Assessment 3

I have researched age rating for the typical content of the horror genre using BBFC.co.uk and other websites focusing on BBFC. From this research I discovered what films usual contained to be deemed a certain rating.

For our opening sequence our group has chosen to do is the horror genre so we've focused on the higher age rating of 15 and 18. Both rating mean the viewer has to be the same or above the age as the rating to watch, rent or buy the film.
A film is rated a 15 could contain violence, language or sexually suggestive scenes. This rating is usually used for films that more towards the comedy genre which contain language and sexual expletive. Also there may be elements of nudity or implied sexual activity, crude humour; crude sexual language Violence that is frequent but not detailed Violence that includes bloody wounds. Most of the content labelled a 15 are comedy or action and not what we are aiming for, for the opening sequence.

An 18 rating is given to films that may include detailed, crude sexual material or drug references these are usually elements found in comedies but this rating is usually used for horror movies that include gore, nudity and disturbing violence. This rating would be better for our sequence because we want to include a range of images and clips that could include disturbing violence or gore.


The release of the horror genre started over 100 years ago the first one was only two minutes long and was made by French filmmaker Georges Melies it was called Le Manoir Du Diable(The Devil's Castle) as was made in 1896. The film was meant to amuse people, rather than frighten them, Instead it considered to be the first horror film. Other early made horror films are The Golem,The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Nosferatu which are all from the silent era. Horror films were then reborn in the 1930's when sound was used in films which had a big impact for the horror genre. films such as Dracula, The Mummy, Freaks, and Bride of Frankenstein were all film released in the 1930's, they all contain elements of monsters for example vampires and mummys. It then moved on to use creatures in films such as The Wasp Woman and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms as technology developed. Horror movies in the 1950s were dominated by the 'B' picture; the films were mainly aimed at teenagers using titles like The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini and I Was A Teenage Frankenstein.


Psycho and The Birds were both films that were released in the 60's are were a mix of a horror and thriller but had the glossy, stylish film noir story which didn't include the use of monsters or creatures. Carnival of Souls was another film that was released in the 60s it was low budget film that used zombies as the undead ghouls for this film that were made to look undead by using a lot of make-up and old clothes this made them look realistic but not as horrifying as the zombies image used in films nowadays. one more film that was released in the 60s was Blood Feast which was the first splatter film, was contained very violent and bloody murders. The horror genre then started to use family member as the killers in the shining, shivers, Halloween, the o-men, the Stepford wives and The Exorcist which are well known classics. Other films that were released around this time were jaws and the Texas chainsaw massacre, in jaw the killer was a shark that has one of the most famous build up music used. The Texas chainsaw massacre used a power tool as his weapon and her over the top costume.

By the of the 1980's horror had become gross-out gore that only shocked or amused the audience and was still in the 90's when brain dead was released in 1992 which involved zombies and the hero uses a lawnmower to fight them off. This film was described as hilarious and was far from been scary. Although brain dead was much of a horror film the 90's still managed to get some more memorable movies out like silence of the lambs and se7en both about serial killers. Also other well known 90's films are copy cat, American psycho, the sixth sense, The Blair witch project and blade.

In 2000 final destination was released which want on to release three other films of the same name each one has the main character who at the start of the film will be killed in some kind of accident but then we see that they are only having a vision. The film shows how the characters have to try and cheat death or dying in horrible and bloody deaths. Other films from the 2000's are 28 days later, dog soldiers and deathwatch which are all soldiers of misfortune based films.

Over time horror films have improved and changed with the use of new technology making them scarier and some become more realistic which make them even more effective because they cause the viewer to become paranoid. Also technology is the cause of audiences to see movies in 3D this includes 2009's My bloody valentine which have audiences jumping out of their seats since it the first horror films to use this effect.