Throughout my research into the horror genre, I have found that a large number of the killers and villains all appear to wear masks. Because of this, I have often wondered why this is the case. Through further research into the matter, I have across a few theories and opinions as to why this may be and the one listed below is the opinion/belief that I agree with most.
Some believe masks to be such a common convention in
horror films due to the psychological factor and fear that we humans have of
being killed unexpectedly or worse, by
a stranger or someone we cannot identify.
Scientific research proves that our brains are well
trained to recognize and remember one another through faces. This is because
this part of the body is key to unlocking a large amount of information about a
person. For example, race, gender, age etc.
Information in itself is a form of power and strength and
so therefore film makers and writers aim to make the audience (as well as the
characters) feel as powerless as possible by withdrawing information in the
hopes of heightening viewers fear to the furthest point.
(some ideas adapted from: http://www.livescience.com/3323-hollywood-serial-slashers-wear-masks.html)
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