Title Choices and Connotations
Sinister - 2012
Sinister has negative connotations, making it an ideal title for a horror film. When looking at words with a similar meaning to "sinister." we found the following words
These words are all very pessimistic, as is "sinister."
- Dire
- Evil
- Malevolent
- Mischievous
- Ominous
- Perverse
- Threatening
These words are all very pessimistic, as is "sinister."
The Last Exorcism - 2010
The definition of "exorcism" is "the expulsion or attempted expulsion of a supposed evil spirit from a person or place." Exorcisms usually have connotations of religion, specifically spirits that are to do with the devil. This makes "The Last Exorcist" an effective title for a horror film, as the idea of the devil and evil spirits is something many people would find terrifying. Exorcisms and specifically associated with the unknown, and it is common human nature to be scared of things that can't be seen or have no explanation.
The Woman in Black - 2012
Black has connotations of darkness, a common feature many people think of when horror is mentioned. Black also links in with death, as it is the colour usually worn when someone has been widowed, lost a family member or when attending a funeral. It may be assumed from the title, that "The Woman" has experienced the death of a family member, causing the audience to wonder what happened. Saying that she is "THE Woman in Black" suggests that she is the only one in her exact position, suggesting something isn't quite right with her.
Insidious - 2010
When looking up "Insidious" in a thesaurus, we found that the following words have a similar meaning.
- Dangerous
- Subtle
- Deceptive
- Perilous
- Perfidious
A Nightmare on Elm Street - 2012
The word "nightmare" has connotations of something being the worst case scenario or an awful dream. When looked up in a thesaurus, the following words came up:
- Hallucination
- Horror
- Illusion
- Phantasm
- Torment
- Succubus
(SC)