10 Classic Horror Movie Rules That Are Still Being Followed Today

Summary

• Classic horror movies set the standard for the genre, but modern filmmakers push boundaries with updated ideals.
• Zombies are iconic horror symbols, and a headshot is still the go-to method for taking them out.
• The final girl trope in horror movies, like in Scream VI, subverts expectations and keeps audiences invested.

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Classic horror movies established important tropes and techniques for the genre, and many old horror movie rules are still being followed today. Iconic movies like Scream revolutionized horror because they drew attention to the structure and guidelines that every film of its type followed until that point. It can be enjoyable to watch movies that adhere to traditional storytelling structures. However, it’s also interesting to see what contemporary filmmakers do to push the boundaries of what horror can do. Though it’s frequently overlooked, horror is a genre that’s always on the pulse of what’s socially relevant.

However, not all scary movies must hold a complex moral lesson. Some can be thrilling and terrifying just for the sake of it.

Some bad horror tropes can ruin a film, but many of the worst of them have been left behind as horror and filmmaking have evolved. The worst aspects of horror, like story elements that perpetuate sexism, racism, classism, and other exclusionary tactics, don’t comment on how these issues affect humanity, but reinforce them. Overall, most horror movies have left these tropes and outdated formulas in the past in favor of updated ideals. However, not all scary movies must hold a complex moral lesson. Some can be thrilling and terrifying just for the sake of it.

10 Zombies Are Killed With A Headshot

Festival of the Living Dead (2024)

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Part of this stems from the other trope that zombies feed on brains to sustain themselves, making it logically follow that their brain is their biggest weakness.

The rules of a zombie movie were established many years ago in 1968 with the premiere of Night of the Living Dead. One of the most enduring aspects of the film that has become ingrained in the cultural belief surrounding zombies is that they can only be killed by a headshot. Part of this stems from the other trope that zombies feed on brains to sustain themselves, making it logically follow that their brain is their biggest weakness. New movies have explored the comedic elements of zombies due to their popularity in the media.

While many of the zombie movies that have come out in recent years have leaned into the comedy genre, plenty still focuses on how terrifying zombies can be. This includes Festival of the Living Dead, a new movie that exists within the Night of the Living Dead universe and translates it into the modern era. In the film, young people find their reliance on technology and personal bonds tested when a zombie attack occurs at a concert. The heroes band together and find guns to take out their enemies one at a time.

9 The Final Girl

Scream VI (2023)

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Watch Scream VI on Paramount+.

Though there are great horror characters that subvert the final girl trope, it’s a classic for a reason. The Scream movies brought attention to the trope of the final girl, but it also utilized it brilliantly with Sydney in the original film. As the franchise has progressed, Scream VI is the latest in a long line of reinventions, with Tara and Sam becoming joint final girls in the recent iterations. Including characters from earlier films, Scream VI is keenly aware of audience expectations and how best to subvert them.

Ghostface is the moniker that each killer takes on in the Scream franchise, as the movies popularized the terrifying mask each of the antagonists wears. Classic horror movies have been getting reboots and long-awaited sequels more and more in recent years, and while some of them fall flat, Scream VI justifies itself thanks to its compelling characters. Audiences only care about the fate of the final girl if they are invested in the character, and it’s easy to like the protagonists in the film.

Scream 6
R
Horror
Thriller

Scream 6 is a horror-slasher film that brings the terror of the iconic Ghostface to the streets of New York City. The survivors of the 2022 fifth Scream entry have moved to one of the biggest cities in the world – but not even a population of eight million will stop a mysterious new assailant from trying to fulfill the Ghostface legacy.

Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin , Tyler Gillett Release Date March 10, 2023 Cast Melissa Barrera , Courteney Cox , Jasmin Savoy Brown , Mason Gooding , Jenna Ortega , Hayden Panettiere Runtime 2h 2m Franchise(s) Scream Budget 33–35 million

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8 Jump Scares Shock The Audience

Talk to Me (2022)

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Often, jump scares are built up after a prolonged period of silence and increasing tension to create the biggest surprise possible when the audiences least expect it.

Some critics have argued that jump scares are a cheap ploy to get a scream out of unsuspecting viewers, but it’s never been easier to predict when a jump scare is coming than it is today. Often, jump scares are built up after a prolonged period of silence and increasing tension to create the biggest surprise possible when the audiences least expect it. In Talk to Me, there are ample opportunities for jump scares, and the movie delivers some of the highest quality ones seen in film in the 21st century.

It’s a horror movie with supernatural elements that focuses on the story of Mia, a young woman still reeling from the death of her mother who turns to a possessed hand to reach out to her. Grief is another common subject in horror movies, as the loss of a loved one will move people to take risks they never would have considered otherwise. As spirits are the main source of fear in Talk to Me, the film plays with the line between reality and imagination, making the audience question what they’re seeing, creating bigger scares.

Talk to Me
R
Horror
Thriller

While trying to cope with the death of her mother, Mia (Sophie Wilde) becomes enthralled with an embalmed hand that can conjure spirits. While Mia and her group of friends get a thrill out of communicating with spirits, things go too far when Mia doesn’t close the door to the other side.

Director Danny Philippou , Michael Philippou Release Date July 28, 2023 Cast Sophie Wilde , Joe Bird , Alexandra Jensen , Otis Dhanji , Miranda Otto , Marcus Johnson Runtime 94 minutes

7 Killers Justify Their Actions Based On Societal Issues

The Menu (2022)

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As much as horror can be used to explore and expand on the cultural issues that contribute to the unfair treatment of individuals, they also use these ideals as a justification for the actions of killers. In The Menu, this is satirized when the antagonist, a chef disaffected with catering to the rich, uses his situation to take his anger out on a group of unsuspecting dilettantes who exploit food service workers and the working class in general. However, The Menu is aware of its roots in “eat the rich” narratives, poking fun at the tropes with elements of comedy.

However, as funny and tongue-in-cheek as The Menu is, it does hint that the chef, Slowik, is slightly more justified and on the right side of things because he isn’t a member of the wealthy patrons. Narratives like this walk a fine line and always have, as it’s important not to claim that the fate of the subjugated class is to turn to unwarranted violence. Conversely, there is a sense of justice as it’s revealed how terrible his victims are, and this kind of juxtaposition is what great horror movies are built on.

The Menu
R
Comedy
Horror
Thriller

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A darkly comedic horror-thriller, The Menu focuses on a group of diners invited to a high-end restaurant on a private island by one of the world’s greatest chefs. Shortly after arriving on the island, Margot Mills begins to realize something is strange beyond the perceived pompous nature of the menu. Her suspicions are confirmed when the night turns deadly as the restaurant staff begins to descend into a cult-like madness.

Director Mark Mylod Release Date November 18, 2022 Cast Ralph Fiennes , Anya Taylor-Joy , Nicholas Hoult , Hong Chau , Janet McTeer , Reed Birney , Judith Light , John Leguizamo Runtime 106 minutes Budget $30million

6 The End Of The World Is Predicted

Knock at the Cabin (2023)

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However, this time, the characters aren’t sure if their attackers know the end of the world is coming, or if they’re making up excuses for their violence.

Jonathan Groff is at his best in Knock at the Cabin when he and his family are taken hostage purportedly to prevent the end of the world. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, one of the modern masters of the movie twist, Knock at the Cabin follows in the footsteps of apocalyptic horror movies. However, this time, the characters aren’t sure if their attackers know the end of the world is coming, or if they’re making up excuses for their violence. This creates unbearable tension similar to that in 10 Cloverfield Lane, as the end of the world can’t be trusted.

The apocalypse is a common setting for horror movies, as it creates the opportunity for monsters to descend on humankind and allows people to give in to their darkest impulses. However, it’s almost more terrifying when characters are told that the end of the world is nigh, and there’s something they can do about it. This sets a ticking clock against the background of their actions and means that more than just their lives hang in the balance.

Knock at the Cabin
R
Horror
Mystery
Thriller

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M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller, Knock at the Cabin, tells the story of a family who is approached by four strangers while staying in a remote cabin and given an impossible ultimatum. When Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) take their daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) to a remote cabin for a family getaway, their stay is interrupted by the arrival of Leonard (Dave Bautista), Redmond (Rupert Grint), Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), and Adriane (Abby Quinn), who tell them that one of the family must be sacrificed in order to stop the impending apocalypse.

Director M. Night Shyamalan Release Date February 3, 2023 Cast Dave Bautista , Jonathan Groff , Ben Aldridge , Nikki Amuka-Bird , Kristen Cui , Abby Quinn , Rupert Grint Runtime 139 minutes Budget 20 million

5 Children Are Put In Danger To Build Conflict

M3GAN (2022)

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Using children as both a threat and characters in need of protection is something that horror movies do very well and interchangeably. M3GAN is a unique example because it’s the child, Cady, who is at first protected by M3gan the doll with artificial intelligence, but eventually, M3gan turns on her and becomes a monster. Additionally, M3gan herself is small and seemingly innocent, and could easily be mistaken for a child. However, she is the ultimate antagonist of the movie, becoming increasingly dangerous as the story continues.

In movies like The Shining and Hereditarychildren are made to be terrifying because they’re usually so deeply associated with innocence and spark nurturing and protective instincts in the adults around them. Writers and filmmakers understand this part of human nature, and use it to their advantage by putting a child’s life at risk when they need to raise the stakes of a story. In M3GAN, it takes time before M3gan turns on Cady and the adults realize that it’s not just their lives on the line.

M3GAN
PG-13
Horror
Sci-Fi
Thriller

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M3GAN tells the story of a lifelike robotic doll who arrives in a little girl’s life to help her cope with the death of her parents. As the young Cady befriends the robot, its designer, Cady’s aunt Gemma, realizes her self-aware invention is too dangerous to be kept alive. Blumhouse’s 2022 horror phenomenon mixes Chucky’s creepy inclination for violence with the Terminator’s unstoppable nature to craft a terrifying look at the dangers of Artificial Intelligence.

Director Gerald Johnstone Release Date January 6, 2023 Cast Amie Donald , Kimberley Crossman , Allison Williams , Ronny Chieng , Violet McGraw , Brian Jordan Alvarez Runtime 1h 42m Budget 12 million

4 People Use Wealth To Do Horrible Things

Infinity Pool (2023)

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Within the past decade, narratives about the corrupt nature of the wealthy and class warfare have been at an all-time high, as the stratification between the very rich and the rest of the world increases exponentially in real life.

Directed and written by David Cronenberg’s son, Brandon Cronenberg, it’s clear from Infinity Pool that a penchant for unsettling plots and surrealist violent visuals runs in the family. Within the past decade, narratives about the corrupt nature of the wealthy and class warfare have been at an all-time high, as the stratification between the very rich and the rest of the world increases exponentially in real life. To mirror the feelings of unrest and unfairness that people experience, filmmakers have created stories that explore the anxieties about what the upper class might be doing with all their money and resources.

Movies like The Purge, Parasite, and Triangle of Sadness feature similar subjects and tones as Infinity Pool to a certain extent. However, in proper Cronenberg fashion, Infinity Pool takes it a step further. Increasing the levels of graphic violence and imbuing the story with elements of sci-fi, the movie captures an eerie sense of terror and keeps the plot fresh. Certain films attempt to tackle these themes, but end up failing because of a weak story. This criticism was launched against the recent film, Saltburn, a movie that misunderstood how to make a class commentary effectively.

Infinity Pool
R
Horror
Science Fiction

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Written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg, Infinity Pool is a horror/sci-fi film That follows a couple vacationing on a mysterious island resort. While enjoying their time on the idyllic island, they soon meet a mysterious woman named Gabi, who lures them outside the resort grounds and into a world of hedonistic pleasures and violence. However, when they find themselves at the center of a tragic accident, they come face to face with a zero-tolerance policy for crime where execution – or worse, may be the punishment.

Director Brandon Cronenberg Release Date January 27, 2023 Writers Brandon Cronenberg Cast Alexander Skarsgard , Mia Goth , Cleopatra Coleman , Jalil Lespert , Thomas Kretschmann Runtime 117 minutes

3 The Characters Split Up

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

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When watching a horror movie, it’s not uncommon for audiences to lament the poor choices of the characters on screen. It seems ridiculous that they would choose to go down a dark alley, open the basement door, or split up from their friends. Many horror movies begin with a group of people in an isolated location. As the plot progresses they’re targeted by an unknown entity that causes them to lose trust in each other. Fearing that the killer is among them, or believing they’ll cover more ground alone, the characters go off on their own, leading to dangerous consequences.

Bodies Bodies Bodies is a great example of a contemporary horror movie that understands the tropes it’s working with and respects the intelligence of its audience. Additionally, it perfectly walks the line between pandering to Gen Z audiences and faithfully incorporating current trends and slang. Alone in their big mansion in the country, the group of friends in Bodies Bodies Bodies slowly turn on each other and split off by themselves or in groups of two until only a few remain.

Bodies Bodies Bodies
R
Comedy
Horror
Thriller

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Bodies Bodies Bodies is a comedy/horror/thriller from 2 AM. When Bee (Maria Bakalova) travels to a hurricane party with her girlfriend Sophie (Amanda Stenberg), they find themselves surrounded by affluent 20-somethings with very different world views. When the party finally kicks off amidst the coming storm, the debauchery leads to a game of “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” However, when a power outage occurs during the game, and a murder occurs in its stead, the party takes a turn for the deadly.

Director Halina Reijn Release Date August 5, 2022 Cast Pete Davidson , Maria Bakalova , Rachel Sennott , Chase Sui Wonders , Amandla Stenberg , Lee Pace , Myha’la Herrold Runtime 95 minutes Budget $90 million

2 Found Footage Utilizes New Technology

Missing (2023)

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Phone cameras are part of everyday life, increasing the instances of people performing for real and imagined audiences.

The horror movies that innovated the found footage trope have created some of the most iconic films of the past several decades. Found footage is an interesting niche of horror because it evolves so much between generations as technology evolves. One of the most famous, Cloverfield, has inspired the movies that came after, but how people record themselves and behave on camera has shifted massively since the 2000s. Phone cameras are part of everyday life, increasing the instances of people performing for real and imagined audiences.

Missing is the spiritual successor to Searching, the 2018 film, and uses the same format of screen recordings and only uses footage that can be recorded on a laptop or phone screen. Though it technically falls more directly into the thriller category, Missing shows audiences what’s to come as found footage broadens in scope with the number of cameras on people at all times. When June’s mother goes missing and the authorities aren’t doing enough to help her, June turns to her own technological prowess as the audience tracks her journey via the internet.

Missing
PG-13
Drama
Thriller

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Missing is a movie from the creative team behind Searching that follows a daughter trying to find her missing mother. When June’s (Storm Reid) mother goes on vacation in Columbia with her new boyfriend, she suddenly goes missing during the adventure. To find her, June will use all the information and social media tools she can to track her mother down before it’s too late. However, the deeper she digs, the more she discovers how little she really knew her mother. You can rent Missing for just $1.99 for Prime Day. 

Director Nick Johnson , Will Merrick Release Date January 20, 2023 Cast Storm Reid , Joaquim De Almeida , Ken Leung , Amy Landecker , Daniel Henney , Nia Long , Ava Zaria Lee Runtime 111 minutes Budget $7million

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1 Religion Is Weaponized

Immaculate (2024)

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Sydney Sweeney’s horror vehicle, Immaculate, is the latest in a long line of terrifying movies that use religion as a mask for a deeper and more sinister conspiracy. Faith has long been something horror filmmakers have explored because it inspires so much good and evil in the real world, and there’s little more terrifying than supposed agents of honesty and charity using the people who turn to them for help. Many of the best horror movies about nuns capitalize on this fear.

Additionally, Immaculate explores pregnancy and uses it as a form of body horror within the story. It’s particularly orthodox Catholic religions that serve as inspiration for so many horror movies about good and evil, because of the strong foils of the devil and satanism. Not to mention that many of these movies come from Hollywood, and though the U.S. is a diverse country, it’s culturally Christian in many ways, so audiences easily understand the messages and nuances of a Catholic-oriented narrative.

Immaculate
R
Horror

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Immaculate is a 2024 horror film directed by Michael Mohan and stars Sydney Sweeney. When a devout woman named Cecilia is offered a position at a prestigious convent in Italy, she takes it with little hesitation. However, Cecilia’s world is turned upside down when she discovers the terrible secrets hidden within her new place of faith.

Director michael mohan Release Date March 22, 2024 Cast Sydney Sweeney , Álvaro Morte , Benedetta Porcaroli , Dora Romano , Giorgio Colangeli , Simona Tabasco Runtime 89 minutes

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