Research: Codes and Conventions Famous Examples

 An example of a convention in a horror film is the villain's identity not being apparant or revealed. This technique is used in the 1960 film, Psycho. The horror starred Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh and was directed by acclaimed film maker Alfred Hitchcock. In this scene, Janet Leigh's character, Marion Crane, is about to be murdered by a shadowy- figured assailant. By the audience not knowing who the villain is, it keeps us guessing all the way through the film until the murderer is finally revealed. It creates mystery, tension and suspense. Another convention that is evident in this scene is that the victim is a female. Females are often victims in horror films as women are portrayed as more vulnerable than men and need protecting. Additionally, female victims gain more sympathy from the audience, due to the reasons stated above.

Another horror film that makes use of typical codes and conventions is Scream, released in 1996. At the beginning of the film, teenage girl Casey Becker receives a phone call from an unknown person. He does not give his name and he is very flirtatious. Instead of being sensible and hanging up the phone, she converses with him. This is a convention, as it creates a dangerous situation and gives the villain a perfect opportunity to kill. Another convention used, like Psycho, is that the first victim is a female. Females are perceived as weak and defenseless against the villains. A symbolic code used is when Casey is in the kitchen and she lifts a knife from the knife block briefly. This is an example of foreshadowing that she is about to be murdered, perhaps even using that weapon.