Horror film clichés

Horror film clichés

Read an article about horror film clichés to practise and improve your reading skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.

Preparation

Reading text

Five horror film clichés

Since almost the beginning of cinema, we have had scary films. Of all the genres that exist, horror is perhaps one of the most conventional. Many horror films rely on specific plot devices, also called tropes, to make their audience frightened. When a trope is used too much, it can become a cliché. But when used well, it can really make us jump out of our skin. Here are some of the most used, and perhaps abused, clichés in horror films.

1

No matter what kind of house it is, the basement is a scary place in horror films. That's usually where something is hiding or where the evil psychopath has hidden their tools. Basements are always dark and often damp. You can only reach them by a narrow staircase. And basements are always creepy, even when there isn't anything down there.

2

In older horror films, when protagonists were in desperation, it was difficult or impossible for them to call for help or call the police. Mobile phones have made that situation a bit less believable now. What's the solution to maintain suspense? No phone coverage! If you're a hero in a horror film, it's almost certain that at a key moment, just when you absolutely need to call for help, you will not have any coverage at all. Or your phone battery will die just as you are making the call. Or both.

3

Horror films love uninhabited places. This could be an abandoned hospital, a scary empty house or a ghost town. There's something about lonely, empty places. What was it like when people lived there? Why did they leave? Maybe it's also that they are so quiet, which can be very scary too. Of course, abandoned places are also handy for horror film directors in that it's more believable that you will have no phone coverage there either (see above).

4

The hero has been driving for hours. It's night-time and it's beginning to rain. Suddenly he sees a person on the side of the road. Maybe the company will keep him awake? In horror films, giving anybody a ride is asking for trouble. The hero always does it, and it always ends badly.

5

This horror film cliché was especially popular with horror films of the late 20th century. It starts with a group of teenagers all enjoying themselves, and it ends with everyone dead except one girl. At the beginning the girl is usually innocent, shy and not particularly strong. By the end, she has become the toughest and most resourceful person in the world. The last girl almost always wins in the end.

Task 1

Task 2

Discussion

Download
Worksheet60.86 KB

Language level

Topics

Average: 4.5 (51 votes)
Profile picture for user Rafaela1

Submitted by Rafaela1 on Fri, 02/10/2020 - 15:29

Permalink
spooky!!!!!! creepy!!!!!!

Submitted by FuntimeLobita on Sun, 20/09/2020 - 12:31

Permalink
Another cliché is hiding in closed or small spaces. Imagine a character from a Horror film hiding from a monster under a bed or in the wardrobe. Maybe now that you are just imagining it doesn't sounds so scary, but make sure of this: you may have ever seen a horror film with this kind of cliché and got scared, if not, you will see one.

Submitted by Acorn on Tue, 28/07/2020 - 03:30

Permalink
My English teacher taught to me this every day. I have a lot of stress :(
Profile picture for user OlaIELTS

Submitted by OlaIELTS on Sat, 16/05/2020 - 15:19

Permalink
Yes. I does. Yes. I could.

Submitted by Angel e on Thu, 09/04/2020 - 00:09

Permalink
Another chiché and conventional ingredient in horror films for making people out of their skin is the music, especially piano music, e.g. when a protagonist gets involved in a curious walk aiming to find the ghost, music makes the suspense more creepy when the deformed face comes out to the scene. Most of horrors films are nowadays so predictable with lots of silly and fool protagonists, it is really difficult to watch a really creepy and horror film these days.

Submitted by aldolotta on Sun, 22/03/2020 - 19:20

Permalink
Very interesting. I remember that reading Sherlock Holmes adventures or Dracula I found so many tropes I can see now used as clichés in crime or horror movies and tv series

Submitted by heeyoungkim on Thu, 12/03/2020 - 06:19

Permalink
Before opening the door, we do not know what is in there. A character clear the throat. There is no light, sounds make us nervous..

Submitted by Praveen kumar on Sat, 05/10/2019 - 10:39

Permalink
I like suspense in the horror movie.