Psycho and Final Destination Two

Almost all horror movies have similar traits to other horror films allowing them to be defined in the horror genre. In this comparison I will focus on the similarities between the 2 movies, Psycho and Final Destination 2 (and the differences). The areas covered will include Irony/Coincidence, Stages of death, Lighting and shadows, Music and sound, and its relation to our mood, Setting/Scenery and the evolution of cinematic horror and violence. I will also sum up what I think of both movies.

Music is a great place to start this comparison and how appropriate because all movies begin with music. The Music in Psycho was very different from the much more modern FD2 music. Psycho uses high pitch erratic melodies to inflame the senses and create confusion and terror. The music in FD2 is more a testament to the taste of today's youth. Most FD2's songs are written by death metal and satanic bands. Also none of it was written for the movie they just choose relatively suitable music for a scene. This is apposed to Psycho where all the background music has been written especially for the movie.

Music plays a huge part in movies it helps to tell you what emotions to feel and enhances the feeling. The music can provide the only emotion to a scene every now and then (Usually if the scene has no dialogue or facial expressions). This happens intermittently in both movies. In Psycho you can feel the emotions because of the acting talent and what I might call over acting (this also happens in FD2). A demonstration to the fact that music creates emotion was silent movies. They had no words, so over acting and music was used to create the desired audience emotion.

Also on a psychological note, in music or even the sound of a movie affects people physically, in the cinema or at home even if you don't notice it. If you're watching a movie you don't know it but the louder the background noise the louder you breathe this means you become relaxed. As sound stops in a movie you often stop breathing making you physically more susceptible to fear. This is why just before a scene the director wants to be really terrifying; the movie becomes completely