HORROR FILM THEORIES

-TORODOV‘S NARRATIVE THEORY

-PROPP‘S CHARACTER THEORY
-LEVI‘S STRAUS BINARY OPPOSITION
 TODOROVS NARRATIVE THEORY

• 1. EQUILIBRIUM -> EVERYTHING IS NORMAL

• 2. DISRUPTION OF THE EQUILIBRIUM: - EQUILIBRIUM GETS DISTURBED BY
AN EVENT OCCURRING
3. RECOGNITION OF THE DISRUPTION: - ACKNOWLEDGMENT STAGE, WHERE THEY RECOGNIZE
THAT THE EQUILIBRIUM IS DISTURBED
4. AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE (SOLVING): - REPAIR THE DAMAGE OF DISRUPTION
5. NEW EQUILIBRIUM: - RESTORATION OF A NEW EQUILIBRIUM
PROPP‘S CHARACTER THEORY
THE VILLAIN: STRUGGLES TO STOP THE HERO IN THEIR QUEST
THE DONOR: PREPARES THE HERO FOR THEIR QUEST
THE (MAGICAL) HELPER: OFFERS HKELP TO THE HERO
THE PRINCESS: PERSON THE HERO MARRIES, AND IS OFTEN SEARCHED FOR
DURING THE QUEST
THE FALSE HERO: A CHARACTER THAT INITIALLY APPEARS AS GOOD BUT THEN
TURNS OUT BE EVIL
THE DISPATCHER: THE PERSON THAT SENDS THE HERO ON THEIR QUEST
THE HERO: THE PERSON ON THE QUEST THROUGH WHICH THE AUDIENCE
FOLLOW THE NARRATIVE
LEVI‘S STRAUS BINARY OPPOSITION

• HELPS THICKEN THE PLOT AND INTRODUCES CONTRAST

• EG: -SUPERHERO FILM: GOOD VS EVIL; HORROR: HUMAN VS SUPERNATURAL
• PROBLEM: OFTEN PERPETUATE NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES LIKE WOMEN VS
MEN
• -MEN MAY BE PORTRAYED AS STRONG AND WOMEN AS WEAK
• NOWADAYS THERE CAN BE MULTIPLE BINARY OPPOSITES
• EG: HARRY POTTER, HARRY VS VOLDEMORT; GOOD/EVIL; YOUNG/OLD;
INNOCENT/CORRUPT
WOMAN IN BLACK

• EQUILIBRIUM: THE MAIN ACTOR MOVES TO THE VILLAGE

• DISRUPTION: THE CHILD DIES
• RECOGNITION: CHILD DIES BECAUSE OF THE VISIT OF THE MANSION
• (I HAVEN‘T WATCHED FURTHER)
WOMAN IN BLACK

• VILLAIN: WOMAN IN BLACK

• HELPER: PEOPLE FROM VILLAGE
• DISPATCHER: EMPLOYER OF THE MAIN ACTOR
• „HERO“: THE MAIN ACTOR
WOMAN IN BLACK

• THE FILM IS ABOUT A SUPERNATURAL VILLAIN VS HUMAN VILLAGE

• FURTHERMORE THE VILLAIN IS A BIT OLDER THAN THE „HERO“ (OLD VS
YOUNG)