Superstitions have always existed around the world. They come in many beliefs from wearing a green shirt or lucky underwear when playing online pokies to coming across a black cat and needing to cross the road and going in a different direction.. Just as some make us feel lucky or safe like knocking on Wood, most make us feel unlucky and even in danger and “cursed”
Horror movies have a long and storied history, and some of the most famous horror movies borrowed superstitions from worldwide. From curses to voodoo dolls, five terrifying superstitions are used in horror films.
Use of Superstitions in Horror Films
Superstitions are used to create fear and suspense in horror films. They’re meant to cause a thrill to the audience. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1) Clowns are Evil
While clowns are often used in horror films as a source of terror, they’re also the mascot for an entire industry. The fear of clowns is so pervasive that in some parts of the country, they have been banned from performing at children’s birthday parties.
So, what makes people scared of clowns? Well, many cultures associate clowns with evil or bad things happening—think red noses and white makeup! In fact, “clown” means “evil spirit” in many languages across Europe and Asia!
If you really want to scare someone with your film, then make sure it includes:
- lots of scary imagery, including giant killer spiders crawling around corners;
- blood-curdling screams coming from inside closets or under beds; etc.,
2) Black Cats Leave Curses
The curse of the Black Cat is a superstition that originated in Europe, and it’s used to terrify viewers. It suggests that if a black cat crosses your path, bad things will happen to you—either sickness or death.
The meaning behind this superstition is unclear. But one stems from how cats were believed to have been domesticated by Egyptians thousands of years ago. These felines would be kept as pets during those times, but due to their association with death and illness, later generations began associating them with curses instead!
3) Breaking Mirrors Brings Bad Luck
In the horror subgenre, breaking a mirror (or any other object) brings bad luck. The mirror-breaking superstition has been around for centuries and is most commonly associated with the Celtic and Greek cultures. In both cases, it is said that witches were able to enter a person’s house by breaking a mirror. The magic mirror would allow the witch to see through the victim’s eyes.
The curse of breaking a mirror originates from an ancient superstition that dates back to the early days of Christianity when witches were thought to be able to cast spells on those they came into contact with by using mirrors. As such, breaking a mirror was thought to be one way in which witches could cast their spells on unsuspecting victims.
4) Friday the 13th is an Unlucky Day
The superstition of Friday the 13th is not just a Hollywood invention. While there are many stories about how this date affects people, it’s believed that this day has been cursed by an old woman who died on March 13th (the day before or after). In one version of the story, she was murdered by her husband for making him jealous. Another account says that she was killed by a jealous woman who didn’t want her husband to marry another woman.
Whatever happened on that date has been blamed for many tragedies throughout history—including deaths and injuries caused by accident or violence—so naturally, people don’t want to go near it! You can avoid this fate by staying indoors on Friday nights until midnight, so you won’t run into anything bad happening around you while walking home at night (or anywhere else).
5) Watch Out For Signs of the Devil
The use of signs of the devil in horror films has been around for decades. It’s used as a way to scare the audience and make them feel uncomfortable.
The Exorcist is one favorite of this type of film because there is so much tension throughout the entire movie (both physical and emotional). This movie focuses on a young girl named Regan who has been possessed by Lucifer himself and wants to kill her mother and destroy everything around them (including themselves).
As you can imagine, this movie has a lot going on in it; however, several scenes take place in churches where characters perform rituals or pray for help from God himself! These scenes are very important because they show how powerful religion can be in people’s perception of the world, playing on the difference between good and evil in these films.
Conclusion
In the end, these are only superstitions used in horror films to add tension and fear to the story. These superstitions can be found in almost any horror movie—from classic slashers like Halloween and Scream to new scary movies like The Conjuring 2 – so we hope you enjoyed learning about them!
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