The narrative structure in horror films is often very different to narrative structure in different genres. Firstly Todorov's 'classic Hollywood' narrative theory in an array of horror films. The basic concept of this theory is an equilibrium followed by a disequilibrium followed by a new equilibrium. Todorov's studies shows that this is a common structure in most Hollywood films hence the title
'classic Hollywood'. However, there are two reasons why a horror film may not follow this structure; firstly to suggest mythic quality of the monster and secondly to enable a sequel. The clear, unambiguous hero of the classic Hollywood narrative is somewhat problematic in many horrors. The hero in a classic horror tends to be a victim as well as a hero, usually a female character. This concept is more complicated than many other genres.
The narrative of one horror sub-genre is very specific. In 'slasher' films the plot goes something like; a psychopath killer returns to his hometown on the anniversary of a killing and hunts down/kills a group of innocent teenagers until there is one female survivor at the end of the plot.
Barthes' and Levi Strauss' are both structuralist narrative analysts who came up with the idea that films have particular underlying structures. These are also known as 'binary oppositions' and they apply well to horror films. Most commonly the pairing of innocence and evil is shown in horror films. Horror uses this to a great advantage when creating sinister atmospheres knowing that the audience is aware of innocence being completely out of context to evil.
There are various different types of character types within the horror genre. As already explained, the main protagonist is usually a victim/hero or victim turn hero. This character is often a female, which again portrays innocence through the use of gender. The killer/monster often holds a hidden secret or is made psychotic by an earlier event. An example of this is the character of Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre - his past is the reason he is how he is. Likewise Mike Myers in Halloween who killed his sister when he was younger, this event links to his return and further murders. Horror films often also involve stupid, 'immoral' teenagers who often get killed and also children which