RANKING EVERY HORROR TROPE | TIER LIST

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[@alius9392]

There should be another trope called "That one mysterious person who randomly pops up out of nowhere and somehow knows everything"

[@ill.lly__]

YES! This can be soo annoying 🤦‍♀️

[@nic7520]

but not the killer plot twist

[@moody_boos]

Or that creepy old man that knows everything

[@ghostlyexe]

Bonus points if they’re a person of color and the main characters are white.

[@renflower1910]

Lol so overdone

[@trainwrecktim]

Another horror trope that I definitely no longer wanna see is “the dog dies”

[@zyphayt]

Yeah I mean I’m not upset by watching it, but it’s just overdone

[@nothin_justchillin_killin855]

Ikr as soon as you see a dog you’re like “yep, that’s gonna die”

[@voupou1767]

Yep. Or animals in general!

[@thegrandxbunny2073]

Or the car just stops working. It's so bland. Imagine if Jason just threw a car on an unreachable roof instead of the battery just stopping.

[@Corn_Pone_Flicks]

@@thegrandxbunny2073 Or at least show evidence that the killer sabotaged the car, as opposed to cars just constantly failing to start for no reason other than to keep the hero from escaping. There's a scene like that in Lost Highway, where the point is clearly made that the character left the headlights on and they're slowly dimming, so no one is surprised when he has trouble starting the car.

[@westinfection]

You know, I never minded the "Running and Falling" trope in and of itself. The part that always bothered me was that they don't get back up and continue running. They flip onto their back and do that backwards crawl as if they lost the use of their legs.

[@phoenixreborn32]

Ik like wtf I guess I'll just get up and walk to the killer

[@NorielBenMiel]

They do that to get some style points on the killer before somehow escaping scot-free

[@emukasatruther.]

It does get annoying but it’s kinda understandable they’re probably too scared and shocked?? It just always baffles me how the killer never kills the victim right there and then since they’re completely defenceless 🤷‍♀️

[@omarxperez]

@@emukasatruther. i mean it really really doesn’t but it just depends on the person that fell

[@ghost245353]

@@emukasatruther. I think in their shock they are thinking "I have no time to get up!" so they turn around and crawl backwards to avoid their supposedly inevitable doom XD

[@GinoPagnotta]

My favourite more recent tropes is the "subtle scare" where there is something in the background or hidden that we don't always see on the first watch and usually isn't seen by the actual character (at least not initially). Think Hereditary, Haunting Of Hill House, and Insidious even does it.

[@kaitlyng.473]

Didn’t even think of that, I also love those! Or when you think you see something and rewind to see if your mind is playing tricks on you.

[@myettechase]

Yessss that’s my favorite kind of jumpscare, the kind where the “jump” depends on your own perception

[@yooooo649]

I loveeee subtle scared. They always make me go wtf

[@darrenc5622]

It isn't even a horror film but "The Nice Guys" has a really good one of these

[@venti3849]

the ritual too

[@doublell3997]

you forgot the trope where Mexican people always have knowledge about the spirits

[@datboi945]

or native american

[@calowenby1654]

I believe the preferred term is Native, rather than Native American.

[@datboi945]

@@calowenby1654 i’m literally native american dude

[@calowenby1654]

Ah. My bad.

[@serchmaabaatarchuluun5761]

Oh yes the Hispanic nanny who is somehow super educated in supernatural things.

[@BrisketBlues]

In my opinion, I hate how they sexualize teenagers as a whole, and that includes teen males as well

[@shumishu6019]

Friday the 13th is the most notorious for this

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

@@shumishu6019 "teenagers" most of the time its actors around 25 years old

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

@lungfoot Barley, Its not even like they look like teenagers or ever mention their age

[@0TheJigsawKiller0]

@@jesusramirezromo2037 in the film's universe they are teenagers. do you think lolicon is ok if the character is actually 5000 years old in the lore too? it doesn't matter that they look 30. they are portraying children and it's gross

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

@@0TheJigsawKiller0 Loli is the literall oposite, where they LOOK like kids Here its not sexualising teens if the actors are well over age, and dont actually mention character ages

[@AlextheAlchemist]

I now really want a horror movie where they don't have cell service and it's because they have T-Mobile.

[@PossessedbyHorror]

I mean it would be the most realistic reason to me 🤣

[@MysteriumArcanum]

I have Metro which was bought out by T-Mobile so I feel this in my soul

[@shanehamilton5622]

That would be a lawsuit but it'd be worth it

[@Hootymchootsifer]

I literally decided to go to college in a big city SPECIFICALLY so I have cell reception with T-Mobile

[@RoseShell91]

That film will probably be sponsored by Verizon

[@br5092]

vilifying mental illness!!! (ex. Split, The Visit, etc) It's so overdone. Not to be confused with a story _about_ or involving mental illness/grief (like midsommar and the babdook), I mean when they make the villain bad or give them some kind of "powers" solely because they have a mental health condition

[@PossessedbyHorror]

omg yes hate when the twist is they’re mentally ill what kind of twist is that

[@CozyLumi]

Imagine doing that with physical health conditions like the killer sneezes and they're all like "omg he's got the flu, that's why he's so angry!" like ?!?! it doesn't make sense. Illness is no explanation for anything.

[@Corn_Pone_Flicks]

@@CozyLumi Uhhm, unless you're, say, David Berkowitz and you think the neighbor's dog is telling you to kill people. Then it DOES explain why he killed people, you know, in reality. Nobody blames the flu for such behavior because it literally is never the reason.

[@Robbity]

Both examples are M Night Shyamalan movies lol

[@PrincessofKeys]

I never even thought about mental illness as being villainized while watching any of this......its a movie after all and I know that's not how they are in real life. I just don't care if they use it and it makes me more interested in doing more research myself if I wanted to know exactly what it is. Perhaps people shouldn't take things they see in movies to count to be honest....

[@valeriafabi6823]

i totally forgot about the bullies get punished trope because its so underused. we definitely need more of that i would love to see it

[@william8826]

Yes and low-key I’m always on team revenge

[@valeriafabi6823]

@@william8826 saame

[@ItachiSiller]

We needed it badly in IT 2

[@BrittenyRosee]

My fear with any scary movie trope is that people get ideas from these movies, and while yes id honestly love to see this one used more i feel like now a days people are probably scared to make a movie using this trope cos if anyone tries anything like it theyll get blamed big time. :/

[@valeriafabi6823]

@@BrittenyRosee honestly i think that's always going to happen with movies that are slightly violent, but funny how i've never seen that happen with movies that contain gratuitous violence against women tbh. people would always rather blame Anything other than the killers.

[@leiahibari]

The “indian burial ground” trope pisses me off so much as a native american. Like you said, its so inaccurate and urgh i just hate it so much. Most of the time it paints us as barbarians who were violent and thats why its haunted or whatever and i despise it. All their “lore” is bullshit aswell.

[@shumishu6019]

It’s funny cause there’s an indigenous person right above your comment saying the exact opposite lol. Just thought that was interesting to see the different perspectives

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

I mean, it makes sence After what the US did to the Natives why WHOULDNT their spirits want revenge?

[@bloomp9676]

Ten to the power more points if they *do* actually use the word “Indian”-

[@RealBlazeheart]

As a Native American it’s SO ANNOYING

[@RealBlazeheart]

@@MetaKnight964 Learn to think before you speak 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@mememefinally]

"It was only a cat" is also a trope that has been done to death. One very sickening trope of "gratuitous female nudity/ripping of clothes before killing" is in practically all the 70's and 80's slasher movies and I am happy it happens less in movies these days. It really feels creepy, like the director wanted to make it look "sexy" when woman is attacked.

[@MysteriumArcanum]

Eh, fake out scares are good when done in moderation but do it too much and you get what I call the "boy who cried wolf" effect.

[@danielchoritz1903]

name a good slasher there it isnt part of it. texas chainsaw massacre is my example for a good slasher with a "sexy" part (both versions).

[@CageGD]

@@danielchoritz1903 just bc good slashers have that doesnt mean that trope is good lmao. Would hope movies would still be good without that trope

[@mememefinally]

@@themysteriousonec2306 agree! And it hadn't been used SO much yet in 1979.

[@fitalico2741]

We're forgetting about friday the 13th here. They completely got rid of the "it was only a cat" trope. The music only played when the killer was near. Its genius in my opinion

[@mallorymccurdy4043]

People who argue for gratuitous SA scenes...concern me. They're just so unnecessary and deeply uncomfortable.

[@trace8299]

Does the midsommar sex scene fall into this category?

[@Grant-bx5fv]

I think if you're gonna have a rape scene, don't make it too uncomfortable and the person doing it HAS to die soon after.

[@maxlolbits2182]

Honestly, whenever I see that or some overly scummy character, I just shake my head in disappointment. It's really dumb and unrealistic.

[@bokloki6057]

@@trace8299 yes

[@FrenkieWest32]

So watching murder and torture is fine but sexual assault is not? Why is that exactly?

[@lilielza26]

my least favourite trope is the escaped mental patient is the killer, every time that's the twist I'm like 🙄

[@moody_boos]

Antagonizing people with mental illness in the first place is a garbage move, you’re definitely right

[@abbyvii]

kit walker except not really

[@juanmanuelmoramontes3883]

@@moody_boos I don't say trash, but it's such a scapegoat that is annoying.

[@Scruffy-qi3ik]

@@moody_boos it’s not really antagonizing, anyone, I think most people can tel the difference between schizophrenic psychopathy and ADHD. Mental illness has so many separate pieces that can either be minor or extreme, that each side only really works well to attach to certain things if it wants to be used

[@GoroAkechi_Real]

How about you turn that awful trope on its head: They escape the mental hospital and everyone thinks they’re the killer but really they’re getting in the real killer’s way to save people and when they get arrested the killings get more frequent and more successful?

[@michaelfuson4490]

The one that always annoyed me, was when the hero would finally overwhelm the killer with some kind of weapon and have said killer down for the count, but instead of finishing him off, they just casually toss the weapon down and run off...

[@King_of_Calcium]

Unless they cut off the killers legs and decide to let them bleed out for all the pain they caused

[@theaitokyo]

probably my top most hated. like wouldn’t wanna make sure the killer is, i don’t know here’s a thought, dead ???

[@popeboy3zx161]

Fear street part 1 the beggining

[@ThyBrokenhartedx]

INFURIATING

[@youtubewontletmetypeagoodu8128]

Omg in Halloween that happend twice

[@MaryMajikku]

The library research ... just reminds me in TWILIGHT Bella LOOKS UP a book to BUY reads two pages of the book then GOOGLES what she finds in said book. 😂🙈

[@MaryJoHeadrick]

I came here to say exactly this lol

[@myettechase]

Honestly that’s me doing research lmao

[@toxicsugarart2103]

Only twilight kids remember c o l d o n e s

[@chimiko13]

😂😂😂👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@johnnyryan91]

Literally what I was thinking the whole time 😭😭😭🤣🤣

[@blccdcrange]

my least favorite, as an adopted person, is the orphan trope, which is pretty common in all movie genres. nobody wants to hear about real adoptee/foster/orphan experiences, they only want fantasy stories that ignore our real trauma and treat us like we are evil.

[@ccamilacedeno]

i’m not adopted but i want to adopt in the future and my moms reasoning for not wanting me to is because the child could potentially have trauma and become crazy. like hello mother you gave ME trauma and i’m not crazy and have never tried to kill you also not all adopted kids have tons of trauma and i’ve 99% that the vast majority of them will not try to kill me!

[@blccdcrange]

@@ccamilacedeno adoption inherently involved trauma, and if you plan to adopt in the future, that fact is something you should really be educated on. Having said that, it doesn't also make adoptees crazy murderers. We are human beings that have been thru a lot of shit, and have many things to think about and deal with that most people don't even think about, or take for granted.

[@ccamilacedeno]

@@blccdcrange yeah many people for some reason have the idea than an orphan is gonna end up being a crazy murderer with serious mental issues but no like yes they will probably have trauma but that doesn’t mean they’ll end up crazy. when i adopt i plan to take care of my child as much as i can and also provide them with any help needed when they’re older and understand the concept of trauma i will help them and if they have any disorders such as anxiety, depression, etc. i’ll get them the help they need

[@user-fe7hb3vl2s]

I think we need more of “the broken family/relationships” trope it makes the horror experience the characters go through much more intense, Hereditary as an example.

[@moody_boos]

P l e a s e I love hereditary sm. It’s so unsettling and spooky and I’m here for it

[@realslimcandy5361]

That whole movie makes me so uncomfortable

[@ironpi3]

the witch is aa great example of this trope too

[@jaydenism2137]

i think the babadook and the invisible man 2020 are great examples of this trope

[@user-fe7hb3vl2s]

@@ironpi3 Yes! loved that movie it’s so unsettling, I couldn’t even get myself to rewatch it.

[@MadailinBurnhope]

I really value "unconvinced authority"; horror is what first taught me what gaslighting was, while it was happening to me; I think that's kind of important as long as it's taken seriously and used to higlight power dynamics between characters

[@saigeferko6035]

Wow, I never even thought about how that trope might be a metaphor for gaslighting! That makes so much sense

[@MadailinBurnhope]

@@saigeferko6035 I mean, a lot of the time it literally is gaslighting, e.g. the husband character is seeing his wife's deteriorating health due to what she's seeing but he just thinks she's too sensitive and crazy and it'll all be over if they can just take a nice cabin in the woods vacation specifically, the subtlety with which Jordan Peele handles it in Get Out is astonishing; as soon as the MC asks his girlfriend if her parents know he's Black, and she responds "no? don't worry it'll be fine!", the movie becomes terrifying... you know it won't be fine and she's deliberately lulling him into a false sense of security

[@thehulk525]

@@MadailinBurnhope I like your comparison with gaslighting. But I don't think Get Out is a good example of this trope, since in that movie we as an audience are also in suspense over what is going on, and in the end we find out she was not unconvinced, she was just in on it the whole time. Which is a form of gaslighting. I dislike this trope the most, when there is no mystery for the audience. We have seen everything, and one character being haunted, and the question only becomes how long it will take for the unconvinced authority to become convinced. I had a hard time watching 'The invisible man' for this reason, despite it being a reasonably good film about abuse and gaslighting.

[@Corn_Pone_Flicks]

@@thehulk525 The term "gaslighting" has, like most terms circulating the internet, become massively overused. There is no gaslighting in Get Out, there's just lying. Gaslighting specifically means trying to convince someone that they're crazy (as in the movie Gaslight). It doesn't mean just lying to them or disagreeing with them or not buying their explanation if it sounds nuts. If someone tells me they saw a flying saucer and I think they just saw an airplane, that's not gaslighting. Half the things people in horror movies want to convince others of are things most of us wouldn't accept on the face of it (There's a burnt man with razor fingers trying to kill me in my dreams!). If someone told you their ex-husband had faked his death and was sneaking around in an invisibility suit, you'd probably not buy it without a massive ton of evidence.

[@tdf_worldkey6666]

woah i never even thought of it in that kind of way i mean of course there are ther ones that know intentially and gaslight but unintentional too ahh

[@Sanjidub]

You're missing "School/university Lesson explains the main conflict before it happens"

[@fanatictastic5787]

To quote A Very Potter Musical: "Now, can anyone tell me what a Portkey is? Miss Granger?" "A Portkey is an enchanted object that when touched will transport the one or ones who touch it to anywhere on the globe as decided upon by the enchanter." "Very good. Now can anyone tell me what foreshadowing is? Yes, Miss Granger?" "Foreshadowing is a dramatic device in which an important plot point is mentioned earlier in the story to return later in a more significant way!"

[@libbyfemenella1308]

@@fanatictastic5787 STARKID SUPREMACY

[@OliPop_Official]

It’s like a spoiler within a movie. Hate that one.

[@lebbie1507]

"when have you ever gotten in your car and it just didnt start?" me, who was just stranded in a taco bell parking lot 2 days ago because my car randomly wouldnt start: ):

[@storytimewithnatalie9602]

Ive had my car randomly not start then be fine a few hours later, and once my car would not start, had it at mechanics for 3 days and they couldn't find the cause. Turned out to be the chip in the key malfunctioned

[@kermitthefrog8897]

That should actually be used more in movies where we are shown that the car is already malfunctioning in an every day life so that when they are running away and the car doesn’t start we don’t think it’s dumb.

[@dazaiosamu4689]

I NOW NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE A HORROR MOVIE WHERE THERE STUCK AT TACO BELL

[@loveloveaii]

@@dazaiosamu4689 *the taco demon is coming to get you*

[@bulgna]

Well at least no one was trying to kill you

[@BOOKishbehavior]

I love these videos. But, girl...when you put "it was all a dream" anywhere BUT "please stop doing this..." I literally yelled at my TV. 😭

[@SB-jq8jj]

Same

[@abbyvii]

i know !! everyone uses it and its so repetitive EVERY TIME. i hate it

[@zizoegy8460]

Right? How is that above the F tier? It's so boring.

[@blainehancock]

Same. Like oh great way to tell me the last hour and a half plus of things happening didnt mean shit

[@paola7277]

me with the “killer isn’t dead” trope. HATE IT

[@tonytheglytch]

It's odd that no one said "Crazy Old Person/ Stranger"

[@zyphayt]

Yeah the creepy old person (typically an old lady) is pretty up there in the overused trope category lol

[@philosopher1912]

Creepy old person who gives our characters the exposition and then dies 5 minutes after introduced? It's overused as heck, but hilarious as heck when made fun of.

[@kyellverdonschot9922]

YoU’lL nEvEr CoMe BaCk AgAiN

[@Anothernammee]

The classic looking under the bed is another one lol

[@renflower1910]

Also closet

[@makotqwv]

I've always liked Poltergeist's under-the-bed scene

[@rebeccacummings6697]

I don’t have an under to my bed, or a closet.

[@-Zikade-]

I think the Conjuring had a good "looking under the bed" scene because it did NOT lead up to the usual jumpscare.

[@fallenfriend2860]

We don't want normal. "Kill me Please" tier Alone makes your previous tier video one of the best tier lists out there.

[@PossessedbyHorror]

🤣🤣🤣 I’m glad there’s appreciation out there

[@jayceericohermoso9712]

@@PossessedbyHorror you should include A gun without a bullet. 😅

[@patrickwentzell4638]

@@PossessedbyHorror I appreciate you. 👍👍

[@annasuarez139]

I'm a library science student. I think the library trope is important when the character has to go through archives, public records, and special collections to find information. Also they may need help from a reference librarian to find more information.

[@ShinyShilla]

Would be for a research of an old town? Given no information trough internet

[@eryuu4016]

@@ShinyShilla Well, the internet isn't perfect. There's a bunch of information that hasn't been put on there from old documents and old newspapers. Or, if it's there, you have to pay to see it. So, library tropes are, at least, partially realistic.

[@ryanbromm207]

My least favorite horror trope is the pet/animal always dies. They always seem to know somethings wrong before anybody else does too which makes it even worse to watch For example: The conjuring The hills have eyes autopsy of Jane doe The loved ones Evil dead These we just off the top of my head

[@scxnlines]

Oh shit dude, autopsy of jane doe is super underrated, I really liked the vibes of it

[@Phantaceles]

It’s not a movie, but there’s this horror podcast I really like called The Magnus Archives where, as terrifying as it is, it pretty much has this unspoken rule where you can guarantee that any time a pet is mentioned or brought up in one of the short stories/statements of an episode, it won’t get killed off, especially for the sake of horror The writer has pretty much said he intended to do this bc he doesn’t want to take the listener out of the horror by having them stress so much over the pet (If you ever plan on listening to it though, i recommend looking up the list of content warnings beforehand, bc it pretty much deals with almost every kind of phobia and trigger under the sun because of its mostly short story format)

[@fanatictastic5787]

When i first saw Signs i got upset because both dogs died and it wasnt on screen but you could like hear them getting hurt outside 😔

[@saltyhasnochill5249]

the conjuring is my only exception cause the movie is so damn good-

[@jacobb1193]

And In the tall grass

[@AWBDream]

“The Final Girl” trope is acceptable and I actually like it but after watching Demon Knight. I realized how little black women are the final girl. Every final girl or main character has to be an innocent white girl.

[@MetaKnight964]

Guess what? This is a predominantly white country, do some research before spouting off.

[@AWBDream]

MetaKnight964 Duh dumbass, but the fact of the matter is if black people can be side characters in the movie. Why can’t those same people be the survivor, especially if they are the better actor/character

[@aestheticvibez175]

@@MetaKnight964 gotta love excusing underrepresentation of minorities by pointing out that they’re a minority

[@tevinanarchy774]

That's because the POC dies first trope kills black characters off first. But I ain't a fan of the final girl trope either because in a lot of those movies the final girl only makes it because a man saved her! Laurie Strode is the biggest example I'd say as Loomis saved her again and again however the recent retcon made Laurie a badass which was an epic twist. But yeah still.

[@tvgaming2132]

I'm fine with it but if they do it over the top it's horrible

[@courtneyruebens2599]

I feel like one movie that plays on tropes really well is Donnie Darko (all a dream, in their head, imaginary friend)

[@jackfables3470]

And don't forget the red herring. in some scenes, you can see a guy in red (of course), in the background, just to lure viewers into thinking he's a threat, when, really, he's not.

[@Ergoperidot]

But none of those things are true I don’t think... It wasn’t all a dream or in his head, it took place in a different universe right?

[@courtneyruebens2599]

@@Ergoperidot I wouldn’t call it a different universe but more so a prophecy, kind of Final Destination style where everything plays out and feels/looks real

[@Ergoperidot]

@@courtneyruebens2599 You may be right. It’s a DIFFICULT movie to suss out in that way lmao. I’ve seen it like 6 times and I don’t think I’ll ever really get it

[@FrenkieWest32]

@@courtneyruebens2599 The movie is about alternate time lines and time travel moreso than a prophecy of the future.

[@RaeRaven13]

If one of my friends said “let’s split up” in a horror movie situation, I would automatically assume they’re the killer

[@brandonhey7797]

If one of my friends said it (I only have, like, four actual friends anyway), I'd assume I'M the killer.

[@wellhellothere697]

I can't believe you didn't do the "yes, lets go into the basement/attic/abandoned place all by myself in a situation where I'm scared."

[@kissmenefertiti]

“possessed child/teen” is weirdly one of my favourites because it simultaneously scares me and evokes my sympathy for the child (the exorcist/jennifers body etc)

[@stuartblittley3531]

it’s a very useful trope for making said character run away, (beginning the story in a new setting), it’s also good for creating a motive for the character. when done right it’s usually very scary.

[@lillianaguirre4124]

as an indiginous person, i kinda like the burial ground trope. i see it as some cheeky poetic justice for the colonizers, and a final revenge for our ancestors.

[@lillianaguirre4124]

@PenumbraTheWolf i respect that we dont need to be demonized more than we are anyways

[@lillianaguirre4124]

@@MetaKnight964 "youre not demonized" *continues to demonize false equals as if it was my ancestors who enslaved entire races and destroyed entire cultures*

[@theaitokyo]

i agree! the U.S. stole so it makes sense. i do think sometimes it’s overdone tho and some writers use it as a cop out plot line. like come up w something else.

[@smeegy1]

@PenumbraTheWolf have you played the video game called until dawn on ps4? It centers around native spirits and wendigos. Curious what you thought if you played it.

[@starrsmith3810]

Honestly as much as I hate the trope, I’m glad you can find enjoyment in it. And it makes perfect sense. Hell I enjoyed seeing the racist white characters in Django Unchained die lol

[@moody_boos]

My sister and I have made a guessing game out of who’s gonna die first. Top guesses are: the poc, the gay man/couple, the ~sexy~ one, the comic relief, etc.

[@brandonhey7797]

@@actualperson5443 because ✨racism✨ (by the way, this is sarcasm. I do not think racism is good by any means, and am getting quite sick of it)

[@femto7579]

@@brandonhey7797 I’m black and I have zero problem with it usually because I want everyone to die because I watch the movies for the antagonist not the other bland characters

[@ChibiProwl]

What does poc mean?🤔

[@femto7579]

@@ChibiProwl person of color

[@ChibiProwl]

@@femto7579 Thank you.

[@ishimura556]

Surprised no one talks about the "Protagonist dies at some point in the film" leaving another character to take their place. (Janet Leigh in 'PSYCHO' comes to mind.)

[@shumishu6019]

I can only think of movie that did that which would be terrifier

[@strawburrymilk195]

Only really makes me think about Danganronpa v3 or kind of train to busan, one’s a video game so

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

@@shumishu6019 Nigthmare on Elm St 1, Scream 1, Friday the 13th part 2

[@sarkaztik3228]

It's not done enough to be a trope.

[@sarkaztik3228]

@@jesusramirezromo2037 Nightmare on Elm St 1 and Scream 1 were not examples of this. Those characters were never set up as the "protagonist", especially in Scream. Showing a random character (or characters) at the beginning of a movie only to kill them off before the movie really takes off is a completely different trope.

[@SleepFan771]

Neve Campbell's Sidney in Scream is cool because Wes Craven subverts many horror tropes by having his final girl have sex and survive among others.

[@payt00n]

Stan Lorde

[@LitheBird]

Wes craven didn’t write Scream

[@brandonhey7797]

@@LitheBird Then who did?

[@LitheBird]

@@brandonhey7797 Kevin Williamson

[@hoodnoodles6263]

I hate the sex in horror movies because of how awkward it is to watch with parents, and you know it's coming just not when.

[@mpaigexo]

The medicine cabinet trope is one of my favorites in an ironic way. It's so easy and cheap, but it gets me every time and i think it's so great when there's nothing actually there at first. It annoying and terrifying when something DOES jump out at me, but I do love it as much as it sucks lol

[@strawburrymilk195]

They do that EXCACT thing in Shawn of the dead lmao

[@midnightgamer2158]

Lol

[@joshwilson659]

Even though the reboot of pet semetary was pretty bad, they had a pretty creative medicine cabinet jump scare

[@strawburrymilk195]

@@joshwilson659 I’m reading that book right now, i was looking forward to the movie :(

[@katie9247]

Question: Has "The hero is the killer" trope been used that often? I can only recall one or two films. I don't think films like Scream necessarily count since the killers weren't the "heroes", they were mostly just supporting characters.

[@saigeferko6035]

I think Get Out did this really well - Rose wasn't exactly the "hero" but we were supposed to think she was on Chris's side and it was just her insane family but I was NOT expecting her to be one of them and try to kill him

[@brandon17760]

High tension, is the best use of this trope that I have ever seen, it blew my mind to be honest.

[@aruven_]

@Gold Rose yes omg I don't exactly remember the film perfectly, but I do remember being shocked at the "twist" when I was younger

[@brynnahernandez2589]

I think scream 4 counts because the whole movie you think that Jill is being set up as the “next Sidney” and then in the end she turns out to be ghostface

[@leshape192]

The Rob Zombie Halloween’s kinda make Michael the main focus of the film mostly, and make him a bit of an anti hero as well, killing assholes and jerks and even rapists if you watch the directors cut, you root for him to murder everybody lmao

[@myettechase]

The only film (series) that had a decent excuse for the “no cell service” trope was Wrong Turn, because huge swathes of West Virginia are part of the “radio quiet zone” in real life! Cell service and radio towers don’t transmit properly so it’s perfect for a horror setting where the protagonists can’t use their phones... but to my knowledge (I haven’t seen the films in a while so correct me if I’m wrong!) they never bring it up as an actual thing! It’s just 😟 oh no, my phone

[@eryuu4016]

I get it that it gets annoying, but I've been in several buildings, especially older buildings, where cell service gets spotty or even practically impossible to get.

[@casbah2075]

Dropping the keys is 100% realistic. The amount of time I've dropped my keys at my own front door or seen my aunt do the same. XD

[@thomassylvester9484]

My favourite Medicine Cabinet Fakeouts were in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when they would close the cabinet and there would be nothing in the mirror, then turn around and a vampire is standing behind them casting no reflection.

[@borthsampson]

my car wouldn't start the other day (just because the battery died, not any weird horror movie logic) and my first thought was "huh, this would be a bad time for a murderer to show up"

[@kamrie7201]

Women are definitely over-sexualized in horror way too often, and it’s usually never necessary to the story. Very tired of that. I don’t need nudity shoved in my face to enjoy a movie, ya know?

[@auglyrat9235]

Especially minor characters like teens. It's so annoying

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

Its died down It was the most comon in the sexploitation era

[@yearninganimal]

It’s why I love Alien so much, the female characters are shown in an independent and non-sexual way :) also because the films are great

[@kamrie7201]

@@yearninganimal YES. I recently watched Alien and it was refreshing to see such a wonderfully written female character. And on top of that, yeah, great film

[@yearninganimal]

@@kamrie7201 Totally, glad we share that opinion haha, Ripley and Vasquez are both my favourite movie characters!

[@nekonomicon2983]

I hate the let's split up trope. You're just asking to be killed when the characters do that

[@stuartblittley3531]

well tropes are tropes for reasons. as long as the writer is aware it’s a trope and the characters are aware it’s a trope

[@proxet2544]

I mean sometimes there's exceptions for it, like they all know a meetup point/a destination, they have a buddy system, and they have a way to contact each other. But it is an overplayed trope that it does become stupid and boring after a while.

[@ceilinh6004]

I loved it in Cabin in the Woods though. That movie cracks me up so much.

[@cynicalducky1041]

You know a trope is bad when it gets mocked in almost every other genre especially in comedy.

[@lessismore8533]

Unless it’s a scooby doo😂

[@lanabanana6178]

NO I LOVE YOUR TIER RANKINGS 💀✋🏽 idc if they don’t make sense

[@SerafiniAGaunt]

The cell service one gets me because YOU CAN DIAL 911 REGARDLESS OF SERVICE OR CARRIER. The number is designed that way for that very reason, so you can get out of those situations

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

Not if you actually are in am area with 0 cell towers Unless you have a dedicate sattelite phone

[@bruisedviolets]

that trope is like oh fuck off not again but idk it still gets me !

[@smeegy1]

You can call 911 without a Sim card or account but with no signal your call isn't going through.

[@Mister_Dollz]

I'd much prefer, for horror movies to make me uncomfortable, by having a character get slowly split in half, rather than having a woman sexually assaulted.

[@QazwerDave]

I accept "No Cell Service" and the "Car Doesn't Start" ones when they are set up. Have the people know that these are a problem ahead of the horror starting. The main character knows that he drives a shit car, or the group knows that their are going to / find out that they are in an area that doesn't have cell service ahead of the villain showing up.

[@jackfables3470]

I prefer when it's due to sabotage and some characters are actually smart enough to understand they are being hunted.

[@QazwerDave]

@@jackfables3470 Sure. That's another option. But, like I said in my comment, it would be "set up", then as well. A well functioning car or cell phone suddenly not working anymore, doesn't work for me. Do they have 5 bars of service at one point, and suddenly it's gone? Or isn't cell service mentioned even once, and then suddenly something happens and they need cell service and then it's gone? That doesn't work for me. But when it's set up ahead of time. If has a reason from within the movie itself ...

[@ncisfan1002]

Yeah honestly, for example the characters not having their phone in the first place due to some authority taking the phones is fine, too. Or phones with low batteries and no chargers. Or being in the middle of nowhere with T-Mobile

[@eryuu4016]

@@QazwerDave Okay, I get it, it's annoying. But, these problems happen in real life too, ya know?? I've been in areas where cell service is spotty. One minute I have 5 bars, the next it's gone. This especially happens in old buildings. My mom and sister have also randomly had their cars not start. You *do* know that car batteries can die right?? Sometimes it's cause people accidentally leave the light on, their headlights on, or even not close the door all the way. It happens.

[@jennystout8600]

Awww, as a librarian I *love* when characters go to the library/ask a librarian for help! Although, honestly if the character does (good) internet research, I like that too.

[@royalhorror]

“ Her name was sarah cause I was not original “ I AM SCREAMING !!! This was a very unique video ! Love it

[@mibrandaoo94]

I am certain that everyone that watches a movie where the character falls is screaming "JUST GET UP ALREADYYYYY" HAHAHAHAHA

[@Isaac-vq9gw]

Even though I could immediately tell it wouldn't be, I really wanted the Unholy to be good because I grew up Catholic and the idea of a demon assuming the form of Mary during an Apparition was so intriguing. Also, putting the trope of tripping in "Let it Slide", I see you.

[@brandonhey7797]

As a Catholic, would you have found a demon taking the form of Mary offensive in any way?

[@seraphywang4638]

@@brandonhey7797 I mean, it is a demon so anything nasty or manipulative is fair game and “in-character”.

[@DericJackman]

A horror movie trope that needs to STOP in which no one acknowledges is the vilifying of the main girl’s boyfriend. He disproportionately always ends up cheating on her with her best friend or someone else... Midsomer, Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, etc. The guy is always portrayed as a cheater and it needs to stop!

[@kundatrix]

I don't think that the boyfriend in Midsommar was vilified. They've shown that the relationship is toxic from both sides, not to mention he literally gets unjustly murdered at the end

[@shumishu6019]

@@kundatrix yea but everyone who watched the movie treated him like the devil lmfao. Literally had an argument with some bitch who said that he “cheated” (when he really got raped)

[@deadassh]

ahhh you missed the "dog always dies" horror movie trope. not only is it over done but its so sad :(

[@midnightgamer2158]

Ikr

[@kad1393]

Yeah, it’s also just a really lazy way to be like “look our villain/killer is so evil”

[@noahevans3875]

I don’t mind the final girl trope in itself I just hate the fact that it’s always the skinny white blonde girl. Anyone representing any diversity is normally one of the first to get killed off.

[@shumishu6019]

Jordan peele is actually kinda changed this tho

[@KingTruffles]

Nothing against them surviving, but a lot of final girls kind of feel like they’re the same exact character no matter what movie it is

[@Fire91ful]

scream the blonde dies first. 1996

[@Fire91ful]

@Anthony Lopez watch the babysitter then on Netflix but its like a slasher dark comedy. If you like that then thats for you final boy

[@galactus6936]

who cares

[@atmosphericentry0]

the "Library Research" one is SOOO true that many people dont realize, even though its probably one of the most prominent horror tropes.

[@SleepFan771]

I wonder if the Library Research trope started in horror films with Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt when Teresa Wright has to look up old newspaper clippings. It's a striking moment in that, but for movies coming out in 2021 to have teenagers go to the library when nearly everyone has internet access is ridiculous.

[@eryuu4016]

@@SleepFan771 You might not realize it, but a lot of really old texts and newspapers *aren't* on the internet. And, if they are, you have to pay to read them. That's one of the reasons why that trope is realistic and important.

[@kingxxlibra]

I love your tier list videos 😊😊

[@sammy1552]

I agree with everything except for it was all a dream. For me that would go in once in a while. Also , where would you put the 'a character giving the backstory on an urban legend or myth' ?

[@chimiko13]

We have that trope in the philippine horror 😆 characters would always have that scene where everything will make sense. A priest or a relative or a healer will reveal to them all the answers that they are looking for. This is a fun trope and I always look forward to this moment of enlightenment for the characters. Sometimes it can get frustrating because there will be events that will prolong this scene 😅

[@sammy1552]

@@chimiko13 got any philippine horror movies ?

[@chimiko13]

@@sammy1552 ooooh there are many available in netflix i dont know if it’s available in your country tho. You could just search Filipino Horror. But I suggest you check out Eerie (2019), Sunod (2019), Feng Shui (2004), Sukob (2006). Some say Feng Shui and Sukob are cheesy but i love them 😁 Enjoy!

[@sammy1552]

@@chimiko13 i wish we had a good horror movie about the Mannangal.

[@sneggles1881]

two other tropes i didn't see anyone mention was someone randomly chopping wood, and also people staring off into nothing

[@danafisher8613]

“Had they just double tapped the killer”. .... YAS thank You I have said this for decades 💙💙

[@Just_A_Creative_Mind]

The “it was only a dream” trope actually annoys me a little. I don't know if it's just me or not, but it always feels like all the progress the characters made, and the danger they faced didn't matter because it wasn't real, if that makes any sense.

[@chelsea7229]

Horror trope: someone in the background that only the audience can see

[@leshape192]

Michael Myers is a master of this trope

[@brittany-nicol3]

I love how she used Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles lmao. I definitely think she’s a supernatural fan. (I have no idea if she is or not just from the observation I made I believe she is)

[@haley5803]

It's kind of hilarious and ironic if you think about it! They both did remakes in the 2000s of 80s horrors movies around the time they were doing Supernatural. Makes sense for their careers though lol

[@daniburns6369]

I love how Sarah can take criticism gracefully, incorporate the feedback into her future work without sacrificing her own vision or pandering. That is how confidence and professionalism is done!

[@TheJasmineLilly]

As well as the medicine cabinet - closing the fridge door lol. And also how could anyone forget the "I'll be right back!" trope

[@ashleygholson3174]

I think one of the most stressful tropes is “character escapes danger, but actually doesn’t” I think Grave Encounters 2 did it pretty well.

[@fireflies_and_wolves4473]

i really like how the ring does this too

[@ansundertale9952]

The medicine cabinet trope is done well when they close the cabinet and the audience sees the monster/demon/killer but the character doesn’t, I love the tension that I can see it but the character is oblivious

[@michaelbenson5677]

I find it interesting that you put 'Unconvinced Authority' at one extreme and 'Car Won't Start' and 'No Cell Service' at the other, as all three serve the same narrative purpose: to isolate the protagonists and cut them off from escape or rescue, thereby forcing them to rely on themselves to deal with the situation. Is it just a matter of believability? There are a lot of justifications for cell phones not working (rural areas with no coverage, damaged/wet phone, dead battery, etc.), though I admit that a car unexpectedly not starting can only be realistically explained by sabotage. On libraries, it makes total sense to be forced to go in person to research obscure or local events. Need info from the local paper 50 years ago? You'd better be ready to sift through rolls of microfilm at the library or newspaper office - that's probably not in a digital archive. Likewise, published works in fields that are no longer widely respected (demonology, exorcism, sensationalist exposés) are most likely only to be found in used book stores and libraries big enough to not have to cull under-circulated books.

[@eryuu4016]

*Exactly!* Thank you for say this!

[@zyphayt]

Great tier list video. Tho u forgot a very common trope, which is the *creepy girl in a white dress* which is done to death in horror movies

[@moody_boos]

Or creepy child in general

[@midnightgamer2158]

Lol

[@eryuu4016]

I think that's off the woman in white urban legend.

[@lessismore8533]

Maybe now it’s more common but not back when Ringu 1998 came out. It was JHorror not western horror so JHorror obviously had it for a while. And then it got popularized in Western horror

[@austinkrause5418]

You and spookyastronauts are my two go to horror insights! Thank you and keep up the great work

[@aperolbritz]

Ditto!!! My absolute faves 🖤

[@renny489]

Sometimes SA in movies aren’t even needed like at all and it’s bonkers when it’s just thrown in, I spit on your grave is different bc that’s what the plot is about.

[@ska-0329]

My heart cannot handle jump scares 💀

[@joeertman]

Love the tier list videos, very interesting

[@nate3556]

Running and falling honesty makes sense. I trip on air all of the time lmao

[@10xTNT]

what? how?

[@brandonhey7797]

@@10xTNT clumsiness

[@midnightgamer2158]

Lol

[@eryuu4016]

I don't think it's the tripping and falling, it's that they *don't get back up.*

[@nate3556]

@@eryuu4016 They’re just excepting death, even if death is a good 50 feet away

[@QazwerDave]

I really enjoy when the Medicine Cabinet does reveal something, but it NOT matched with a jump scare. It simply allows a change of the backdrop between before and after the cabinet was opened.

[@Jane-oz7pp]

As someone who has studied a bit of history at university, the whole going to the library to study thing actually makes a lot of sense. A lot of these archives are not digitised yet, it's a HUGE undertaking and they often don't have the funding or worker base to do it. You can find a lot online, but not everything, especially footnotes and smaller news stories. So if they're looking at archived newsreels or something, that's probably actually their best bet.

[@elizabeth-leavesandreads2890]

I just want to say that the quality of your videos have been amazing. ( not that I thought it was bad before)this is So clear, love the lighting and the set you have.

[@peachkid1495]

i live in the uk and there are MANY places with no cell service, especially if you like to forest hike trust me hhaha

[@jemmaswales8027]

Yes! The service is so horrific out in forests 😂

[@brandonhey7797]

Service of any sort here is pigsick.

[@freedompancakes301]

One of my least favorite tropes is when horror movies have a random asshole stranger just be mean so they can cheaply kill off a character without it actually carrying any weight. It’s ridiculous and unrealistic.

[@GAshoneybear]

True. Prime example. The Boy gave the main character an abusive ex boyfriend who was first seen in the last 20 minutes. So you knew he was going to be the one to die because the main character, the chef, and the homeowners were all likeable people. I honestly would rather have seen no one die in this one.

[@faeb.9618]

idk why that talk on tropes reminded me of the 'the tropeless tale' page on tvtropes and i feel like that's something everyone should read at least once, especially those people that think tropes in general are bad or 'not original'

[@stuartblittley3531]

i think the demonization of tropes is unnecessary in some cases to be fair

[@faeb.9618]

@@stuartblittley3531 i mean how some people are so hellbent on 'this work has a trope therefore it's bad and unoriginal', because way too many people seem to think that way when tropes are just unavoidable and a writing tool like many other things

[@notgrace7187]

i love the combination of all in their head and the protagonist actually being the bad guy. i can’t really think of any movies rn but i love it.

[@thrill-ertime1793]

High Tension? I feel like that would eork

[@BlockMasterT]

Secret Window, that's a really well done one for ya.

[@joshjames25]

I love these tier lists so much

[@vanequa]

I can watch Sarah talk about this stuff all day, thank you for making these vids !!!

[@stephaniewolfe4170]

I love your way of tier ranking! You are my favorite tier videos to watch!

[@QazwerDave]

I only let slide "is was all just a dream" in a few specific circumstances.

[@lillian4143]

Native gal here, Sarah yess! Thank you for including the Indian Burial Ground trope! I was watching through thinking aw man she probably won't include it but you did! I gotta tell you it's difficult being a Native horror film fan and having to encounter this lame ass trope halfway through a pretty decent seeming film. Oh my goodness and how many people actually believe this trope in regards to real life 🙄 I've always dreamed that an Indigenous writer or director make a film where this trope is turned on its head and it's an Indigenous cast/characters fighting off century old colonizers that are mad that we Ndns are still here lol Thank u again for including it, your channels are awesome!

[@urbanlove13]

I love your tier videos. I love the categories you put. They were always so funny and totally made sense

[@jacobgonzalez2313]

i love your chaotic tearlists tbh

[@boomerangsniper1682]

I think their are two you may forgotten about "Let's Trust the stranger." & "Taking drugs(any drug) Is a guaranteed death".

[@mathieunolet8236]

Man, I love Scream so much

[@ethantravels]

Thoroughly enjoyed this! I’m gunna go binge watch some more of your videos lol

[@masoncarpenter8452]

I think your tier lists are hilarious, the chaos just adds too it lol

[@DaydreamAllday]

Love these lists 🙌

[@mayareichenbach3790]

i love the tier lists!!

[@autumnkoger]

I could rewatch your vids all day every day

[@3893maya]

dude I love your tier lists and I' LOVE MORE OF THEM!

[@juliekrocova]

I honestly love these ranking videos

[@tonguekisser89]

i love this channel because every time I finish a video I go straight to Netflix and watch a horror movie

[@skylerrush7022]

I love your tier list videos!! Please keep them coming

[@graveman18]

Hey Sarah, I just wanted to say hi and I love your video! Especially the "tier lists". I am a huge horror fan and never thought about all the sub genres and "tropes' there are in horror movies. For me your tier lists have been a learning experience and educational. I just wanted to say thank you and keep up the good work!