Tell, Don't Show: Form, Function and Affect of Verbal Account Scenes in Anglophone Horror Films and Thrillers

Abstract

“Show, don’t tell” is one of the most established axioms in film. In recent years, however, a number of authors have shed light on film dialogue, verbalization and a narrative strategy termed verbal account. While found in works of many genres, the verbal account’s appearance in horror films is particularly interesting considering the genre’s usual reliance on striking, affective visuals. In this article, I present the theoretical framework that has shaped the studies of verbalization in film, particularly Julian Hanich’s conceptualization of the verbal account and its subcategories, and draw parallels between this strategy, horror literature and oral tradition. Employing textual analysis of scene examples, I attempt to ascertain the narrative function of such scenes and add a dimension to the existing categorization. Finally, I propose a practical experiment to assess the emotional affect of verbal accounts.