Deconstruction of Lighting in Horror Films

In all sub-genres of horror, a key theme within the lighting of these films is grey overtones and general dark lighting. This can be evidenced in many horror films, such as The Ring.

As can be seen in this shot from The Ring, there is a relatively low saturation over the footage which makes the shot more gloomy. This supports the conventions of horror, as the gloomy atmosphere indicates something is wrong, which is in this case the possessed entity within the video tape. 

A change in lighting is often used in horror films to reflect a change from a happy time to a negative time where the villain is at large. This can be seen in The Purge, where the lighting in the beginning of the film is of warm tones when the family are calmly sat at home eating dinner but later changes to become darker and less saturated to indicate the shift in tone. 

Flickering lights are also common in horror films in times of panic, as can be seen in Carrie at the climax of Carrie's supernatural breakdown. The flames from the fire and destruction create a warm, orange glow that flickers and contrasts with the otherwise dark lighting.