Psychological Horror films differ slightly from the stereotype of Horror.
Weapons- In psychological horror films, there isn't often a main weapon like a knife or a chainsaw. The killer generally plays more mind games and tricks to disturb the antagonist rather than physical weapons.
Setting- Generally places that the audience can relate to. It makes it more realistic and the audience can then scare themselves as they begin to put themselves in the characters positions. E.g. woodland, large houses, abandoned buildings, isolated areas, hospitals, warehouses, schools, desolated towns/villages.
Characters- The antagonist is normally quite disturbed or twisted. They have often experienced something quite traumatic. Generally, the people who have been killed or harmed are innocent, and a majority are females as they are viewed as helpless, weaker, and in need of care. Children are also used in the main story-line to make the audience more sympathetic for them, and want to help them. By using Women and Children, it plays on the human instinct to want to help and protect them; as they cannot do that themselves.
Sound- Throughout horror films, the use of non diegetic sound is quite common, as tense and dramatic music is added to create tension and get the audience on the edge of their seat.This is sound that the characters cannot hear, and has been edited in.
The use of diegetic sound is where the characters can hear it too. This can be used when the characters are trying to be secretive and not get caught by the killer, or when they are loudly screaming and running away from the killer.
Sight- The thing with psychological horror is that there isn't so much gore and physical violence, it is more to do with mind games and things that will stay in the audience's mind for a long time, even after they've watched the film. It exposes the audience as they are made to feel fear and vulnerability. There are often flashbacks to show the killers past, or what the antagonist is remembering.
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