The frightening characters are usually supernatural or grotesque creatures, such as vampires, ghosts, or demons. The settings range from old haunted houses to dark unknown areas (Dirks, "Horror Films" 1). Often they take place in cities or neighborhoods and the terrorized characters are just regular people. An example of a horror film is Rosemary's Baby (1968), in which a pregnant woman is terrorized by her neighbors, who are members of a satanic cult, and learns that her baby is the offspring of the devil (Bozzola 1). Another example is A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), which is about teenagers who are being murdered by a dead child killer, Freddy Krueger, who comes after them in their dreams. This film "creates moments of real dread by examining the line between nightmares and reality" (Firsching 1).
Comedy is a genre that is designed to have the audience laugh out of their seats. The situations are usually serious but are shown in a hysterical fashion. The language is filled with wise cracking dialogue, such as jokes and funny comments, and the characters are usually foolish and wacky. The action usually features harmless, physical violence and funny gags. Comedies are designed to enlighten the viewers and normally have happy endings (Dirks, "Comedy Films" 1). Dumb and Dumber (1994) is a comedy about two half-witted guys seeking the owner of a lost briefcase. Along the way they run into some hilarious obstacles and their behaviors are silly and include horseplay and gags. There are also comedies that can be considered parodies or spoofs that make fun of a more serious film or genre. Examples of a parody are Naked Gun (1988), which is a spoof of the TV show "Police Squad!" (Erickson, "Naked Gun" 1), and Scary Movie (2000), which makes fun of the horror film genre. .
A fourth main genre is drama, which are films that deal with strong human emotions. A drama film is described as when the characters are placed in a situation that creates conflicting emotions within; ultimately leading the characters to face some sort of really important decision.
