1. Observing Burton’s Formula
Burton believed that all genres have a portfolio of key elements
from which they are composed. The formula tends to add up
to what we expect to see as well as what we enjoy
seeing/reading. Although we may not want to watch movies
that look the same as each other, those are the movies that
have the most success. They have the right balance of variation
and repetition.
This slideshow will feature synopsises of some horror films . I
will then go on to annotate them and see if they feature the key
elements of Burton’s formula.

2. The key elements of the formula
include:
• Protagonists
• Stock Characters
• Plots and Stock Situations
• Icons
• Backgrounds/Decor
• Themes

3. This sets the scene of the film without being
too stereotypical. i.e. in the woods, big
Using the words dead scary house. Due to its peacefulness people
and gutted really don’t expect for anything bad to happen but
emphasises the fact sadly they are mistaken.
that is a horror. A quiet, peaceful town in California Main protagonist
becomes dangerous after the raping of the film. From
and slaying of Mrs. Prescott, mother the background
of teenage daughter Sidney info we have
Prescott, occurs. Almost a year obtained she
later, 2 of Sidney's classmates are might be the quiet
found dead and gutted where type who likes to
everybody in the town is a suspect. keep to herself
After Sidney is attacked and due to her shaken
manages to escape, Sidney's past.
boyfriend Billy seems to have the
red paint on his hands. But when
By having her
he's proven innocent, a confused
and upset Sidney tries to find who
boyfriend as a stock
really is causing all the past murders This tells us the theme
character/potential which are the murders. It
... and soon to come murders.
murderer it highlights also tells us that Sidney is
the fact that no one going to embark on a
can be trusted in a journey to find out the
horror film. truth. Good vs Evil.

4. The devil is a A real location that features a waterfall. The waterfall is split
common icon of into two parts. One side features “devil’s kettle” a pothole which
horror films due no one knows where it leads too. It is said that whatever is
to its evilness thrown into the pothole never comes out. They describe it in
and sin. the film for those who are not aware of its mysterious element.
In Devil's Kettle, Minnesota, Needy is a shy
The
teenage student that idolizes her cheerleader
protagonists
friend Jennifer, who is very arrogant. They attend
are
a performance of the rock 'n' roll band Low
completely
Shoulder at a bar, and the band leader overhears
opposite in
that Jennifer is a virgin. When the place is set on
terms of
fire, Jennifer is abducted by the band in their van.
character. One
Later she appears at Needy's home, covered in
has the brains
blood, throwing up a dark liquid and with a weird
and the other
behaviour. Over the next few days, many male
has the looks.
classmates are found murdered with eaten parts
Very
of their bodies. Needy discovers that Jennifer was
stereotypical.
sacrificed by the band members in a black magic
Typical aspect of ritual, but something went wrong because
horror. Bodies of Jennifer was not a virgin and she transformed into
dead people found a flesh-eating succubus.
and everyone is
unaware of the
killer.

5. Repetition
can lead to a
successful
film.
The ultimate forms of terror are about to be unleashed
once again. Dream demon Freddy Krueger is desperate to
terrorize the teenagers of Elm St. once again, but he can't
since the parents of Springwood have found a way to
make the kids forget about him while doping them up
with dream suppressant Hypnocil. So, in order to inspire
terror, Freddy manipulates hulking, hockey-masked serial
killer Jason Voorhees, through visions of his mother, to go
to Elm Street and dispatch the kids so the town will think
Both men are that Freddy has returned. But his plans don't go Masks are a
villains with according to schedule when Jason starts to kill all of his typical
plenty "children," which really angers Freddy. And that's when
ingredient of
experience. Jason finds out that Freddy has used him, which really
sends him over the edge. So, it's up to teens Will the horror
Representations genre. It
Rollins, Lori Campbell, and Kia, along with a few other
of evil. survivors, to get Jason back to Camp Crystal Lake and hides
Freddy out of the dream world for both of them to kill identities and
each other once and for all... creates a fear
of the
A combition of good vs evil as unknown.
well as evil vs evil.

6. Does the theory work?
In conclusion it is evident that Burton’s theory does work. The
film summaries all had similarities of the key elements. Each
with their own unique twist. The plots and situations tend to
be based on deaths and violence. The stock
characters/protagonists are seen as mirrors of real life
society, showing the negatives and positives of life. Also the
similarities within location create that danger and mysterious
feel that all horror films feature. Above all the similarities
show the success of Burton’s theory which shows that it
works.