Denotation and Connotation of Horror movies

Just by looking at a still image within a movie you can tell what genre it belongs to by analysing the denotation and the connotation of the image. As a class we looked through several images from various horror movies such as 'The Ring' and 'Psycho' to pick out the clues that tell us this image belongs to a horror movie.

Still from 'The Ring'
Denotation-a girl with long black hair   Connotation-looks mentally ill
                -wearing a white dress                           -perhaps in a mental hospital
                -in a white room                                    -disturbed
                -microphone by her feet

                -she looks empty

Still from 'Gothika'

Denotation-woman looking at blood coated wall        

                - 'not alone' is written on the wall    

Connotation-obviously a victim

                   -being followed

                   -blood signifies danger