Deconstruction of Film Titles According to Genre

Deconstruction of Film Titles According to Genre

As we want to do a hybrid genre for our film opening, I decided to look into multiple genres including:

• Psychological Horror
• Slasher Horror
• Thriller
• Supernatural Horror

The common theme which occurred in the majority of the film titles in the horror genre was that they were only one word. The films below such as 'Annabelle' and 'Sinister' are examples of this. The use of the one word film title has different effects for each particular film which adds to how the film is portrayed before the audience have even began watching it. 

For 'Annabelle', the one word title is clearly a girl's name. Annabelle is a relatively old name and they have chosen to write it in full rather than shortening it. The film poster also mentions 'The Conjuring' so that the audience know straight away that the two films will be linked. 

Again, this title uses the single word pattern. Straight away 'creep' emphasises what the nature of the film is going to be. The word means to move stealthily or cautiously, so this already highlights to the audience the actions of the antagonist or the protagonist. Similarly, it also has connotations of a repulsive person, which adds to the characterisation of the characters.

Immediately, the audience are able to use the title 'Orphan' to get connotations of isolation and loneliness, as well as abandonment. The one word title also highlights these ideas. Orphans are children so this creates a judgement of the film as to who the characters are going to be. 

The one word title of this film, 'Sinister', immediately highlights the genre to the audience. Sinister means giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen. This title warns the audience of what to expect in the film, without giving anything from the plot away. This is effective as it emphasises the genre without revealing anything.

Oculus is a round or eye-like opening. By just using the title, the audience could assume that eye-sight will be affected in some way or just a prominent part of the film. Again, the one word title is very to the point and doesn't give much away about the film, but at the same time allows the audience to use their imagination from the definition of Oculus as to what to expect.

Unlike the normal trend in horror movies, this title is not just a single word. 'Conjuring' is the performance of tricks which are seemingly magical so the audience know that there will be some type of magical interference within the film. This therefore highlights the genre as supernatural.

The title of 'The Purge' is very to the point and immediately highlights what the film is about. Purge means to physically remove something completely, so the audience know that the plot is going to contain the permanent removal of a person or object. This therefore suggests the genre of the film to be horror, but does not yet give enough detail to identify it further.

In John Patterson's interview with The Guardian, he said that 'I knew, even before a frame was shot, exactly what the movies would, if not look like, feel like'. This summarises film titles as a whole, as the audience look to the title for an insight into what they should expect from the film, and in some cases, this can decide whether or not they are initially engaged to watch the film.