What is a Horror Film?
PERONNAL the audiences own identification with fears or threats of narrative - tapping into primal fears of the creature/others in the darkness, body parts being ripped/mutated, emergence of terror but from a distance.
IDEOGICAL The implicit (hidden) or explicit (obvious) messages embedded in the narrative themes of punishment/redemption and/or revulsion at any subject which 'basic' textual massages (the virgin 'good' girl surviving at the expense of the ‘swity’ rebellious) and developing into more nuanced subtle 'fears' of strangers/hitchhikers/different religion / power of science to 'conquer' the darkness- new faith at the expense of 'old' religion.
FINANCIAL/INDUSTRIAL - with out a doubt one of the most lucrative genres to continuality reinvent an exploit horror franchises regularly stretch beyond other genres in terms of sequels, spin offs and re-makers because of the proof.