Horror Story Plot #1, The Haunting

Déjà vu, This Looks Familiar

Ever watch a movie or read a book and think: this seems very familiar?  The plot has been done before. The situation seems like the last spooky movie you saw. Recently I watched the “The Darkness” and had that déjà vu sense. He is trailer for the flick.

Horror Story Plot #1, The Haunting 

1. Take a dysfunctional family.
2. Introduce a catalyst to drive the haunting. New home. Recently acquired an object.
3. Haunting begins subtly and ratchets up through the course of the story.
4. The focal point of the haunting is a dysfunctional family member.
5. Haunting details are ignored or rationalized by family members until it becomes obvious it is a genuine problem.
6. A solution is found and tried but fails.
7. Things escalate until real cause is found.
8. Then comes remedy.
9. Problem resolved.
10. Casualties may have occurred though often family survives.

Notes

• A dysfunctional family member may also be youngest or frailest member. Key is who is most vulnerable.
• A family may be a group not necessarily related by blood. Paranormal investigators. Group of friends.  Strangers thrown together.
• The resolution comes from knowledge of the history of the haunting element.
• The haunting element can be ghosts, demons, and monster.

I will share a few more of these plot outlines in future blogs.  Please if you have something to offer or share leave a comment.