Film Evolution Analysis (Start Here)

Horror films have undoubtedly changed over time. As my final project for Pop Culture & The Media, the focus will be centered upon on what makes the antagonists similar/different and how this connects to the Narrative Perspective. The six films I have chosen were released within an 87 year period, beginning with Dracula (1931) and concluding with Truth or Dare (2018). As you will see, the results relate back to how the pop culture genre has evolved. Please view the specific links located on the homepage for more thorough film analyses.

How Did Fashions Change?

The fashion changes in this set of films correlate with popular fashion trends at the time periods each movie was released. The characters in Dracula (1931) wore the most extravagant and conservative clothing, while the characters in Truth or Dare (2018) wore the most casual and provocative attire.

Antagonist Reputations

The antagonist in the first film was initially trusted. The antagonist in film two was feared from the beginning. The third movie's protagonists did not believe they could be harmed when they ventured into the woods where the antagonist was said to live. In the fourth film, the individuals feared the entity from the beginning, although they got more and more fearful throughout. In the fifth film, some antagonists were initially trusted as friends. In the final film, all that believed in the demon's game were fearful. Those who did not believe eventually took it seriously or died.

How Did Killing Strategies Change? 

The first film included an iconic "monster" in our society: the vampire. The antagonist killed his victims by sucking their blood. The second film was one of the more realistic of the six; it featured a killer shark who preyed on those in the water. The third film featured a demon. Although the demon only killed one victim, that victim was thrown forcefully across the room. The fourth movie centered around another iconic "monster", a witch. How exactly the individuals were killed in this film is unknown. The fifth movie revolved around a single day where all crime was legal. The last film, similar to the third, also featured a demon. What makes the two most recent films unique is how the antagonists chose various creative methods to kill their victims.

Death Count

There are likely not enough statistics to tell for certain whether this is a variable that has changed over time. The chart on the right provides a visual. There seems to be a gradual dip between 1931 and 2009 before peaking again in 2013. The death count may be based on different factors.

The Evolution of Violence

The amount of goriness and overall details of deaths increased over time. The two exceptions of this were The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Paranormal Activity (2009). Both movies were primarily “filmed” on personal recording devices operated by the protagonists; this is likely the reason why violence was not shown as vividly. It simply would not have fit into the storyline of these two plots.

Sidekicks

Only two of the six films incorporated sidekicks: Dracula (1931), and The Purge (2013). There seems to be no obvious correlation between time and whether or not the antagonists had sidekicks to help them.

How Did the Outcomes Vary?

Half of the films had "happy" endings (Dracula, Jaws, The Purge), while the other half concluded unhappily (The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, Truth or Dare). There is no correlation with how the outcomes varied over time. In order, the endings were: happy / happy / unhappy / unhappy / happy / unhappy.

Special Effects

The number of special effects increased throughout time. However, half of the films I analyzed did not incorporate any. This includes: Dracula (1931), The Blair Witch Project (1999), and The Purge (2013). The three films that did incorporate special effects showed clear improvements over the decades. 

Technology

The amount of technology undoubtedly increased over time. Dracula (1931) incorporated the telegraph. Jaws (1975) incorporated landline phones and a television at the hospital. The Blair Witch Project (1999) incorporated video cameras and equipment. Paranormal Activity (2009) incorporated a video camera, landline phone, laptop, and a box television. The Purge (2013) incorporated video cameras, a security system, cell phones, a robot, a flat screen TV. etc. Truth or Dare (2018) incorporates smartphones, a laptop, and various social media apps such as Snapchat and Youtube.