Types of characters portrayed in Horror films 

·         The protagonist, usually playing the hero or victim in the film. The role is often played by a female and is the most morally standing and intuitive individual in the group. They are almost always the survivor, leaving the film open for a sequel.

·         Weird/odd children. They are commonly from a wealthy, upper middle class background

·         The good or bad cop commonly played by a male who acts strangely.

·         The arrogant teenager who doesn’t believe in the supernatural antagonist or that the antagonist is still trying to kill them.

·         The villain. A monster, alien, serial killer, zombies, werewolf and psychopathic individual. It is not always clear why they are doing what they are, and it is never clear whether or not they are dead at the end of the film.

·         The sex appeal. The role is often played by a promiscuous, uninhibited woman. Usually the first to die in a shameful way, without dignity.

·         The token minority in the group who is often portrayed as the bravest and most concerned about the other peoples well-being. He/she is usually the muscle of the group and ends up dying first trying to protect other victims. This role is played by an African American, Hispanic or Asian actor.

·         The unlikely hero. This is most commonly the person who is suspected to be the antagonist due to their mysterious behaviour or the way they dress. They often save the main protagonist. Played by a Caucasian male or female.  

·         The infuriating character. The role can be partnered with the sex appeal and is usually with the other person when they die. Due to this characters behaviour it is often a relief for the audience when they die.  Commonly played be a Lower middle class male, who has a criminal history.    

The final Girl Theory

This is a concept present in horror films that specifically refers to the female or last woman alive to confront the killer or face her fears head on and then live to tell her story. The final girl in many typical horror film plots share similar characteristics in that, she is typically sexually unavailable or a virgin, given a unisex name like Sydney, Billie or Georgie. Sometimes the final girl has a history with the killer, like an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or a family relative e.g. half or step brother/sister trying to seek revenge for how they have been wronged.

Vladimir Propp’s character theory

•          The villain – fights the protagonist in some way.
•          The hero or victim/seeker hero – reacts to the donor and weds the princess or goes after the prize.
•          The dispatcher – the character who makes the antagonists evil plans/motives known and send the hero off on a quest.
•          The helper – helps the hero on their quest for the princess or prize.
•          The False hero – the character who takes credit for the hero’s feats or actions and tries to steal the prize.
•          The Donor – gives the hero something to help him on his journey. It doesn't have to be physical like a weapon it can be a piece of advice.
•          The heroine – commonly a passive, helpless, vulnerable character threatened by the antagonist and in need of help from the hero.  

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