produced in a year, clichés are a must when making a horror film. From the plot to the scenery and most importantly the characters, horror films are typically packed with stereotypes. While many may think that stereotypes seize the thrill of certain films, producers are still able to enhance certain film plots.
3 of the most common horror film stereotypical characters are:
1. The Killer
Killers can be found in many forms such as a ghost, a vampire, a zombie or typically a man that struggles with deeper problems within his mind. Adam Rockoff in his work states that in most horror films,
“The killer is an ordinary person who has suffered some terrible and sometimes not so terrible trauma. It is because of this past injustice that he seeks vengeance and the bloodier the better”. [1]
Figure 1 - The killer Michael Myers in the movie "Halloween" by John Carpenter [2]
Usually covered by a scary mask, to hide their identity from the viewers, killers have the job of playing the viewers’ unknown fears and enhance the horror experience. Contrasting with other film types, killers usually kill their victims with sharp objects, such as kitchen knives, chainsaws, or blunt objects such as hammers or a screwdriver.
Another feature of a stereotypical killer is even after being stabbed, punched, electrocuted or sometimes shot, killers are always able to stand up and continue to chase and haunt their victims. [3].
Lastly, killers typically have the most important role and play the biggest impact on the viewers fears, by striking fear into them. They create the suspension, that all viewers dread for when choosing to watch a horror film.
2. The Female Victim/Hysterical Girl
Also known as the blonde girl, the female victim/hysterical girl is the most common horror film stereotypical character, after the killer obviously.
Figure 2 - Hysterical Girl in the movie "Psycho" by Alfred Hitchcock [4]
This character may appear as irritating at first with all the screaming and crying, but certainly plays a very important in creating suspense and making an impact on the viewers. Usually makes life-threatening decisions and acts clueless most of the time, while being chased by the killer.
Even though, the hysterical girl is usually oblivious, many times is usually the last one standing. However, by the end of the film, she still manages to get stabbed by the killer in a graphic with also nudity involved most of the times. [5]
Finally, viewers may find the hysterical girl extremely obnoxious and find themselves wishing that she gets killed the moment she starts speaking, but it is of extreme importance for us to understand what an important role this stereotypical character plays in most horror films.
3. The cop/The Sheriff
The cop/the sheriff is somewhat irrelevant when it comes to horror movies, due to the lack of
authority, but viewers still may find this stereotypical character particularly interesting.
Figure 3 - Example of a bad cop in the horror film "Invisible Man", Leigh Whannell [7]
Usually, sceptical about the warnings the teenager victims give him or refusing to help them in any circumstances, the cop “never seems to be around when you need them the most.” [6]. However, in some occasions when cops seem to care about the victims worries and reach the final verdict of who the killer may be and finally crack the case that they were working on for the entirety of the film… they get killed.
Sometimes, viewers may find that cops are extremely unhelpful and oblivious, just like many other stereotypical characters. In most cases, cops only get involved when the killer is after someone they know, typically their daughter or other loving family member. Worst case scenario, sheriffs/cops may be involved with the killer himself and plotting against the victims, building a whole different plot on to the film. [8]
In conclusion, these stereotypical characters play a very important role in a horror film plot. From the Killer to the Sheriff/Cop, producers are still able to enhance the film plot and therefore the viewers experience with the normal stereotypical characters. Viewers may question that with clichés the thrill will tend to seize, which will never be the case, due to other many aspects such as sound/music, jump scares and setting location.
Most importantly, clichés will always be a must when it comes to the production or making of horror films.
References
[1] Rockoff, A. “Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986.” Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2002.
[2] HILL, D., CARPENTER, J., PLEASENCE, D., CURTIS, J. L., SOLES, P. J., & LOOMIS, N. John Carpenter's Halloween. 2007.
[3] Brewer, C. "The stereotypic portrayal of women in slasher films: then versus now". LSU Master's Theses. 2009.
[4] HITCHCOCK, A., LEIGH, J., PERKINS, A., & BLOCH, R. ”Psycho.” Shamley Productions. 1960.
[5] Colebank, Jeff. “Top 10 Most Stereotyped Characters in Horror Films” [Available on-line]. https://horrornews.net/41413/top-10-most-stereotyped-characters-in-horror-films/ (accessed 28/2/2021). 2011.
[6] Erstad, W. “6 Stereotypical Horror Movie Characters You May Encounter in Your Real-Life Graphic Design Career” [Available on-line]. https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/horror-movie-characters-in-graphic-design/ (accessed 28/2/2021). 2016.
[7] Whannell, L. “The Invisible Man.” Universal Pictures. 2020.
[8] West, T. “15 Most Common Horror Movie Stereotype Characters.” [Available on-line]. https://screenrant.com/most-common-horror-movie-stereotype-characters/ (accessed 28/2/2021). 2021.
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