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.
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