Saturday 31 December 2011
SAW Trailer Analysis
SAW follows many codes and conventions of the horror genre such as setting paradigms, but it is not the typical horror film as its use of props is unique and overall has a different edge. The film is different in its portrayal of horror though it is seen from a sadistic voyeur point of view and places the audience in the voyeur’s seat.
The trailer begins with a shot of a very old TV on a broken chair suggesting that the location is a rundown area. The puppets face on the screen makes him seem isolated but also proposes the questions ‘Who is it?’ and ‘Where is this place?’ as it could be happening anywhere. We, as the audience are put in the point of view shot to make us feel like part of the scene.
There is a lack of tone cards at the beginning and of equilibrium, showing that the disequilibrium begins as soon as the film does but there is no time set evident either, so it could be at any time in any place. Additionally, due to the lack of tone cards, there is no apparent narrative and the trailer gets straight to the point, but the newspaper articles provide narrative in that they portray motive for the occurrences. The non diegetic ‘whoosh’ sound creates an uneasy atmosphere from the beginning and so the audience know this isn’t a typical horror film as it goes straight into the action.
The first tone card ‘It’s his game,’ uses pragmatical meaning to inform us that this film is sinister and malicious, as we know it is a horror film we can understand that the idea of a game has been subverted. It also backs up the notion that this is a different type of horror film. The black background and effect used in the tone card reflects drowning and blurs the text to disorientate the audience. The use of the serious font conveys that it is not a slasher film and provides the villain with a sense of maturity as well as implying the film is meant for mature audiences.
The foggy smoke presents an unclear setting again, raise questions as to where this location is and thus supporting aspects of Barthes’ enigma code. The zoom is from a point of view making it as though the character’s being watched; this contributes to the voyeuristic element that the audience are made to feel.
The camera cuts to a working class man in a dirty bathroom, the sound bridge informs us this is happening simultaneously with the previous scene. A medium shot shows the mise-en-scene of the man’s costume; he is wearing a shirt and smart trousers implying that he is a neat, tidy person. However, he has no shoes on which depicts he is in a victimised and helpless situation, making him vulnerable. This is an uncommon feature of horror films as the victims are often young girls, so in that sense the film does not follow structuralist theory, though the setting conforms to conventions of horror as the bathroom looks old, grimy and abandoned.
The voiceover of the character along with the next image of a silhouette in a foggy, murky surrounding informs us that this is the person they are talking about. The fact that the grim reaper like figure is kept anonymous raises questions and creates an apprehensive atmosphere for the audience. The cages in the industrial looking setting, with the low lighting could reflect imprisonment and suggest that, the villain is also imprisoned here, as well as his victims, in a way. The non diegetic low, rumbling sound could also encourage the idea of it being a rundown, industrial location like machinery noise. We learn more about the villain as the voice over turn from non diegetic sound to diegetic. As the screen fades to black, the audience become confused as we don’t know what’s happening; this is an emotional metaphor for the audience’s blindness and mystification.
As the next tone card appears, reading ‘Your move,’ the audience is drawn in as it identifies the audience with the character and makes us feel as though we are part of what’s happening, almost as if we are being victimised. Louis Althusser’s theory of interpolation refers to this and it is characteristic of most horror films. However, the camera cuts to a point of view shot inside a hospital which rejects the setting paradigm as hospitals have connotations of safety and security. The fact that there are lights on in the hospital, after the fade to darkness could suggest conflict, as Strauss’ theory of binary opposites presents.
The camera cuts to handsaws, which links to the voiceover and builds tension, creating a jumpy, anxious atmosphere and proposing the notion that the killer may be mad. This mental instability is further accentuated by the quick, sharp cuts, which set a narrative.
The ‘Your move’ tone card is repeated, suggesting there may be several victims. This is emphasised as the camera cuts to a man trapped in a maze of razor wire, as if being watched from a CCTV camera; the idea of sadistic voyeurism is presented again here as is the rejection of prop paradigms. The green light is a setting paradigm as it portrays the location to be murky and secluded. The montage editing reveals different character types, which could endorse Propp’s eight character types theory.
A 360 degree shot breaks the 180 degree rule which is extremely voyeuristic as it shows the character from every angle which creates a sick, dizzy feeling to disorientate the audience. It could also represent a clock and the amount of time that character had left to live. This could be emphasised by the non diegetic sound of a ticking clock or heartbeat.
The camera cuts to a low angle shot of a cellar door closing, creating a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment. The light is salvation and is being cut off so we are left in the dark which connotes to danger and fear. The short, accelerated shots are very quick so that as much information as possible is seen in the trailer, but without giving too much away, so the audience can understand what the film is about and what will happen. These ambiguous shots intrigue the audience, as Barthes’ pleasure of texts theory suggests, and makes them want to see the plot play out.
SAW follows the setting and possibly the character paradigms but rejects the prop paradigm completely to show that it is not a slasher film though it has the gore and, it is not a typical horror film though it plays on our fears.
The trailer begins with a shot of a very old TV on a broken chair suggesting that the location is a rundown area. The puppets face on the screen makes him seem isolated but also proposes the questions ‘Who is it?’ and ‘Where is this place?’ as it could be happening anywhere. We, as the audience are put in the point of view shot to make us feel like part of the scene.
There is a lack of tone cards at the beginning and of equilibrium, showing that the disequilibrium begins as soon as the film does but there is no time set evident either, so it could be at any time in any place. Additionally, due to the lack of tone cards, there is no apparent narrative and the trailer gets straight to the point, but the newspaper articles provide narrative in that they portray motive for the occurrences. The non diegetic ‘whoosh’ sound creates an uneasy atmosphere from the beginning and so the audience know this isn’t a typical horror film as it goes straight into the action.
The first tone card ‘It’s his game,’ uses pragmatical meaning to inform us that this film is sinister and malicious, as we know it is a horror film we can understand that the idea of a game has been subverted. It also backs up the notion that this is a different type of horror film. The black background and effect used in the tone card reflects drowning and blurs the text to disorientate the audience. The use of the serious font conveys that it is not a slasher film and provides the villain with a sense of maturity as well as implying the film is meant for mature audiences.
The foggy smoke presents an unclear setting again, raise questions as to where this location is and thus supporting aspects of Barthes’ enigma code. The zoom is from a point of view making it as though the character’s being watched; this contributes to the voyeuristic element that the audience are made to feel.
The camera cuts to a working class man in a dirty bathroom, the sound bridge informs us this is happening simultaneously with the previous scene. A medium shot shows the mise-en-scene of the man’s costume; he is wearing a shirt and smart trousers implying that he is a neat, tidy person. However, he has no shoes on which depicts he is in a victimised and helpless situation, making him vulnerable. This is an uncommon feature of horror films as the victims are often young girls, so in that sense the film does not follow structuralist theory, though the setting conforms to conventions of horror as the bathroom looks old, grimy and abandoned.
The voiceover of the character along with the next image of a silhouette in a foggy, murky surrounding informs us that this is the person they are talking about. The fact that the grim reaper like figure is kept anonymous raises questions and creates an apprehensive atmosphere for the audience. The cages in the industrial looking setting, with the low lighting could reflect imprisonment and suggest that, the villain is also imprisoned here, as well as his victims, in a way. The non diegetic low, rumbling sound could also encourage the idea of it being a rundown, industrial location like machinery noise. We learn more about the villain as the voice over turn from non diegetic sound to diegetic. As the screen fades to black, the audience become confused as we don’t know what’s happening; this is an emotional metaphor for the audience’s blindness and mystification.
As the next tone card appears, reading ‘Your move,’ the audience is drawn in as it identifies the audience with the character and makes us feel as though we are part of what’s happening, almost as if we are being victimised. Louis Althusser’s theory of interpolation refers to this and it is characteristic of most horror films. However, the camera cuts to a point of view shot inside a hospital which rejects the setting paradigm as hospitals have connotations of safety and security. The fact that there are lights on in the hospital, after the fade to darkness could suggest conflict, as Strauss’ theory of binary opposites presents.
The camera cuts to handsaws, which links to the voiceover and builds tension, creating a jumpy, anxious atmosphere and proposing the notion that the killer may be mad. This mental instability is further accentuated by the quick, sharp cuts, which set a narrative.
The ‘Your move’ tone card is repeated, suggesting there may be several victims. This is emphasised as the camera cuts to a man trapped in a maze of razor wire, as if being watched from a CCTV camera; the idea of sadistic voyeurism is presented again here as is the rejection of prop paradigms. The green light is a setting paradigm as it portrays the location to be murky and secluded. The montage editing reveals different character types, which could endorse Propp’s eight character types theory.
A 360 degree shot breaks the 180 degree rule which is extremely voyeuristic as it shows the character from every angle which creates a sick, dizzy feeling to disorientate the audience. It could also represent a clock and the amount of time that character had left to live. This could be emphasised by the non diegetic sound of a ticking clock or heartbeat.
The camera cuts to a low angle shot of a cellar door closing, creating a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment. The light is salvation and is being cut off so we are left in the dark which connotes to danger and fear. The short, accelerated shots are very quick so that as much information as possible is seen in the trailer, but without giving too much away, so the audience can understand what the film is about and what will happen. These ambiguous shots intrigue the audience, as Barthes’ pleasure of texts theory suggests, and makes them want to see the plot play out.
SAW follows the setting and possibly the character paradigms but rejects the prop paradigm completely to show that it is not a slasher film though it has the gore and, it is not a typical horror film though it plays on our fears.
Jeepers Creepers Trailer Analysis
The Jeepers Creepers trailer follows many of the codes and conventions of horror films, such as setting paradigms. It also follows Todorov’s theory of narrative structure and a few other theories.
The trailer begins with a state of equilibrium as an establishing shot shows the countryside and a single car appears on the road informing us this is a calm, peaceful area as well as isolated, as there are no other cars or people to be seen. The setting paradigm is further portrayed when Darry says ‘I haven’t seen a car in 15 miles,’ stating they are alone. The non diegetic sound of the radio creates a sound bridge, linking the next clip of the two protagonists in the car. One of them is a girl (Trish) and the other is a boy (Darry) and both are young, so most of the audience would be able to identify with these characters; this adheres to Louis Althusser’s theory of interpolation. Also, Trish is wearing a red top, rather than the white costume that most female characters in horror films wear, implying that she is not the typical horror film female.
The moment of disequilibrium is when a long point of view shot shows something dumping something down a pipe. This creates suspense and raises questions as to who the someone is, what it is they are dumping and why, enticing the audience to continue watching, which is an aspect of Roland Barthes’ enigma code. The non diegetic sound continues and creates an eerie, suspicious atmosphere.
The camera cuts to a quick tilt and zoom of a crucifix on top of a church, with a crow sitting on it. Death is a common association with crows so the fact that there is one here suggests foreboding and makes the church seem sinister. The non diegetic orchestral music adds to the ominous atmosphere.
The camera cuts to a two shot from behind the protagonists, making the audience feel as though they are in the scene too. A low angle shot from inside the tunnel also makes it seem as though we are in the tunnel, looking up at the opening and therefore reinforcing a sense of fear and vulnerability. Tension is created when Darry is hanging in the tunnel, so when he falls in we get a shock. This is where the disequilibrium begins as everything starts to go wrong and we learn more about the creeper. The juxtaposition of the daylight and the tunnel enforces Levi Strauss’ binary opposites signifying conflict.
The next tone card ‘It’s watching,’ again, raises questions and intrigues the audience as Barthes suggests. An establishing shot of an isolated house in the day is juxtaposed with the close up of boots, in the dark. A sense of mystery is created as we don’t know who these boots belong to.
The voiceover acts as a sound bridge and links the clips again; we are introduced to a new character who seems to be the ‘helper’ from Vladimir Propp’s eight character types. The fact that she is warning our protagonists emphasises the sense of foreboding and disequilibrium. The camera cuts to a close up of the creeper’s arm, making his character ambiguous and inducing the scare factor in the audience, as we are more afraid of what we can’t see. The camera cuts back to a close up of Darry’s face, portraying his worry and fear; this implies he might be the one to die which is uncommon in most horror films because it is often the girl who is the victim as final girl theory states.
The camera cuts to a long shot of the creeper, standing in the road at night so we only see his silhouette. The fact that he is kept anonymous makes the audience more on edge. Also, the creeper is wearing all black symbolising death and linking to the crows.
The quick cuts and zooms that follow create tension and suspense, reflecting the fast paced action. The shot of the gearshift emphasises the characters’ desperation and fear which builds up the audience as well as suspense. The non diegetic sound stops as the ‘helper’ talks again, implying she is important. The camera cuts to Trish alone in the car which creates anticipation in the audience because we know something is going to pop up but we don’t know when or what. The non diegetic sound of heavy metal music reflects the action that takes place and creates suspense. The camera cuts to a low angle shot of the creeper wielding an axe which is a prop paradigm. The low angle suggests he is superior to us and something be feared.
A long shot of an explosion and the creeper being blown back is uncommon in most horror movies as it is an impersonal conflict between the victim and killer. The non diegetic heavy metal music stops, creating tension and raising questions as to whether the creeper is dead so, when he appears in front of the car, the audience feel pleasure in the unexpected happening. This reinforces Barthes’ pleasure of texts theory.
The title tone card is usually at he end of the trailer so the audience feel calmer now, but the camera cuts to a mid shot of the creeper holding Darry, with its wings open; making the audience feel a shock as this is the first time we get to see the creeper properly. This entices the audience to want to watch the film.
Montage editing is used throughout the trailer to reflect periods of equilibrium and disequilibrium; the moments of equilibrium are reflected through smooth fades to black whereas the moments of disequilibrium are presented through the quick sharp cuts. This also allows the trailer to show more of the action in a shorter time so the audience can get enough from it, to want to watch the film.
The trailer begins with a state of equilibrium as an establishing shot shows the countryside and a single car appears on the road informing us this is a calm, peaceful area as well as isolated, as there are no other cars or people to be seen. The setting paradigm is further portrayed when Darry says ‘I haven’t seen a car in 15 miles,’ stating they are alone. The non diegetic sound of the radio creates a sound bridge, linking the next clip of the two protagonists in the car. One of them is a girl (Trish) and the other is a boy (Darry) and both are young, so most of the audience would be able to identify with these characters; this adheres to Louis Althusser’s theory of interpolation. Also, Trish is wearing a red top, rather than the white costume that most female characters in horror films wear, implying that she is not the typical horror film female.
The moment of disequilibrium is when a long point of view shot shows something dumping something down a pipe. This creates suspense and raises questions as to who the someone is, what it is they are dumping and why, enticing the audience to continue watching, which is an aspect of Roland Barthes’ enigma code. The non diegetic sound continues and creates an eerie, suspicious atmosphere.
The camera cuts to a quick tilt and zoom of a crucifix on top of a church, with a crow sitting on it. Death is a common association with crows so the fact that there is one here suggests foreboding and makes the church seem sinister. The non diegetic orchestral music adds to the ominous atmosphere.
The camera cuts to a two shot from behind the protagonists, making the audience feel as though they are in the scene too. A low angle shot from inside the tunnel also makes it seem as though we are in the tunnel, looking up at the opening and therefore reinforcing a sense of fear and vulnerability. Tension is created when Darry is hanging in the tunnel, so when he falls in we get a shock. This is where the disequilibrium begins as everything starts to go wrong and we learn more about the creeper. The juxtaposition of the daylight and the tunnel enforces Levi Strauss’ binary opposites signifying conflict.
The next tone card ‘It’s watching,’ again, raises questions and intrigues the audience as Barthes suggests. An establishing shot of an isolated house in the day is juxtaposed with the close up of boots, in the dark. A sense of mystery is created as we don’t know who these boots belong to.
The voiceover acts as a sound bridge and links the clips again; we are introduced to a new character who seems to be the ‘helper’ from Vladimir Propp’s eight character types. The fact that she is warning our protagonists emphasises the sense of foreboding and disequilibrium. The camera cuts to a close up of the creeper’s arm, making his character ambiguous and inducing the scare factor in the audience, as we are more afraid of what we can’t see. The camera cuts back to a close up of Darry’s face, portraying his worry and fear; this implies he might be the one to die which is uncommon in most horror films because it is often the girl who is the victim as final girl theory states.
The camera cuts to a long shot of the creeper, standing in the road at night so we only see his silhouette. The fact that he is kept anonymous makes the audience more on edge. Also, the creeper is wearing all black symbolising death and linking to the crows.
The quick cuts and zooms that follow create tension and suspense, reflecting the fast paced action. The shot of the gearshift emphasises the characters’ desperation and fear which builds up the audience as well as suspense. The non diegetic sound stops as the ‘helper’ talks again, implying she is important. The camera cuts to Trish alone in the car which creates anticipation in the audience because we know something is going to pop up but we don’t know when or what. The non diegetic sound of heavy metal music reflects the action that takes place and creates suspense. The camera cuts to a low angle shot of the creeper wielding an axe which is a prop paradigm. The low angle suggests he is superior to us and something be feared.
A long shot of an explosion and the creeper being blown back is uncommon in most horror movies as it is an impersonal conflict between the victim and killer. The non diegetic heavy metal music stops, creating tension and raising questions as to whether the creeper is dead so, when he appears in front of the car, the audience feel pleasure in the unexpected happening. This reinforces Barthes’ pleasure of texts theory.
The title tone card is usually at he end of the trailer so the audience feel calmer now, but the camera cuts to a mid shot of the creeper holding Darry, with its wings open; making the audience feel a shock as this is the first time we get to see the creeper properly. This entices the audience to want to watch the film.
Montage editing is used throughout the trailer to reflect periods of equilibrium and disequilibrium; the moments of equilibrium are reflected through smooth fades to black whereas the moments of disequilibrium are presented through the quick sharp cuts. This also allows the trailer to show more of the action in a shorter time so the audience can get enough from it, to want to watch the film.
Friday 30 December 2011
When a Stranger Calls Trailer Review
‘When a Stranger Calls,’ is a thriller and contains lots of suspense. The tension in the trailer informs us what type of horror film it is. The film is about a girl who has to babysit at a house quite far from where she lives. The house is isolated with only the two children and maid in the house with her, no one else is to be seen around. The girl receives several phone calls during her time at the house, one is simply a prank call from one of her friends but, many of the other calls are from an unknown caller. When ‘the stranger calls,’ there’s either no noise or a strange breathing sound at the other end. Scared, the girl calls the police who trace the call back to inside the house.
Horror is achieved from the very beginning of the trailer which shows very sudden and quick flashbacks of close up faces, in black and white, and a silhouette of a man. The screen goes blank and all we can hear is the girl’s voice asking if anyone’s there. This creates horror because we don’t know if anyone is there, what the girl is looking at or what we are going to see next. To our surprise, we see a car driving on a long, quiet road on a nice day and the huge house standing alone, hidden in the trees. This is a convention of horror films, when everything starts off normal and ok but then things begin to go wrong. Horror is also created through the use of text, slow, blank cuts which speed up like a heartbeat, telephone ringing, dialogue and the camera getting closer as the trailer goes on.
The trailer uses typical horror film props, such as sharp objects etc... Other codes and conventions in this trailer are the character; a young girl on her own in an isolated house, who is the victim and a mysterious man who is the villain. The typical setting of the large, isolated house creates horror. The diegetic sound of dialogue on the phone and the breathing of the villain as well as the fast breathing of the victim build tension and create horror. Diegetic sound of screaming also creates horror. The non diegetic sounds of the heart monitor and sinister sounds also create horror; the use of sound like this is conventional of horror films.
Sunday 27 November 2011
Saturday 26 November 2011
Friday 25 November 2011
How does Shaun of the Dead subvert structuralist notions of genre?
Shaun of the Dead is a postmodern film which deconstructs the Dawn of the Dead horror, by rejecting the generic codes and conventions of horror paradigms such as character, setting and props. Shaun of the Dead subverts structuralist notions of horror through the use of humour to convey meaning, rather than conforming to the conventions of it but, without straying too much from Foucault and Lacan’s structuralist theory: that structure exists in all texts.
The very first scene of Shaun of the Dead is shot in a pub, one of the busiest, crowded ‘safe and secure’ settings so, already the film challenges notions of horror and setting paradigms of secluded houses or a forest in a remote location. The fact that the scene is shot in a pub allows the audience to relate to the film as a pub is part of our everyday lives; even if we don’t go inside, we walk past one, suggesting that this setting could be anywhere and in a sense supports Louis Althusser’s theory of interpolation because it allows a more of the audience to identify with the characters. The majority of the film is set in the daytime which is a postmodern subversion of the paradigms of a dark, night time setting.
The suburban setting of the film is another post-modern interpretation which aims to deconstruct the audience’s preconceived expectations about setting in the horror genre. It is also a very ordinary setting, implying that nothing extraordinary, like a zombie attack, is likely to happen. The time of day changes as the plot develops and so the scare factor rises as night falls, due to the fear of the unknown in the dark. The film is made more comical by subverting the typical settings and supporting the loss of the rule of combination; the fact it does this knowingly informs the audience that this is a post-modern film and not a spoof.
Shaun of the Dead also subverts the typical notions of characters in horror films. Though the characters don’t fit Propp’s eight character types exactly, they are average people and so most of the audience can identify with them, following Louis Althusser’s theory of interpolation. The main protagonist Shaun does not fit the description of a typical hero but is almost the opposite, in that he is unfit and not greatly attractive. Though he is the more rational character and takes the lead when being attacked by zombies, he doesn’t do it in a conventional way and one of the other female characters takes the role later in the film when they pretend to be zombies.
Shaun’s right-hand man Ed is presented as the ‘clown’ of the group due to his insurgent responses to situations as well as his laziness, childish attitude and vulgar language. This is a common character paradigm and suggests that he likely to be bitten by a zombie. However, the paradigm is subverted when zombie Ed and Shaun are playing PlayStation in Shaun’s shed, at the end, as if he is Shaun’s pet.
The female protagonist, Liz, also rejects the typical blonde, promiscuous character paradigm and is portrayed as a logically thinking, confident and intelligent woman. She also takes on a defensive role when she saves Shaun from being attacked in the garden scene, while Ed and David stay back; this subverts the idea of Carol Clover’s final girl theory in which the female protagonist is portrayed to be weak and vulnerable against the villain such as, Betsy Palmer in Friday the Thirteenth or Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween. The way the audience see the women in Shaun of the Dead is different to how Mulvey says the audience did in the 50’s and 60’s because in this film they are average looking, attractive, working class women who protect not only themselves but those around them and are capable of standing up for themselves. This is in comparison to Mulvey’s idea that women had ‘to-be-looked-at-ness’ which drew in the male gaze.
Additionally, the zombies reject their stereotypical expectations as they are a parody of the zombies which are presented as the living dead in conventional horror films, as their fictional groans, walking in a slow jerky manner, white eyes and pale skin contribute to the humour throughout the film. The idea that everyone is a zombie before the actual attack is presented in the title sequence, where we see a man mindlessly pushing trolleys, an expressionless nurse and a group of young people walking in unison to the beat of the non diegetic music. Another example is when Shaun is on the bus and the people around him have their heads bowed or to one side and blank looks on their faces. The film deconstructs modern society and comments on how people seem to behave the same to fit in with society. The humour is further created when Shaun leaves his apartment and we first see the zombies but, Shaun is completely oblivious to them, thinking they are the normal people he sees every day. Again, this is a comment on modern society and the tedious routine style life these people lead.
Props are a very important part of horror, for example, masks to keep the villain anonymous and evoke the scare factor further. The most used paradigm being a knife or sharp object as it is personal between a victim and the villain and, often has sexual implications as the killer is almost always a male in most horror films. Shaun’s weapon is a cricket bat which subverts structuralist notions of horror as it is one of the last things you would use for protection in a zombie invasion. Cricket bats are often associated with middle class men for a more sophisticated sport so the fact that Shaun uses it aggressively subverts the prop paradigm.
Also, Ed uses a shovel as his weapon of choice, again rejecting the paradigm. A shovel is used for digging in gardens, which is something people do as a hobby, or for digging graves, so the shovel could be a post-modern rejection of structuralist ideas of props or, could connote that he is going to kill the zombies and ultimately send them to their graves. Shaun is holding a knife in the scene at his mother’s house in which the knife is glinting and eye catching but, Shaun still opts for the cricket bat emphasising the loss of the rule of combination; common in post-modern films. In another scene, Shaun specifically says to ‘get any blunt objects,’ which completely goes against the prop paradigm of sharp objects as weapons.
Additionally, a scene where the group are in a garden shows them using children’s toys as weapons, which defeats the purpose of weapons, as toys are made to be safe for children. The almost oxymoronic use of toys as weapons emphasises the rejection of codes and conventions of typical horror films. Furthermore, the scenes in the pub show Shaun and Ed using snooker cues and a rifle gun to shoot the zombies; this is a subversion as these guns are used in action or Western films rather than horror. It is also a comical device as the mise-en-scene of Shaun’s costume (the red tie around his head and the rifle gun) resembles that of Rambo, which is an action film. The controversial use of these ‘weapons’ emphasises the post-modernist interpretation of the film.
Postmodernism is shown through the editing in the film because it changes the meaning conveyed by using such editing. For example, the quick cuts and zooms would usually be used when there is adrenaline pumping action happening to build tension for the audience; Shaun of the Dead uses the quick zooms when Shaun is getting ready for work. This montage editing is also used when he is telling Ed the plan and the audience are shown quick cuts of it, this is used more in action films. Another example of how editing is used to subvert notions of horror, is when Shaun is looking in the bathroom mirror and we see Pete’s reflection. In most horror films, there would be a scary face or person but because this is a post-modern film, the idea is subverted for a comical effect.
The juxtaposition of the first attack in their garden and the next scene of Shaun and Ed with a cup of tea and Cornetto accentuates that this is a post-modern construction as it deliberately challenges the structuralist notions of horror by placing a tense action scene next to a calm, equilibrium-like scene again, for a humorous effect.
A point of view shot, from behind Liz, David and Dianne allows the audience to feel as though they are in the scene; this is often used in horror films to allow the audience to feel the tension of the victim. However, in this case tension is building because we don’t know if Shaun is climbing up the window or a zombie. The concept of postmodernism is highlighted when we see Shaun at the window with his cricket bat, rather than something frightening.
In the pub, panning shots fade from one shot to the next creating a sense of serenity but also suspense and an eerie atmosphere. This is very rare in horror films because by this point in a typical horror film, the action would be at its peak and so the shots would be quick, short cuts.
In the same scene, diegetic sound of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now is playing while Shaun, Ed and Liz are attacking a zombie to the beat of the music; this adds humour and juxtaposes largely with the typical eerie, high pitched non diegetic sounds you would often hear in horror films. The theme song is not conventional either, as it is quite upbeat and the sound effects it uses give it a mocking tone. However, in some scenes, there is non diegetic sound in the background, such as when Shaun is walking back home from the shop, adding to the suspense which is conventional of horror films. Non diegetic sound is also used in the garden scene, creating a sense of anticipation and raising questions as to what idea Shaun and Dianne have just had, thus enticing the audience further, to watch the film.
Shaun of the Dead conforms to many genre theories, such as Todorov’s theory of narrative as it follows the idea of equilibrium, followed by disequilibrium and then returns to equilibrium, but rejects most structuralist notions and paradigms through its use of humour and controversial ideas of props, characters and settings. It also subverts notions of the gore paradigm, in that though there is gore in the film it is not as realistic as that of typical horror films and has a humorous edge to it. The film follows aspects of paradigms but overturns them to reinforce its post-modern approach and inform the audience it is neither a characteristic horror film nor a spoof.
Tuesday 22 November 2011
How does Halloween follow the codes and conventions of the Slasher horror sub-genre?
The Halloween trailer follows the codes and conventions of slasher horror through the use of stereotypical paradigms and structuralism.
The trailer beings with a handheld camera slowly zooming into a large white house, in what looks like an empty road and, we can see that it is night time which is a setting paradigm. The voice over is quite eerie sounding and already creates a sense of curiosity and an unnerving mood. The white colour of the house could suggest that the house is an innocent place and perhaps has wealthy people living there, due to its size. The house is surrounded by shrubbery and trees, suggesting places to hide. The use of the handheld camera puts the audience in the scene, as if we are the ones walking towards the house.
The camera cuts to a point of view shot, looking through a mask as if the audience are wearing the mask, and we see a hand moving in a stabbing action, though it is unclear. Structuralist film theory allows the audience to understand what’s happening as we can connote that the woman is experiencing pain, from the sound and action in the scene. The diegetic sound of a woman gasping, as if she’s in pain or being hurt, backs up this idea. This could also resemble a rape scene, which is a common feature of horror films. The limited view through the mask creates a sense of anxiousness and ambiguity, which is a paradigm of masks in slasher horror films. The point of view shot is tracking through the house and out; everything is blurry and hard to see, which again, creates a sense of unease for the audience and keeps us on edge. The mise en scene in the house suggests cleanliness and that it’s a family home, e.g. the pale colours, the umbrella box and the chandelier type light.
The camera cuts to a mid shot of a child in a clown costume, holding a large knife; we realise that it was his point of view we were watching from. The fact he is holding such a large knife and has witnessed the woman being stabbed raises questions.
The camera cuts to a close up of a man talking, he uses the pronoun ‘him’ rather than giving the character a name and this creates mystery and intrigues the audience. The man looks directly into the camera as if specifically talking to the audience, making us feel included in the film and a more personal experience. He is wearing a crisp suit and tie, with a smart coat suggesting wealth and importance.
A woman sitting in her car alone, at night time is shown at a mid shot. She looks like she is wearing a uniform, implying she has finished working or is simply in costume for Halloween. The camera cuts to someone climbing onto her car, wearing a red costume, symbolising danger, and attacking her; we don’t see the attackers face keeping them anonymous and us more nervous. A handheld camera shows us the woman’s struggle in her car as she tries to escape; there are quick cuts to reflect the fast paced action. A point of view shot shows what’s in front of her car, from her point of view to show us there is no one there to help and she is isolated.
The previous scene is juxtaposed with the next scene, where we see three women walking together in broad daylight. They are wearing everyday clothes and smoking which is structural of horror films, to make the film as real as possible. They are also carrying books which, conveys that they might be going to study or have finished for the day. The camera cuts to a tracking shot of the women, from behind almost making it as though we are being voyeuristic as well as place us in the scene. When they turn around, the camera cuts to close ups of each of the women’s faces to show us their expression and reaction to what they’ve just heard.
A long shot shows a door being opened slowly, in a dark room, at night time. The furniture like, the shelves tell us that the room is probably a bedroom. We see a white figure on the other side, which has comical effect. However, the eerie diegetic sound of the creaking door makes the scene creepier.
The camera cuts to a close up of a young, blonde girl, wearing white and sitting in her white bed filing her nails. The colour white implies her innocence and purity as well as her youth, suggesting she may be the character who lives, as it is typical of horror films that the innocent, virtuous girl represents good and triumphs over evil. However, the camera then cuts to a hand breaking through the door, trying to open it; suggesting that the character might not live.
A mid shot of a woman, also in white and a darkened house with very little light shows that she has seen something that has shocked her greatly. We then see long shot of a man lying in bed in a crucifix shape. The bed head is very long and looks like a gravestone, informing us he is dead.
A tracking shot shows another character in a dark room, with only some light coming in through the windows. There are net curtains which you can see out of but not in through them, implying the character is trapped. The camera shows the character being attacked by another character, implying violence.
The camera cuts to the previous woman standing against a wall; she is struggling for breath which tells us she might have been running from something or someone, or has been frightened. The non diegetic music makes the scene edgy and builds up tension, along with the fact that the audience can see the killer appear in the dark, but the victim cannot. He is wearing a mask and wielding a knife; knives are a very common paradigm of slasher horror films as they imply meanings, such as: a murder scene, where the female victim is being stabbed is very similar to a violent rape scene in horror films and, supports structuralism.
The camera cuts to a close up of the victims face to show her expression and the diegetic sound of her screaming, adds to the edgy feel. The use of handheld camera and quick cuts reflect the action in the scene. The low angle shots of the killer imply his superiority compared to the victims inferiority as she falls down the stairs. The fast tracking shot of the woman running towards the door portrays her fear. The camera cuts to a low angle shot of the killer walking down the stairs, as if to show his power and dominance over the audience as well as the victim.
As the victim runs out of the house, it looks as though the street is empty, isolating her from help or attention. The non diegetic sound used in this sequence creates tension and the low chords resemble a heartbeat to show her horror and panic. The handheld tracking shot puts the audience in the scene with and conveys her instability and alarmed state of mind. When the camera cuts back to the killer walking towards the victim, it is almost like a point of view shot which makes us feel victimised too.
The camera cuts to a young boy sitting and watching TV in a room, with the lights off. The TV is in black and white informing us that it is not set in recent times, as does the large fireplace. The diegetic sound of the TV informs us that the boy can’t hear the woman screaming, this makes us feel very anxious and on edge. The camera cuts to a long shot of the boy and we can see he is wearing a Halloween costume and realise he is alone in the house. The non diegetic sound acts as a sound bridge with the continuity editing, to tell us that it is still the same time and place.
The Halloween trailer conforms to slasher horror codes and conventions by supporting certain paradigms such as props and characters. Also, it supports Focault and Lacan’s structuralist theory that every text has a structure.
The trailer beings with a handheld camera slowly zooming into a large white house, in what looks like an empty road and, we can see that it is night time which is a setting paradigm. The voice over is quite eerie sounding and already creates a sense of curiosity and an unnerving mood. The white colour of the house could suggest that the house is an innocent place and perhaps has wealthy people living there, due to its size. The house is surrounded by shrubbery and trees, suggesting places to hide. The use of the handheld camera puts the audience in the scene, as if we are the ones walking towards the house.
The camera cuts to a point of view shot, looking through a mask as if the audience are wearing the mask, and we see a hand moving in a stabbing action, though it is unclear. Structuralist film theory allows the audience to understand what’s happening as we can connote that the woman is experiencing pain, from the sound and action in the scene. The diegetic sound of a woman gasping, as if she’s in pain or being hurt, backs up this idea. This could also resemble a rape scene, which is a common feature of horror films. The limited view through the mask creates a sense of anxiousness and ambiguity, which is a paradigm of masks in slasher horror films. The point of view shot is tracking through the house and out; everything is blurry and hard to see, which again, creates a sense of unease for the audience and keeps us on edge. The mise en scene in the house suggests cleanliness and that it’s a family home, e.g. the pale colours, the umbrella box and the chandelier type light.
The camera cuts to a mid shot of a child in a clown costume, holding a large knife; we realise that it was his point of view we were watching from. The fact he is holding such a large knife and has witnessed the woman being stabbed raises questions.
The camera cuts to a close up of a man talking, he uses the pronoun ‘him’ rather than giving the character a name and this creates mystery and intrigues the audience. The man looks directly into the camera as if specifically talking to the audience, making us feel included in the film and a more personal experience. He is wearing a crisp suit and tie, with a smart coat suggesting wealth and importance.
A woman sitting in her car alone, at night time is shown at a mid shot. She looks like she is wearing a uniform, implying she has finished working or is simply in costume for Halloween. The camera cuts to someone climbing onto her car, wearing a red costume, symbolising danger, and attacking her; we don’t see the attackers face keeping them anonymous and us more nervous. A handheld camera shows us the woman’s struggle in her car as she tries to escape; there are quick cuts to reflect the fast paced action. A point of view shot shows what’s in front of her car, from her point of view to show us there is no one there to help and she is isolated.
The previous scene is juxtaposed with the next scene, where we see three women walking together in broad daylight. They are wearing everyday clothes and smoking which is structural of horror films, to make the film as real as possible. They are also carrying books which, conveys that they might be going to study or have finished for the day. The camera cuts to a tracking shot of the women, from behind almost making it as though we are being voyeuristic as well as place us in the scene. When they turn around, the camera cuts to close ups of each of the women’s faces to show us their expression and reaction to what they’ve just heard.
A long shot shows a door being opened slowly, in a dark room, at night time. The furniture like, the shelves tell us that the room is probably a bedroom. We see a white figure on the other side, which has comical effect. However, the eerie diegetic sound of the creaking door makes the scene creepier.
The camera cuts to a close up of a young, blonde girl, wearing white and sitting in her white bed filing her nails. The colour white implies her innocence and purity as well as her youth, suggesting she may be the character who lives, as it is typical of horror films that the innocent, virtuous girl represents good and triumphs over evil. However, the camera then cuts to a hand breaking through the door, trying to open it; suggesting that the character might not live.
A mid shot of a woman, also in white and a darkened house with very little light shows that she has seen something that has shocked her greatly. We then see long shot of a man lying in bed in a crucifix shape. The bed head is very long and looks like a gravestone, informing us he is dead.
A tracking shot shows another character in a dark room, with only some light coming in through the windows. There are net curtains which you can see out of but not in through them, implying the character is trapped. The camera shows the character being attacked by another character, implying violence.
The camera cuts to the previous woman standing against a wall; she is struggling for breath which tells us she might have been running from something or someone, or has been frightened. The non diegetic music makes the scene edgy and builds up tension, along with the fact that the audience can see the killer appear in the dark, but the victim cannot. He is wearing a mask and wielding a knife; knives are a very common paradigm of slasher horror films as they imply meanings, such as: a murder scene, where the female victim is being stabbed is very similar to a violent rape scene in horror films and, supports structuralism.
The camera cuts to a close up of the victims face to show her expression and the diegetic sound of her screaming, adds to the edgy feel. The use of handheld camera and quick cuts reflect the action in the scene. The low angle shots of the killer imply his superiority compared to the victims inferiority as she falls down the stairs. The fast tracking shot of the woman running towards the door portrays her fear. The camera cuts to a low angle shot of the killer walking down the stairs, as if to show his power and dominance over the audience as well as the victim.
As the victim runs out of the house, it looks as though the street is empty, isolating her from help or attention. The non diegetic sound used in this sequence creates tension and the low chords resemble a heartbeat to show her horror and panic. The handheld tracking shot puts the audience in the scene with and conveys her instability and alarmed state of mind. When the camera cuts back to the killer walking towards the victim, it is almost like a point of view shot which makes us feel victimised too.
The camera cuts to a young boy sitting and watching TV in a room, with the lights off. The TV is in black and white informing us that it is not set in recent times, as does the large fireplace. The diegetic sound of the TV informs us that the boy can’t hear the woman screaming, this makes us feel very anxious and on edge. The camera cuts to a long shot of the boy and we can see he is wearing a Halloween costume and realise he is alone in the house. The non diegetic sound acts as a sound bridge with the continuity editing, to tell us that it is still the same time and place.
The Halloween trailer conforms to slasher horror codes and conventions by supporting certain paradigms such as props and characters. Also, it supports Focault and Lacan’s structuralist theory that every text has a structure.
Monday 31 October 2011
Thursday 20 October 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)