Scary Movies
The model focuses on three major areas: suspense, realism and gore, according to the BBC.
According to their formula, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is the perfect scary film, based on factors that include the use of escalating music, the balance between true life and fantasy, and how much blood and guts are involved.
The formula is (es+u+cs+t) squared +s+ (tl+f)/2 + (a+dr+fs)/n + sin x – 1…where
es = escalating music
u = the unknown
cs = chase scenes
t = sense of being trapped
s = shock
tl = true life
f = fantasy
a = character is alone
dr = in the dark
fs = film setting
n = number of people
sin = blood and guts
1 = stereotypes
The formula prizes realism, situations where the protagonists are isolated/alone, and where there are a relatively small number of characters involved (audiences purportedly relate better to smaller groups of people). Factors that diminish a film’s standing in the formula include too much gore (“Jaws” was seen as having the perfect amount), or unrealistic situations.