Category: Unit 06

Aesthetics of Horror

The entire horror genre is an important aspect of popular culture and is a direct reflection of the time period that it was created in. In order to focus in on this topic, I chose a popular culture film I viewed in a class recently that can be analyzed using Noel Carroll’s reading “Why Horror?” The chosen film is Rocky Horror Picture Show. The film brings in elements of horror through its use of science fiction, uniquely gendered characters, and a scene involving two sexual assaults. For those readers who have yet to see the film, I can briefly describe it as a musical starring Brad and Janet, a young, all-American couple who get a flat tire in the woods during a storm and seek out help at a nearby castle. When Brad and Janet come into the castle it’s eerie and the wait staff seems strangely off. They finally meet the owner, Dr. Frank-N-Furter and it turns out he is a transvestite from Transylvania. Frank-N-Furter (Frank for short), played by Tim Curry, is a bisexual man dressed as a woman who also happens to be an evil scientist. Frank has just used special technology to create his ideal partner, Rocky. The movie ends up following Brad and Janet on their journey through the castle and a rather strange series of events unfolds. (Spoiler Alert) Brad and Janet eventually both engage in nonconsensual sex with Frank, Janet experiences a sexual revolution, and it’s discovered that Frank and his friends are aliens.

To understand how horror is shown in the film we have to first understand horror and what makes it so interesting. In Noel Carroll’s essay titled, “Why Horror?” he outlines what he thinks to be the driving reasons for people finding the horror genre to be interesting despite it showing images of the very things we label as repulsive. Carroll’s important explanation is that, “It [horror] engages its audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation” (p. 279). Carroll also states that, “Pleasure derives from having our interest in the outcome of such questions satisfied” (p. 276). From these quotes we can deduct that although horror often brings on feelings of fear or disgust it’s pleasurable because it sparks our curiosity, imagination, and involves us in the process of inquiry.

Rocky Horror Picture Show introduced audiences to something they had never seen before. They felt involved with Brad and Janet on their journey to understanding what was happening in this castle filled with strange people. Given the time period of the film, it was not socially acceptable to be dressed in drag or be so publicly open about your sexuality. When we find out that Frank and his colleagues are aliens from the planet of Transylvania there’s something symbolic about this discovery. The fact that these sexually diverse characters commit an act of sexual assault and are also aliens rings a warning that interactions with such people will result in corruption. So is it possible that some horror artifacts are meant to act as warnings for society?

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Horror & Noise

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a great show when looking at the aesthetics of horror. The show is a science fiction drama about a normal, young woman who kills vampires. There are several aspects of film which are important to understanding the genre and themes. First, mise en scene looks at the logistics of the film. Mise en scence has to do with the production, filming, design, lighting, color, movement, and performance of the actors. In the particular episode of Buffy we viewed this week, mise en scene is used when Buffy dozes off in class and “awakes” in a dream to find herself in a dark hallway where a young girl is singing. The scene utilizes dark lighting, distant singing, and Buffy’s slow movements to create an eerie feel as if something is about to go wrong. Buffy wakes from the dream suddenly and the fast change of scenery makes it apparent that the previous scene was meant to be a dream.

Encapsulated in mise en scene is also sound. There are two categories of sound in film, diagetic and non-diagetic sound. Diagetic sound includes internal sounds that are within the scene and visible. In Buffy, all of the dialogue between Buffy and her friends, the young girl singing, and the sounds of doors opening and closing are diagetic sounds. Non-diagetic sounds are external and their source is not seen on screen. During the opening credits of Buffy, there’s wolves howling and music that are not internal to the scenes. Other than this, there’s distinct musical keys between scene transitions that alert the viewer to the change. When Buffy awoke from her dream there was a loud screech like sound and the scene changed to her jolting awake in the classroom. Since this noise did not come from on screen but rather an external jolt it is considered non-diagetic.

The mise en scene, diagetic, and non-diagetic sounds all helped to emphasize the element of horror in Buffy. The scene of Buffy dozing off into a scary dream is relatable, the sounds of the little girl singing in silence, and the scary face and loud noise that awake Buffy are all eerie. I think what truly makes Buffy horror is the supernatural aspects. Although they aren’t very realistic they are scary because we don’t understand it or experience it. The way Buffy is filmed also adds an aspect of horror with the “flashes” during supernatural battle scenes.