Table Of Content
Writing the
Horror Movie
Writing the
Horror Movie
Marc Blake and Sara Bailey
Bloomsbury Academic
An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
1385 Broadway 50 Bedford Square
New York London
NY 10018 WC1B 3DP
USA UK
www.bloomsbury.com
First published 2013
© Marc Blake and Sara Bailey, 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval
system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.
No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on
or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be
accepted by Bloomsbury Academic or the authors.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Blake, Marc.
Writing the horror movie / by Marc Blake and Sara Bailey.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4411-9618-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Horror films--Authorship.
2. Motion picture plays--Technique. I. Bailey, Sara. II. Title.
PN1995.9.H6B59 2013
808.2’3--dc23
2013006001
ISBN: 978-1-4411-9506-7
Typeset by Fakenham Prepress Solutions, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8NN
The truth is that the screenplay is a bastard form of literature. It is not a play
nor book nor movie, and not just simply a blueprint for a film. All movies,
regardless of genre, depend on the screenplay. However it is the director
who makes the movie by realizing the printed words of the script on film.
I have seen mediocre screenplays made into very good films. And I have
seen excellent screenplays made into bad movies by incompetent directors.
Again, it’s important for people to understand that the screenplay’s
essential role in film making is the same regardless of the genre of the film.
Jon Landis, 20121
The authors of the book would like to thank the following for their help and
input. Lee Cook, for his tireless research and pestering of the famous and busy.
Michelle Kisbee for her work on the filmography. Stephen Cleary, whose lectures
on genre were inspirational. Kim Newman, Axelle Carolyn and Alan Jones for
their analysis, perception and excellent writing on the subject of horror in all its
forms. Martha Bailey and Tom Bellhouse. Christopher Smith, Steven Goldmann,
Victor Miller, Jane Goldman, Stephen Woolley, Jason Ford, Terry Bird and all
our other interviewees. Marc would like to thank the attendees of his horror
classes at City University, London, including Paul Bland, Eric McNulty, Russell
Garwood, Josh Upstart, Dorinda Montgomery, Simon Timblick and the evil twins
Samantha and Vicky. Marc and Sara would like to thank all their students past
and present at Southampton Solent University for their continued support and
enthusiasm.
1 Personal communication.
Contents
Introduction: Welcome to the Nightmare ix
1 Why Do We Like To Be Scared? 1
2 Horror Movie History 11
3 Subgenres 21
4 Staging the Horror: Five Tropes 41
5 Creating the Nemesis 57
6 The First Act: Unease and Dread, Character and Milieu 75
7 The Second Act: Modulating Fear, Terror and Horror 85
8 The Third Act: Tragic and Redemptive Endings 97
9 Prequels, Sequels and Franchises 107
10 Adaptation: From Page to Screen 119
11 Cross-Genre 131
12 World Markets 139
13 Low Budget Horror 161
14 Forming the Idea: Writing Exercises 181
Appendix 1: Horror Film Festivals Around the World 189
Appendix 2: Interviews with Writers, Directors and a Producer 193
viii Contents
Appendix 3: Our Top 20 221
Filmography 223
Bibliography 243
Index 245
Introduction: Welcome to
the Nightmare
The horror movie is currently experiencing a third golden age, following the
Universal Studios Monster era of the 1930s and the movie brat auteurs of
the 1970s. Today’s technological advances are allowing scary movies to be
produced as a cottage industry and to be distributed worldwide. This genre
has traditionally been seen as a ‘way in’ to the movie business and it is a truism
that it is a great medium for budding directors and writer-director hyphenates.
Horror has a track record of appealing to producers; however, the writer is most
likely to get his work seen if it follows genre conventions. It is to this end that
this book is dedicated.
In order for the writer to sell his script, he must know his craft and understand
the demands of the genre. Our intention is to give a thorough grounding in the
history, tropes, subgenres, and in particular the pace and rhythm of horror, as
well as its underlying meanings and subtexts, so that the writer will be armed
and ready to face those legions of undead producers who are after his succulent
brainzzz.
