The Fear of the Unknown—Why the Best Horror Films Master Unpredictability
The success of any great piece of entertainment depends on misdirection and unpredictability, but this is arguably more important in horror than in any other genre. That’s because viewers buy into the fact that, when they watch a horror film, the director is going to try to scare them. They’re already ready for the shocks, and this can dampen their effect if they’re not done right.
The greatest horror films of all time have reached that status thanks to the way they have managed to subvert viewers’ expectations. Horror directors need to constantly innovate, and keep trying out new, unpredictable ways to frighten viewers.
Why is Unpredictability So Important in Horror?
Predictability in horror movies kills fear, as audiences know where the scare is set to come from. That’s why subgenres in horror tend to have their heyday for a few years and then lose their appeal. It was seen with the slasher movie, which became so predictable that viewers lost interest. Every now and then, new pictures come about to shake up the formula, with Wes Craven’s Scream (1996) a prime example of that.
Unpredictability can spark excitement and tension, and have viewers constantly guessing. This concept is used throughout the whole entertainment industry and is the main reason why the online casino industry has become so popular. People are attracted to iGaming sites for the casino sign up bonus, which typically involves a deposit match and free spins. But they stay for the huge variety of games that defy expectations. There are roulette games like Lightning Roulette that look like the original wheel, but come with unexpected, random elements. This unique mechanic overturns expectations and keeps play fresh.
Psycho and the Art of Narrative Betrayal
There have been various seminal films that perfectly mastered unpredictability and taught other filmmakers the art of subverting expectations. Psycho (1960) is a landmark picture in the horror genre because—spoiler alert—Alfred Hitchcock went against typical narrative tropes and killed off the protagonist halfway through the film.
This master stroke completely shook narrative convention and, for the first time ever, audiences felt uncomfortable in the unknown. The legendary filmmaker managed to create genuine dread in the premise that absolutely anything could happen from then on. This idea most certainly influenced Craven, who tried to shake up tired formulas with many of his pictures as well.
The Subversion of Expectations in Modern Horror
It’s clear that horror fans still crave the unknown, as the most successful modern offerings are the ones that go against the grain and offer something completely different. That’s why Jordan Peele has been praised, as Get Out and Us completely defied people’s expectations. The films lure people in with typical conventions and reveal more disturbing elements later on.
There are other examples of this subversion of expectations as well. Hereditary, for instance, appears to be more of a family drama until it explodes into a supernatural horror in shocking fashion. Barbarian was also lauded for defying traditional structure, pretty much changing tone and genre halfway through.
The best horror directors throughout history have constantly strived to innovate and offer something different, as they have understood how effective unpredictability can be. Horror fans want to be shocked, and hope that their predictions about how the story will go will be wrong.
Other Articles You May Enjoy…
One of the things I like most about horror is its range. Horror can be represented across the full spectrum of media and found lurking within even apparently-conflicting genres. I look back over the past few years and think beyond the obvious horror-homes of film and TV to examples like Tom Wright’s harrowing stage adaptation of Picnic at Hanging Rock, the haunting and hauntological sci-fi horror art books of Simon Stålenhag or even Cryo Chamber’s ever-expanding discography of sinister, abyssal dark ambient.