Typical Horror Movie Characters

Female Victim

Vulnerable and in need of protection Usually young, blonde and attractive Often portrayed as stupid and a bit annoying Usually one of the last to be killed Gruesome and graphic death

Non-Believer

Often male Cocky and at ease Tries to convince the other characters there is nothing

wrong Over-confident Usually the first to die After the non-believer’s death, the other characters

and the audience are panicked because there is no voice of reason

Hero

Almost always male

Strong and masculine

Usually the female victim’s boyfriend

Brave, often going after the murderer but never returning

Show little emotion throughout the film

More recently, films are starting to have a female hero, which is challenging the stereotypes that were set back when Horror films started, when the film industry was very sexist

Hysterical Character

Usually female

Usually the female victim’s friend, and girlfriend of the non-believer

Hysterical tendencies reflect on the audience to add more tension

Her own paranoia eventually gets her killed

Known to not want to leave the building she is in

Refuses to listen to the voice of reason

Often the last to die, just as we think she has escaped

Evil Character

Murder, zombie, vampire, werewolf, demon, ghost, monster

Human villains often wear a mask, to play on the fear of the unknown, but also to hide emotions so the audience do not empathise with them

Strong, almost impossible to kill, persistent Most have a sound motif to signal the audience when

they are near (e.g. Jaws)