Analysis Of PropsAnalysis Of PropsThere are various props that are conventionally used as pieces of horror film iconography.

Props are important because they give the audience hints to the narrative of the film and also the sub-genre that the film belongs to. By looking at what props are used, I will be able to find

out more about what should be included over our promotional package.

BloodBlood• One piece of iconography that is commonly used over horror films is blood; this is

because it immediately indicates to the audience that the characters are going to hurt/murdered in the film, attracting horror film fans. Blood is most commonly used in slasher films in order to make the audience feel squeamish, as well as excite them in watching the film. Blood is an effective prop as it shocks the audiences and makes them fear the antagonist. One film where blood is a prominent feature is ‘Saw’. In ‘Saw’, gruesome death traps are used on victims in order to kill them in violent ways, as seen in the image below.

MirrorsMirrors• The use of a mirror as a prop is

conventional in horror films, especially of the psychological sub-genre. One way in which a mirror can be used in a horror film is for the victim to be looking in the mirror when they see the antagonist behind them. This usually results in a jump-scare for the audience, making them feel fearful and intrigued to watch the film. In psychological horror films, the protagonist/antagonist is often seen looking in the mirror and hating what they see, resulting in a rage with the mirror getting smashed. An example of this can be seen in the film poster for ‘The Unborn’.

WeaponsWeapons• Weapons are a large part of the horror genre as a whole; the audience have

expectations to see violence and weapons in a horror film. In a slasher, common weapons would be a knife or a chainsaw; something that could quickly kill a victim, whilst causing major damage to their bodies, revealing blood and gore to the audience. In psychological horror films, weapons are less common, however, we do still see them occasionally, for example, when the antagonist turns crazy and tortures someone. A good example for this is ‘Misery’, a film where a crazy women takes in and tortures a writer that she is obsessed with.

Children’s ToysChildren’s Toys• In the supernatural and possession sub-genre, children’s toys are often

turned sinister and used to scare the audience. This is effective because children seem innocent and vulnerable, but in the films, they’re evil. An example of this would be a baby monitor with an evil spirit talking through it, or a children’s song being turned sinister, as heard in ‘Freddy Kruger’s’ song. These props are used to scare audiences, making them believe that even innocent things can be demonic. An example of this is the toy box from ‘The Conjuring’.

Religious SymbolsReligious Symbols• Many supernatural and possession films use religious items as iconography

and props in their narratives. These items are used to represent the Devil coming and taking over, for example, when the cross falls off of the wall in ‘The Conjuring’. Religious symbols are also used in order to get rid of the demonic presence from a character/location. This is effective because religion is supposed to make people feel safe, so it scares audience’s when something safe and religious can be turned into something sinister. An example of this is in ‘The Possession’ where a Rabbi is called in to help a family in danger.