Top 8 Most Overused Horror Cliches in Movies
By Krystal Clark
Throughout film history certain conventions and themes are constantly reused no matter the time or place. The one genre that’s stayed consistent with the same formula throughout the years is horror. It doesn’t matter if it’s 1965 or 2007, the same stuff pops up in everything. The virgin girl will always prevail, while her slutty friend gets killed. There will never be cell phone reception when you need it, and somebody will always forget to lock the door behind them.
Take a look at some of the top 8 most overused horror cliche’s of all time…
8. The Virgin Never Dies
Perhaps I should clarify this by saying the female virgin never dies in horror movies. For the most part, the film’s in this genre have been dominated by female leads. The character sticks out like a sore thumb, and usually does the opposite of everyone else in her crew. She’s either a loner without a boyfriend, or she has one but refuses to give up the goods. Either way, she always lives to reprise her role in the sequel, while her whorish friends are stabbed, decapitated, or strangled.
7. The Door Is Never Locked:
Why don’t people lock their doors? This goes for cars, homes, locker rooms, or wherever you go. For some odd reason the killer can easily walk into your house unannounced, without you noticing. Or you can get in your car ready to leave, and find yourself ambushed by someone hiding in the back seat. Lock your doors!
6. The Killer Always Reveals His/Her Master plan
In the more suspense driven horror films and thrillers the bad guys are a lot more articulate than Jason Voorhies or Michael Myers. There’s always a point at the end of the film, where they think they’ve won, and they get a little too cocky. They start divulging intricate details about their schemes, which pretty much gives the protagonist enough time to escape mid-monologue. Pride is one of the worst weapons out there, because it hurts you more than anyone else. Keep it zipped!
5. The Disappearing Body
Have you ever watched someone get stabbed or knocked the f*ck out in a movie, only to have them regain consciousness and disappear within a matter of seconds? It’s so over the top but it always happens, now you see it, now you don’t. This vanishing act typically occurs after the hero and the villain have duked it out. We think the hero is down for the count, but you blink for one second, and they’re gone! It’s amazing what adrenaline can do when your head’s been bashed in by a pipe.
4. The Black Person Dies First
In the past, the main reason minorities never made it through the final act of any film had a lot to do with the political climate of the times. Forty, thirty or even twenty years ago one thing you could always count on was the one Black person being killed within the first 20 minutes of the movie. It’s like a running joke in the horror genre. These days they even acknowledge that Black characters are more cautious in scary movies than the rest of the cast, but they still kill them off! What’s the point of even putting them on the movie poster?
3. The Phone Is Dead/No Signal
This cliche applies to all cellular phones (and if you have AT&T it’s probably realistic), because for some odd reason you either never have battery power or a signal when you need it the most. I can understand if you’re in the mountains or the woods, but if you’re in the middle of the city surrounded by cell towers, what’s really going on? Even if that isn’t the case, does anyone use their chargers anymore? These days cell phones can do everything under the sun except make an actual call.
2. The Car Won’t Start
Why is it that when your life is on the line, your car has to die first? The engine won’t turn over, while the killer is behind you ready to slice and dice. There’s always a random car, the victim tries to hop in that conveniently has no gas. And if there is gas it just won’t start no matter how new or expensive the car is. They chug, chug, chug it along until the engine finally turns over and they escape by the skin of their teeth. So predictable.
1. The Slow Walk
How is it that the killer can walk at the pace of a snail, and still manage to get to the destination before you? You’re running like a bat out of hell, yet they’re cool as a cucumber. Perhaps they know something you don’t. I’m convinced every killer has a book full of neighborhood shortcuts, because how else can we explain them being so travel savvy?
Here are a few honorable mentions taken from some of our commenter’s below. You guys came up with some of the funniest not to mention accurate horror cliches that definitely deserve a shout out. Keep’em coming!!
- Ken – I hate the”I’m going to go investigate the strange noise, alone.” Bonus hate for using a Candle. That reminds me, “The Light switch does not work, so lets investigate in the Dark. “
- Rebecca – It is impossible to wait until morning to investigate, or until someone can accompany you.
Night is always the best time to search around creepy, abandoned houses and there is no time to waste waiting around for backup. - SuperAuthor – There is always a girl, running alone, usually down a dark alleyway, and being chased. Then what does she do? She looks behind to see how close her chaser is and trips. Then she rolls over on her back, and tries to get away screaming. Because you can get away from anyone on your back. Why not just run towards the large group of people in the lit area, rather than the dark shadowy sure-to-get-you-killed part of town?
What horror cliche do you hate the most? What should be added to the list?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 11:00PM
This is pretty good!
Saturday, October 31, 2009 8:33PM
This list forgot to mention how people always run upstairs when being chased or stalked by their attacker. Seriously, why run upstairs?
Monday, November 2, 2009 9:54AM
Another one, which is somewhat tied to slow walk, is the long lecture/speech bad guys/killers/psychos tend to give before killing the main character, giving plenty of time for the target to escape, call back up or build massive bazookas to kill the villain. I mean, what the hell? Of course this kind of behavior tends to be even more common in action,fantasy and sci-fi movies.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 12:45PM
How about this: A victim can be in a narrow mine tunnel where there's a string of 100 watt bulbs strung along the ceiling for miles, yet the tunnel is so dark you can't see 98% of the action?
And on the opposite spectrum…a victim can run into the Louisiana Superdome (with no electricity) and a Bic cigarette lighter will illuminate the entire stadium…..
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 5:22AM
[...] *http://my.spill.com/profiles/blog/show?id=947994:BlogPost:1373523 *http://screencrave.com/2009-10-28/top-8-most-overused-horror-cliches-in-movies/ [...]
Thursday, November 5, 2009 11:51PM
<The Black Person Dies First
This is the stupidest comment ever! I have seen every horror movie known to man and quite a few that aren't. And I have nevcer seen this one. By the Way "Night Of The Living Dead" is 42 years old and the black guy is the FINAL person to die. I've no idea where the person who wrote this list is coming from.
Sunday, November 8, 2009 7:57PM
They are called cliches for a reason.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 1:13PM
How about the music,when like a really small transistor radio,or a walkman has stadium filling sound.Or the factory radio in a car,can be heard from blocks away.And the villan,killer,monster has their own theme music.Everyone in the audience knows he's/it's comming,but the characters never catch on.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 4:12AM
ur stupid shut up
Saturday, November 14, 2009 10:05AM
So… you’re basing this list off the only two horror movies you’ve ever seen — Scream (not really horror) and a random zombie flick? Weak.
Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:30PM
If you want a great explanation of these horror cliches and and more, watch Behind the Mask.
Thursday, November 19, 2009 3:39PM
[...] to THR, the trio will appear in the Alcove Entertainment production that highlights one of the main cliche’s in the [...]
Sunday, November 22, 2009 5:40PM
MOST COMMONLY the black person dies first. Not always, but most of the time.
Monday, December 7, 2009 4:43AM
These are so cool and true.
Saturday, January 2, 2010 5:27AM
There is always a girl, running alone, usually down a dark alleyway, and being chased. Then what does she do? She looks behind to see how close her chaser is and trips. Then she rolls over on her back, and tries to get away screaming. Because you can get away from anyone on your back. Why not just run towards the large group of people in the lit area, rather than the dark shadowy sure-to-get-you-killed part of town?
Sunday, February 21, 2010 4:23PM
The victim always falls down while being pursued.
Monday, February 22, 2010 5:05AM
@Andre
I was reading all of these, and thought nothing else but "Behind the Mask". That is one of my favorite movies of all time, and it is because of the well thought out explanations. It makes every other horror movie feel less cliche, because you know why and how the serial killer does what they do.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:39AM
I got another one: in every horror movie, when there's a group of people and they have to search for something or someone, even if they know there is somebody out there who will probably kill them, they split up. Why don't you stay in one big group? Are you stupid?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 4:47AM
What about when the victim is in the bathroom and they close the mirror only to see in it the killer behind them?
I totally thought that would be in here.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 8:46PM
I hate the
"I'm going to go investigate the strange noise, alone."
Bonus hate for using a Candle.
That reminds me,
"The Light switch does not work, so lets investigate in the Dark. "
Saturday, March 6, 2010 8:37AM
how about panic room with jodie foster? she used the toilet then, complete with the sounds of her peeing…
Thursday, March 18, 2010 6:31AM
I don't think panic room qualifies as a horror movie, Its more of a crime/thriller.
Friday, March 19, 2010 5:49AM
They're movies, to watch, and to criticize. if they were all rational logical and did what was smart, the movie wouldn't even be worth watching!
Thursday, March 25, 2010 7:19PM
When they walk towards the sound that they heard in the other room.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
Thursday, March 25, 2010 7:19PM
When they walk towards the sound that they heard in the other room.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
Friday, March 26, 2010 7:00PM
OMFG! i know! i was just watching a movie and wondering why people always run back inside… ughh!
Friday, March 26, 2010 7:34PM
It is impossible to wait until morning to investigate, or until someone can accompany you.
Night is always the best time to search around creepy, abandoned houses and there is no time to waste waiting around for backup.
Friday, March 26, 2010 7:54PM
Plurals (cliches, films) do not need apostrophes.
Friday, March 26, 2010 8:46PM
Uhh, randon zombie flick?
I believe the picture of the zombies at the end is from Shaun of the Dead, and if you haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, you should probably end your life.
Friday, March 26, 2010 2:26PM
The trip is my favorite. The protagonist always trips why trying to run away. Why?
Friday, March 26, 2010 9:37PM
The typical false alarm; the victim is in a room searching for something, the music is tense, and they're friend taps them on the shoulder, scaring them, without even saying "Hey" when they initially walking in the room. Who the hell walks into a room and touches the person from behind before you speak to them?
Friday, March 26, 2010 9:40PM
Everyone goes everywhere alone. Cops sprint in without calling backup, people investigate the noise alone, in the dark, with a flashlight that is going to run out of batteries.
The brunette always dies first, preferably after sprinting AWAY from the group, into the darkest place imaginable, and falling and rolling over, like that is going to help her. She is usually either slutty or bitchy.
The killer is always in the bathroom, too. If someone is showering, the get attacked as soon as the water stops. If they go in to the bathroom to splash water on their faces and randomly gaze at themselves in the mirror, they see the killer's reflection in the mirror, and THEN the killer comes after them.
Friday, March 26, 2010 9:59PM
i guess i'll end my life now, andre. congrats. you caused a suicide.
Friday, March 26, 2010 10:24PM
You forgot the elevator that never close / start when a zombie is coming =D
Friday, March 26, 2010 10:41PM
THANK YOU
Friday, March 26, 2010 10:48PM
Another cliche is when the bad guy doesn't die. lol. Like with Michael Meyers. No matter how many time you stab them, shoot them, set them on fire, run them over or blow them up, they ALWAYS live.
Friday, March 26, 2010 10:55PM
These are all really old cliches and not really relevant with modern horror movies that are more then aware of them because of lists like this that have been made over and over and over again.
Saturday, March 27, 2010 1:41AM
Retarded teenagers. Real teenagers, though usually dumb aren't that dumb. And, of course the quote "What's the worst that came happen?"
Monday, April 19, 2010 6:00PM
The person being chased always runs up stairs. God forbid they should go out the front door, which they run PAST to run up the stairs. I mean c'mon!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:57PM
you that they're the one's who's going to get killed next if they just had a sex scene.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:12PM
For the Master plan point, I don't think that the villian from Se7en is the best choice for the picture, seeing as him revealing his plot was crucial to the plot
Sunday, September 19, 2010 8:48PM
Not a horror movie cliche, but a plane in a suspense film cliche. It always has to drop off a cliff and disappeare over the edge, and then………… (jurassic park song when they see the first dinosaur) vooooooom they fly up into the sky…every time.
Monday, September 20, 2010 1:45PM
don't forget while being chased the victim always falls down
Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:54AM
Jesus, did you write this list in 1996?
Thursday, February 3, 2011 2:32PM
omg i hate it when they choose to split up in movies when they know that there is a killer on the loose, i mean come on seriously guys soooooo predictable!!!!!!!
Sunday, March 20, 2011 8:31AM
Uhm #1 is the girl falling when being chased. Come on now
Monday, April 4, 2011 3:02PM
Another Cliche is that , no matter what, when you enter a dark room and you know there's a killer somewhere, you go into that room backwards.
Another one is that if a teenage chick is getting naked..like taking a shower or getting ready for bed…she will die.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 2:44PM
yea. and they never switch the light on while investigating,haha
Sunday, April 24, 2011 8:27AM
No, but accenting the E in cliché is best for proper form.
Monday, April 25, 2011 5:02PM
Oh there was a scary noise or a shadow in this room, lets go into it with NO weapon and without turning the lights on!
And like just go to the neighbours house for feck sake!
If there was a serial killer in my house i would go apeshit on their ass!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 5:34AM
Yeah I hate all the cliches and formulas, I really thought Mel Gibson was going to break the mould and let the bad guy get away in Ransom, but it never happened, but then Mr Brooks came along and made everything better! Mr Brooks was an independent movie btw… no studio involvement.
Friday, July 29, 2011 11:51AM
I hate when the victim is hiding and you think hes about to get caught by the killer, then the killer opens the door or looks behind the wall or under the table and the victim as managed to get out of sight in an impossible amount of time.
Thursday, August 18, 2011 9:03AM
What about the basement lights never working? That one seems to always have a place in horror movies.
Sunday, August 21, 2011 5:07PM
Her name is Krysal, not Jesus. Dumbass.
Friday, January 13, 2012 7:43AM
I've noticed this one in Zombie movies: it's quite far into the movie so by now every character knows that the infection is transmitted thru bites. Then someone gets bitten and starts dying. He/she (usually he) begs to be killed so that they can "die as a human" but their partner-and others in the cast- will insist that he'll be ok and everyone hesitates to kill him so he comes back and kills a few more people who have to be killed. But then no-one hesitates to kill these new zombies, now that it's too late. I don't know if it's overused but I've noticed it in a fair few zombie flicks.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:12PM
you know, in horror movies, there's always an old man who's in his rocking chair (which makes an unpleasant sound), he talks with a southern accent like "i wouldn't go there, no one came put alive, i've seen some things" and so forth.
that looks pretty overused to me.
Sunday, May 13, 2012 7:20PM
A major cliche I find that is always missed is the classic let’s pull on the door that is clearly not opening as the killer strolls towards me. I mean seriously if the door doesn’t open the first time why not run into the next room and jump out of a window or something, don’t tug on the door needlessly then run as the killer comes behind you!!!
Monday, May 21, 2012 3:48PM
And he won.