Five opening scenes from horror films - analysing conventions
Analysing typical conventions from opening scenes of horror films:
1. It (2017)
The opening scene commences with torrential rain and an unsupervised child. The immediate use of pathetic fallacy; somber clouds and an angry storm negatively affect one's mood, therefore, commencing with a solemn tone. A young boy unsupervised creates the potential for danger, due to being alone this makes him vulnerable. Once being met with the clown-like creature, its face is half hidden by the darkness in the gutter, only revealing its eyes and disturbing smile - the shadow covering the creature's face is black and his smile is red, two crucial colours used in horror.
2. Scream (1996)
- The house the scene is set in is isolated making everything immediately more dangerous since the lack of communication and potential help if something were to happen.
- The scene is set during the nighttime with low lighting, the darkness plays on people's fear of mystery an the unknown.
- The villain is masked, hiding their identity, the element of anonymity is unnerving since we don't know the villain's true identity.
- The director uses canted framing after the victim has been brutally stabbed and has fallen to the ground.
3. A quiet place (2018)
- The opening scene uses some high angle shots and loose framing to suggest vulnerability as the characters are walking through the woods which indicates to the viewer that the characters are in grave danger.
- The young child was accidentally unsupervised causing him to fall behind the rest of the family, which is when he triggers the sound on his toy air plane summoning the monster. The dramatic music then slowly builds to a climax.
- As the music builds to a climax, the editing increases to a fast pace, switching from the child innocently standing alone whilst his father frantically runs towards him to save his life.
4. Jaws (1975)
The scene begins with teenagers sitting alone during the nighttime around a campfire. Two teenagers proceed to separate from the group, however, since its dark their faces aren't visible, this creates a sense of mystery, which along with the darkness, unsettles the audience. Once the teens swim far enough, the camera cuts to a low angle, loosely framed, shot of the girl swimming from beneath. This implies the girl is being watched, since being at sea she is immobile and stationary meaning she is vulnerable. As the creature observing the girl swimming, the intense music becomes progressively louder until the mysterious creature pulls the girl under the water. The darkness throughout the entire scene is unsettling for the viewer, the idea that the audience is never actually shown the creature lurking in the water creates mystery.
5. 28 days later (2002)
- The opening scene begins with anarchy and chaos on an international level throughout London without giving any context to the audience, leaving the audience fearful and disorientated.
- The opening scene proceeds to a group of people who appear to be the protagonists infiltrating an evil lair, this entire scene occurs in a low light setting.
- Once the victim is attacked by a genetically mutated monkey, the editing rapidly increases to the extent that the audience is restricted to what they can see, frightening the audience since being 'blind' to what is happening.
1. It (2017)
The opening scene commences with torrential rain and an unsupervised child. The immediate use of pathetic fallacy; somber clouds and an angry storm negatively affect one's mood, therefore, commencing with a solemn tone. A young boy unsupervised creates the potential for danger, due to being alone this makes him vulnerable. Once being met with the clown-like creature, its face is half hidden by the darkness in the gutter, only revealing its eyes and disturbing smile - the shadow covering the creature's face is black and his smile is red, two crucial colours used in horror.
2. Scream (1996)
- The house the scene is set in is isolated making everything immediately more dangerous since the lack of communication and potential help if something were to happen.
- The scene is set during the nighttime with low lighting, the darkness plays on people's fear of mystery an the unknown.
- The villain is masked, hiding their identity, the element of anonymity is unnerving since we don't know the villain's true identity.
- The director uses canted framing after the victim has been brutally stabbed and has fallen to the ground.
3. A quiet place (2018)
- The opening scene uses some high angle shots and loose framing to suggest vulnerability as the characters are walking through the woods which indicates to the viewer that the characters are in grave danger.
- The young child was accidentally unsupervised causing him to fall behind the rest of the family, which is when he triggers the sound on his toy air plane summoning the monster. The dramatic music then slowly builds to a climax.
- As the music builds to a climax, the editing increases to a fast pace, switching from the child innocently standing alone whilst his father frantically runs towards him to save his life.
4. Jaws (1975)
The scene begins with teenagers sitting alone during the nighttime around a campfire. Two teenagers proceed to separate from the group, however, since its dark their faces aren't visible, this creates a sense of mystery, which along with the darkness, unsettles the audience. Once the teens swim far enough, the camera cuts to a low angle, loosely framed, shot of the girl swimming from beneath. This implies the girl is being watched, since being at sea she is immobile and stationary meaning she is vulnerable. As the creature observing the girl swimming, the intense music becomes progressively louder until the mysterious creature pulls the girl under the water. The darkness throughout the entire scene is unsettling for the viewer, the idea that the audience is never actually shown the creature lurking in the water creates mystery.
5. 28 days later (2002)
- The opening scene begins with anarchy and chaos on an international level throughout London without giving any context to the audience, leaving the audience fearful and disorientated.
- The opening scene proceeds to a group of people who appear to be the protagonists infiltrating an evil lair, this entire scene occurs in a low light setting.
- Once the victim is attacked by a genetically mutated monkey, the editing rapidly increases to the extent that the audience is restricted to what they can see, frightening the audience since being 'blind' to what is happening.
Comments
Post a Comment