The Function of Narrative Form and Montage Structure in Horror Films

Abstract

The cinematic discourse is considered a complex structure that requires delving into its depths from the initial stage of creation to the completion of the film and its presentation to the audience. The first essential step in constructing this discourse lies in the narrative form, which serves as the fundamental framework that organizes the sequence and presentation of characters and events. This organization cannot be achieved without montage and its various techniques, which play a crucial role in conveying the filmic discourse to its aesthetic and semantic peak—particularly in horror films, as this genre represents a rich expressive space that employs montage to intensify feelings of fear and suspense.

Based on this premise, the researcher sought to examine the complementary relationship between narrative form and montage structure in this cinematic genre. Consequently, the research problem emerged in the following question:

What is the mechanism through which the narrative form and montage structure operate in horror films?

To address this question, the theoretical framework was divided into three sections. The first, entitled “The Narrative Form: Concept and Function,” explains the concept of narrative form in cinema and discusses several elements that contribute to its operation, namely (time, narrator’s position, narrative structures, and focalization). The second section, “Montage: Theory and Practice,” presents the major theories of montage developed within two main schools: the American school, represented by Edwin S. Porter and David Wark Griffith, and the Russian school, represented by Lev Kuleshov, Vsevolod Pudovkin, and Sergei Eisenstein, as well as the subsequent developments influenced by these theorists.

The third section, “Elements of Cinematic Language and Their Role in Shaping the Narrative Form and Montage Structure in Horror Films,” explores how cinematic language elements—such as narration, montage, camera, sound, time and space, color, and lighting—contribute to shaping the narrative form and dramatic structure of horror films.

Finally, the researcher identified four theoretical indicators, which were applied to the research sample, leading to a set of findings and conclusions that achieved the main objectives of the study.