Does “Woman in Black” Follow the Conventions of the Horror Genre

There are a lot of conventions of a horror film that are included in the Woman in Black. Most horror films rely upon suspense and tension to build up the atmosphere of the film and to make it as scary as possible. Music plays an important part in horror films and it is normally eerie to build up the tension. Some types of horror film feature “jump moments” where the built up tension is released. At these points the music also changes. The film normally takes place at night or during bad weather to make it seem more scary and tense.

Depending on the budget and style of film there are often special effects that highlight key “jump moments”. The script and acting is also normally similar. Almost every horror film has a script with a mystery or secret as a main part of the story. There are also plot twists to make more of an impact. In the Woman in Black there are lots of conventions included but some are unconventional. The character Mr. Toovy that Arthur Kidd meets on the train is conventional of a horror film in many ways. He seems to know something of the task that faces Arthur Kidd but he does not reveal his thoughts.

This builds up the mystery that is common to horror films. The way Mr. Toovy acts when Arthur mentions the Eel Marsh House catches the viewer’s attention and makes them wonder about what is behind his behaviour. This is the first hint that something out of the ordinary will face Arthur when he goes about his work. The scene of the churchyard later on in the film is important to the development of the story. The graveyard is almost deserted and shrouded in mist and this is what you would expect from a horror film.

There is also a dead tree in the background that could have been used to symbolise the entire feel of the church and graveyard. The music and sound effects (crow/raven cawing) of the scene are also very similar to other horror films. This is the first glimpse the audience get of the Woman in Black. The camera slowly pans around showing the grave of the woman and then the Woman in Black. At this point it is not clear whether there is anything supernatural about her. There is however a connection because the camera lingers on the grave before showing the Woman in Black and therefore subtly suggesting a link.

When the camera focuses on Arthur’s face it shows that he is confused and nervous as well as curious about the identity of the woman. The Woman in Black herself is in some ways a conventional ghost of a horror film as she mysteriously appears and then disappears. She does not however look that ‘evil’ and you do not get a clear look at her face because of the veil she is wearing. The Eel Marsh House is very conventional of a horror film as it is in a very secluded setting and very far from help or escape.

It looks very much like the conventional ‘haunted house’ as it is old and big as well as being dark and gloomy. There seems to be a perpetual mist that hangs around the marsh and this adds to the tension, as vision is limited. There are also gravestones out the back and when Arthur investigates the Woman in Black makes her second appearance. This time the veil is pulled back and you can see her face. This makes her look more horrible as her face and her eyes are haunted. Later on in the film Arthur talks about her eyes, “It was her eyes.

She wasn’t just looking, she was hating”. This makes the audience feel sympathy towards Arthur Kidd, as he is shown as terrified. The sudden appearance makes the audience wonder about the significance of the graves. There is also a locked door that Arthur cannot find keys for and this is a major point for increasing tension. It also makes the audience curious about what is behind it. Music plays an important part in building up the suspense in the film. Music is especially important at times when the Woman in Black is about to appear.

Sharp music builds up the tension and then it quietens after the Woman in Black has appeared. Music is also used at the Eel Marsh House when Arthur encounters the locked door to build up the tension. The music used is very fast paced and increases in volume as he tries each key. In this instance the music stops and the suspense is removed. The eerie atmosphere of the marsh setting is also increased by the use of the different types of music. At some points in the film the music reflects Arthur’s mood and what he is feeling.

The use of Mr. Toovy’s dog, Spider, is not very conventional of horror films. Animals tend not to be included in horror films, as they cannot be used to build up the tension very easily. They are only included as distractions and not as part of the story. The use of Spider in the Woman in Black creates an impression of trust between him and Arthur. When the dog runs away and appears to die the audience empathises with Arthur as to his feelings of again being alone. The use of the dog is quite effective to build up the story but still does not affect the story to any great affect.

There is also the sound of a horse when Arthur hears the accident but it is not developed upon. The use of the sound effects when Arthur hears the accident is one of the most important points in the film. It shows a glimpse into the reason for the haunting and also makes Arthur terrified. The first sound of the horse attracted Arthur’s attention and when he went outside he heard a woman and little child screaming. This is revealed later to be the reason the Woman in Black is appearing. The child was hers but was a “bastard child” and had to be taken away.

After Arthur hears the sounds again he begins to dread the sound of the horse and what it heralds. They are mainly intended to show the audience the story and to make them sympathise with Arthur. They are very effective in doing this and it is a main “scare” point of the film. The appearance of the Woman in Black in the bedroom scene gives the audience a chance to see the Woman in Black very clearly. The visual impact on the audience is initially a shock as the appearance is very sudden. The appearance of the Woman in Black seems to have changed and seems to look angrier.

I do not think that it is very successful in making the audience think about it and it is one of the worst scenes in the film. After the initial surprise it is easier to laugh than to be shocked. The use of sound effects and music are more effective than the visual part as they are similar to other parts of the film and are effective in representing what the scene is meant to be like. The ending of the Woman in Black is conventional of that of the horror genre. The ‘twist’ or ‘false’ ending leads the audience to one conclusion and then the real ending changes it.

The use of false endings in horror films is generally used to lull people into thinking one thing and then suddenly changing it to add to the overall effect. The ‘false’ ending of the film is a ‘happy’ ending but the ‘real’ ending shatters that illusion. When the Kidd family are on the river the music is, on a rare occasion, slow and peaceful. The scene is completely different from the others in the film. Suddenly the music changes to that used to signal the appearance of the Woman in Black and then you see the Woman in Black floating above the water.

The camera angle then cuts to Arthur’s face and it shows he is terrified. When the tree starts to fall it happens in slow motion to prolong the experience and increase the atmosphere. The sound effects are over the top to increase the atmosphere and make more of an impression while the music also increases in volume. I think that the use of the falling tree also suggests a link to earlier on in the film to the dead tree in the graveyard and to when Arthur saves a gypsy girl from falling logs. It tends to suggest a link in the events.

I think that the use of this link is successful and adds to the overall success of the ending. Overall I think that the Woman in Black film is a mediocre horror film despite parts that are quite original. This is mainly because the film seems to have a low budget and the effects used are dated. This cannot be excused because there is not enough content to make up these failings. Films such as “Psycho”, while relatively old, are still very effective in building up tension and this is done without good special effects. It is clear that the films director is not as good as the one from “Psycho”. The film however is watchable.

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