1. Out of the following types of villain/killer, which is the most frightening to you in a horror film?
Insects
Mythical creatures & animals
Masked killers
The Paranormal/supernatural
Psychotic children
Other
2. Where are many of the horror films you watch set?
Public building
Characters' own home
An isolated and unfamiliar place to the character
Underground
Forest
Other
3. What is the main component to you that add to the overall effect of a horror trailer?
Music
Voice overs
Fades & ellipses
Other
4. How often do you watch horror films?
Often
Sometimes
Never
5. How often do they scare you?
Often
Sometimes
Never
6. Are you attracted to gore, sex and violence in a horror film?
Yes
No
Sometimes
7. Have you recently seen a horror film?
Yes
No
8. If yes, was it a subgenre of horror?
Yes
No
Unsure
9. Gender:
Male
Female
10. Your age:
12 - 15
16 - 18
19 +
Friday, 30 December 2011
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Exploring The Research Methods
Why the interest - gore, plot, characteristics, sub genre
Target audience expectations - themes
Recognition of horror - visual, sound
Setting, music/sound, narrative, iconogrpahy
Personal experience relation to film
Fears, unknown, unencountered
Bar chart
Pie chart
Polls/survey
Questionaire
Observation
Votes
Experiment
Case studies
Interviews
Beginning Audience Research
By performing research on my target audience, I can relate aspects of our trailer to them and take their specific interests and preferences into consideration.
Quantitive research is useful in the way that it provides clear, factual evidence that a conclusion can be drawn easily from, whereas qualitive research provides information on the individual candidates, and although this is more in depth, it is more difficult to simplify. I believe that Quantitive research will be more beneficial as it is quicker and easier for those taking part, attracting a larger number of participants and hopefully a wider range of opinion. It also allows me to present my findings and directly consult them when creating the trailer.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Alien - 1979
Ridley Scott - Director
Scott's box office disappointment with The Duellists was compounded by the success received by Alan Parker with American-backed films — Scott admitted he was "ill for a week" with envy. Scott had originally planned to next adapt a version of Tristan and Iseult, but after seeing Star Wars, he became convinced of the potential of large scale, effects-driven films. He therefore accepted the job of directing Alien, the ground-breaking 1979 horror/science-fiction film that would give him international recognition.
Alien
While Scott would not direct the three Alien sequels, the female action hero Ellen Ripley (played by Sigourney Weaver), introduced in the first film, would become a cinematic icon. Scott was involved in the 2003 restoration and re-release of the film including media interviews for its promotion.
At this time Scott indicated that he had been in discussions to make the fifth and final film in the Alien franchise However, in a 2006 interview, the director remarked that he had been unhappy about Alien: The Director's Cut, feeling that the original was "pretty flawless" and that the additions were merely a marketing tool.
Approach and Style
Strong female characters.
Some of his movies feature strong conflicts between father and son that usually end with the latter killing the former (Blade Runner, Gladiator) or witnessing the event (Kingdom of Heaven, Robin Hood). The Lord of Darkness in Legend also mentions his "father" on a few occasions. As part of the conflict between father and son there are some repetitive scenes: in Gladiator, the son hugs the father seemingly as an expression of love but this embrace turns into the suffocation and death of the father. There is a similar sequence in Blade Runner.
Scott utilises cityscapes as an emphasis to his storytelling (i.e., a futuristic Los Angeles in Blade Runner, Tokyo in Black Rain, Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven).
In Gladiator, Blade Runner and Kingdom of Heaven, a son gets to know his father when he is grown up. Other common elements are that the mother is not seen, and that the son or father is seen performing his last actions. For example, Roy Batty is dying when he saves Deckard, Maximus dies after killing Commodus and Godfrey of Ibelin kills some enemies after he has been mortally wounded by an arrow. In addition, the hero is saved from death before attaining his greatest deeds: Deckard is saved by Rachel, Maximus is saved by a slave and Balian is saved by a Muslim enemy. Similar situations can be seen in Tony Scott's Man on Fire.
Military and officer classes as characters reflecting his father's career, such as in G.I. Jane and Black Hawk Down and Kingdom of Heaven.
Storyboarding his films extensively. These illustrations, when made by himself, have been referred to as "Ridleygrams" in DVD releases.
Like Stanley Kubrick, Scott was once known for requesting a great many takes. This was evident on Blade Runner: the crew nicknamed the movie "Blood Runner" because of this.
He often makes use of classical music (the Hovis advertisements, Someone to Watch Over Me).
Extensive use of smoke and other atmospheres (in Alien, Blade Runner and Black Rain), plus fans and fan-like objects (Blade Runner, Black Rain and the large Boeing jet engines in the 1984 TV advertisement). Fans are also used in Hannibal, for symbolic purposes.
Consistency in his choice of composers, using Jerry Goldsmith (Alien and Legend), Vangelis (Blade Runner and 1492: Conquest of Paradise) or Hans Zimmer (Black Rain, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down and Matchstick Men). Scott has also twice used songs by Sting during the film credits ("Valparaiso" for White Squall and "Someone to Watch Over Me" for the movie of the same title).
Halloween - 1978
John Carpenter - Director
His first major film as director, Dark Star (1974), was a science fiction black comedy that he wrote with Dan O'Bannon (who later went on to write Alien, borrowing freely from much of Dark Star).
The film reportedly cost only $60,000 and was difficult to make as both Carpenter and O'Bannon completed the film by multitasking, with Carpenter doing the musical score as well as the writing, producing and directing, while O'Bannon acted in the film and did the special effects.
Halloween
Halloween (1978) was a smash hit on release and helped give birth to the slasher film genre. Originally an idea suggested by producer Irwin Yablans (titled The Babysitter Murders), who envisioned a film about babysitters being menaced by a stalker, Carpenter took the idea and another suggestion from Yablans that it take place during Halloween and developed a story. Carpenter said of the basic concept: "Halloween night. It has never been the theme in a film. My idea was to do an old haunted house movie."
The film was written by Carpenter and Debra Hill with Carpenter admitting that the music, not the film, was inspired by both Dario Argento's Suspiria and William Friedkin's The Exorcist. Carpenter again worked with a relatively small budget, $320,000. The film grossed over $65 million initially, making it one of the most successful independent films of all time.
Carpenter relied upon taut suspense rather than the excessive gore that would define later slasher films in order to make the menacing nature of the main character, Michael Myers, more palpable. At times, Carpenter has described Halloween in terms that appeared to directly contradict the more thoughtful, nuanced approach to horror that he actually used, such as: "True crass exploitation. I decided to make a film I would love to have seen as a kid, full of cheap tricks like a haunted house at a fair where you walk down the corridor and things jump out at you."
The film has often been cited as an allegory on the virtue of sexual purity and the danger of casual sex, although Carpenter has explained that this was not his intent: "It has been suggested that I was making some kind of moral statement. Believe me, I'm not. In Halloween, I viewed the characters as simply normal teenagers."
Techniques
His films are characterized by minimalist lighting and photography, static cameras, use of steadicam, and distinctive synthesized scores (usually self-composed). He describes himself as having been influenced by Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Nigel Kneale and The Twilight Zone.
With the exception of The Thing, Starman, and Memoirs of an Invisible Man, he has scored all of his films (though some are collaborations), most famously the themes from Halloween and Assault on Precinct 13. His music is generally synthesized with accompaniment from piano and atmospherics.
Carpenter is an outspoken proponent of widescreen filming, and all of his theatrical movies (with the exception of Dark Star and The Ward) were filmed anamorphic (proportional to T.V screen) with a 2.35:1 or greater aspect ratio.
The Monstrous Feminine
"What is it about Jaws, Alien, Little Shop of Horrors and Poltergeist that plays on men's fear of women? And what is it that they fear most? The Monstrous-Feminine examines the role of women in horror films. The author argues that when a woman is constructed as monstrous, it is almost always in conjuction with reproduction and mothering functions. In this exploration, using detailed analysis of Carrie, The Exorcist, Psycho and Alien among others, Creed identifies the seven faces of female monstrosity-archaic mother; monstrous womb; vampire; witch; possessed monster; deadly femme castratrice and castrating mother. The argument then moves on to challenge the Freudian concept that a woman terrifies because she is castrated-Creed holds forth that the woman acting as castratoris what creates horror for men.The Monstrous-Feminine goes on to discuss and analyze what these images mean for feminist film theory, as well as revealing important clues about masculinity." - review from Google Books on 'Barbara Creed's: The Monstrous Feminine'
Extract from the Freuden text that 'The Monstrous Feminine' is based on.
In 'Carrie', the film's most monstrous act occurs when the couple are drenched in pig's blood, which symbolises menstrual blood in the terms setup by the film. Women are referred to as 'pigs', women 'bleed like pigs', and the pig's blood runs down Carrie's body at a moment of intense pleasure, just as her own menstrual blood ran down her leg during a similar pleasurable moment in the shower. Here, women's blood and pig's blood flow together signifying horror, shame and humilliation.
Monday, 5 December 2011
Audience Theory - Cultivation
Cultivation research looks at the mass media as a socializing agent and investigates whether television viewers come to believe the television version of reality the more they watch it. Gerbner and his colleagues contend that television drama has a small but significant influence on the attitudes, beliefs and judgements of viewers concerning the social world. The focus is on ‘heavy viewers’. People who watch a lot of television are likely to be more influenced by the ways in which the world is framed by television programmes than are individuals who watch less, especially regarding topics of which the viewer has little first-hand experience. Light viewers may have more sources of information than heavy viewers. Judith van Evra argues that by virtue of inexperience, young viewers may depend on television for information more than other viewers do, although Hawkins and Pingree argue that some children may not experience a cultivation effect at all where they do not understand motives or consequences. It may be that lone viewers are more open to a cultivation effect than those who view with others.
Audience Theory - The Copycat
Copy Cat Theory
This is the original traier for the film 'A Clockwork Orange' that I found on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/u7rOcTA3KXs
Copy Cat Theory = Copycat crimes are criminal acts that are modeled on previous crimes that have been reported in the media. A film that sparked many copy cat violent killings and attacks was 'A Clockwork Orange'. The Director bannded his own film because of these events.
Clockwork Orange was released in British cinemas in 1971 with an X rating. It got four Oscar nominations.
It was adapted from Anthony Burgess’s novel written in the invented street slang Nadsat.
The film’s violent scenes sparked copycat attacks. In one, a 17-year-old Dutch girl was raped in Lancashire by a gang chanting Singin’ in the Rain.
In another a child was beaten by a 16-year-old boy wearing white overalls, black bowler hat and boots.
Stanley Kubrick, the film’s director, voluntarily withdrew the film from British cinemas in 1973.
After the director’s death in 1999, the film was re-released in Britain.
Channel 4’s screening of it in 2002 was its first on British mainstream TV.
In 2003 Peter Foster, of Bridlington, Yorkshire, received two life sentences for murders 13 years apart; the murders were said to replicate the film’s attacks.
Audience Theory - Desensitisation
Suggesting that constant exposure to such accessible violence on a regular basis within the media no longer makes such a strong emotional impact upon the audience, possible causing them to also be insensitive towards violence in everyday life.
Thousands of studies have looked at whether there is a link between exposure to media violence and violent behaviour. Over 98% say yes. The evidence from the research is overwhelming. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, "Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behaviour, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed." Children become immune to the horror of violence, gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, imitate violence they observe on TV, and identify with characters (victims or victimizers) they see on TV.
Audience Theory - Uses and Gratifications
During the 1960s, it became increasingly apparent to media theorists that audiences made choices about what they did when consuming texts. Far from being a passive mass, audiences were made up of individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways.
In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society:
surveillance
correlation
entertainment
cultural transmission
Researchers Blulmer and Katz expanded this theory and published their own, stating that individuals might choose and use a text for the following purposes
Uses and Gratifications:
Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.
Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction, eg) substituting soap operas for family life
Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts
Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living eg) weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains
Since then, the list of Uses and Gratifications has been extended, particularly as new media forms have come along (eg video games, the internet)
Audience Theory - Reception
This theory extends the concept of an audience remaining active through the way an individual recieves and interperets a text, and how their gender, class, age and ethnicity may affect their reading.
This work was based on Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model of the relationship between text and audience (the text being given a message/messages by the creator, and the audience understanding) and the difference between the reception of the message between members of the audience with different backgrounds. However, by drawing on common beliefs and experiences of the public the producers can relate the text to the audience. This is known as "preferred meaning"
Audience Theory - The Hypodermic Needle Model
This theory was the first attempt at an explanation for how an audience will react to the media. It suggests that the audience will passively receive the information present in a media text, without challenging the data. This theory was developed whilst media was still quite new - radio and cinema had only been introduced less than 2 decades prior to the development of this theory. Governments were beginning to use advertising to communicate a message, and produced propaganda used in forms of media such as newspapers, cinema, radio and posters.
The theory suggests that the experience, intelligence and opinion of an individual are not relevant to the reception of the information within the media text. It suggests that, as an audience, we are manipulated by the creators of media texts, and that our behaviour and thinking might be easily changed by media-makers. It assumes that the audience are passive. This theory is still made relevent during moral panics, and is used to explain why certain groups in society should not be exposed to certain media texts, for fear that they will watch or read sexual or violent behaviour and will then act them out themselves.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Carrie 1976
The Director
1976
Brian DePalma
Very well known director who has been making films since the 60's
Carrie was his 9th feature film
Carrie marked a return for DePalma to major studio film-making (united Artists)
Other films of note in his filmography have been The Untouchables, Casualties of war and Raising Cain
Controversial director - often criticised for his blatant use of graphic violence - think Scarface
He's often been labelled a misogynist - as have many "horror" directors
Background of the film
Based on a Stephen King novel - the first Stephen King novel to be brought to film
The film, although distributed by a major studio was made on the relatively meagre budget of $1.8m
The film, like Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a major success for the studio grossing over $33m at the US box office
The filming took just 50 days to complete
DePalma is well known for being heavily influenced by Alfred Hitchcock
The name of the high school in the film is Bates High in homage to Psycho
Carrie is one of only a few horror films to have received numerous Academy Award nominations - Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie (Carrie's mother in the film) were both nominated
DePalma wanted Bernard Herrmann to compose the score (Herrmann had worked with DePalma before) but he died before the film began. (Herrmann was the composer of the score for Psycho)
The four note violin theme for Psycho is used at pivotal moments in Carrie
The prom scene took over 2 weeks to shoot with 35 takes
Why the film is considered an important member of the horror canon
Not easily identifiable as a horror film. It is interesting to note that when I looked the film up on the internet, its genre is listed as drama/thriller/romance/fantasy/horror..
Difficult to define - some have considered it a subversion of the Cinderella tale, a psychological or supernatural thriller, a teen angst film, a feminist text and a text dedicated to the idea of the "feminine as monstrous"
One of the first horror films aimed at a teen audience - despite its Rating
One critic described it as an "observant human portrait"
A watershed film - perhaps because the "killer" is female
Introduces a "revenge fantasy" element to horror - think Nightmare on Elm Street
Some important filmic techniques are explored in the film
6 min slow-motion scene used to create suspense and tension
Split screen used in the Prom scene so that we don't lose focus of Carrie but we can still see the death and destruction she is unleashing
A shot of Carrie and Tommy on the dance floor
1976
Brian DePalma
Very well known director who has been making films since the 60's
Carrie was his 9th feature film
Carrie marked a return for DePalma to major studio film-making (united Artists)
Other films of note in his filmography have been The Untouchables, Casualties of war and Raising Cain
Controversial director - often criticised for his blatant use of graphic violence - think Scarface
He's often been labelled a misogynist - as have many "horror" directors
Background of the film
Based on a Stephen King novel - the first Stephen King novel to be brought to film
The film, although distributed by a major studio was made on the relatively meagre budget of $1.8m
The film, like Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a major success for the studio grossing over $33m at the US box office
The filming took just 50 days to complete
DePalma is well known for being heavily influenced by Alfred Hitchcock
The name of the high school in the film is Bates High in homage to Psycho
Carrie is one of only a few horror films to have received numerous Academy Award nominations - Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie (Carrie's mother in the film) were both nominated
DePalma wanted Bernard Herrmann to compose the score (Herrmann had worked with DePalma before) but he died before the film began. (Herrmann was the composer of the score for Psycho)
The four note violin theme for Psycho is used at pivotal moments in Carrie
The prom scene took over 2 weeks to shoot with 35 takes
Why the film is considered an important member of the horror canon
Not easily identifiable as a horror film. It is interesting to note that when I looked the film up on the internet, its genre is listed as drama/thriller/romance/fantasy/horror..
Difficult to define - some have considered it a subversion of the Cinderella tale, a psychological or supernatural thriller, a teen angst film, a feminist text and a text dedicated to the idea of the "feminine as monstrous"
One of the first horror films aimed at a teen audience - despite its Rating
One critic described it as an "observant human portrait"
A watershed film - perhaps because the "killer" is female
Introduces a "revenge fantasy" element to horror - think Nightmare on Elm Street
Some important filmic techniques are explored in the film
6 min slow-motion scene used to create suspense and tension
Split screen used in the Prom scene so that we don't lose focus of Carrie but we can still see the death and destruction she is unleashing
A shot of Carrie and Tommy on the dance floor
Laura Mulvey
"Visual pleasure and narrative cinema" - 1975
Using the theories of Freud and Lucan, it is apparent that women are viewed unequally to men, they are more sexualised.
Notion that cinema strongly influences an audience more than they think.
Using the theories of Freud and Lucan, it is apparent that women are viewed unequally to men, they are more sexualised.
Notion that cinema strongly influences an audience more than they think.
Voyeurism - the compulsion to seek sexual gratification by secretively looking at sexual objects or acts; the actions of a peeping tom.
Psychoanalytic Theory: Spectatorship & the "Male Gaze"
Exploring theory behind the male gaze.
"Film has been called an instrument of the male gaze, producing representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view". - Jonathon Schroedar 1998
After discussing the male gaze theory with women and men, I believe that the "Female Gaze", although present in film, is often overlooked. Women identify similar things as an audience that men do in film, such as visual stimulus concerning their sexual orientation, and exploration of their fantasy displayed on screen, although this is less common as film rarely caters to the "Female Gaze". As society changes and women are seen as equally sexual beings as men, male gaze blurs.
"Film has been called an instrument of the male gaze, producing representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view". - Jonathon Schroedar 1998
After discussing the male gaze theory with women and men, I believe that the "Female Gaze", although present in film, is often overlooked. Women identify similar things as an audience that men do in film, such as visual stimulus concerning their sexual orientation, and exploration of their fantasy displayed on screen, although this is less common as film rarely caters to the "Female Gaze". As society changes and women are seen as equally sexual beings as men, male gaze blurs.
Paul Wells Research into Horror
12 subejcts from the following age groups:
16 - 25
26 - 40
41 - 45
16 - 25
26 - 40
41 - 45
56 - 80
. Asked for earliest horror film seen and latest horror film seen.
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Audience Theory
Why do audiences watch horror movies?
Jeffrey Goldstein, psychiatrist, believes that "modern horror film serves many of the same functions for the adolescent that the fairy tale serves for the child, for instance to warn of evil in familiar places. Horror films are designed to elicit strong emotional reactions from viewers, including fear and dread; and this they do. Nearly everyone reports having been disturbed at some time by an image from a film or television program."
The viewer and the film
Researchers have identified various motives for viewing horror films, including the need for excitement, the desire to feel intense emotions, and distraction from everyday concerns. Although dramatic films can fulfill some of these needs, movies depicting violence and horror have features that other forms of drama do not, including the violation of social norms and the portrayal of events seldom seen in real life.
People rarely view horror films alone. Violent entertainment appeals primarily to males, and it appeals to them mostly in groups. For many young people and adults, horror films are a topic of conversation, a source of shared experience, and a means of self-presentation. Not everyone will like the blood and gore, but many may continue to watch because of other goals, such as demonstrating their ability to tolerate it, or the desire to master the threatening images.
.To explore our own roles as an audience & analyse audience theories
Effects on audience reaction:
Changes/factors
Desensitised by similar horror movies
Age
Personal experience
General knowledge of horror movies
Technology used
Own beliefs/worries
Critiscism
Imagination
Rebellion
Gender
Actors
Curiosity/escape from reality
Emotional responses/rest of audience
Jeffrey Goldstein, psychiatrist, believes that "modern horror film serves many of the same functions for the adolescent that the fairy tale serves for the child, for instance to warn of evil in familiar places. Horror films are designed to elicit strong emotional reactions from viewers, including fear and dread; and this they do. Nearly everyone reports having been disturbed at some time by an image from a film or television program."
The viewer and the film
Researchers have identified various motives for viewing horror films, including the need for excitement, the desire to feel intense emotions, and distraction from everyday concerns. Although dramatic films can fulfill some of these needs, movies depicting violence and horror have features that other forms of drama do not, including the violation of social norms and the portrayal of events seldom seen in real life.
People rarely view horror films alone. Violent entertainment appeals primarily to males, and it appeals to them mostly in groups. For many young people and adults, horror films are a topic of conversation, a source of shared experience, and a means of self-presentation. Not everyone will like the blood and gore, but many may continue to watch because of other goals, such as demonstrating their ability to tolerate it, or the desire to master the threatening images.
.To explore our own roles as an audience & analyse audience theories
Effects on audience reaction:
Changes/factors
Desensitised by similar horror movies
Age
Personal experience
General knowledge of horror movies
Technology used
Own beliefs/worries
Critiscism
Imagination
Rebellion
Gender
Actors
Curiosity/escape from reality
Emotional responses/rest of audience
Thursday, 24 November 2011
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 1974
.Cult horror film (slasher)
.Written, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper & Kim Henkel
.The film is considered an innovator of the slasher genre - pre-dating Halloween, Friday 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street
.Cast mainly non professional actors
.Despite being labelled as excessively graphic, there is not much explicit "gore"
.Violence and gore is implied
.Hooper was hoping for a PG rating which is why the explicit "gore" is kept to a minimum. Needless to say, he failed. The film has an R rating
.An independent film which cost $83,532
.Generated over $36m at the U.S box office in 1974
.The most sucessful independent film ever - until Halloween in 1978
.The film was highly influential for the "slasher genre"
.This film, like "Psycho" and "Silence Of The Lambs", was inspired by the Wisconsin serial killer, Ed Gein
.Ed Gein did apparently wear human skin but he didn't use a chainsaw
.The mis en scene in this film is very important, the house was modelled on crime scene notes describing .Gein's house
The film is renowned for its use of the marketing technique (based on true events) ...The false documents
.The film is filmed in documentary style - it is interesting to note that hooper was formerly a documentary cameraman
.The small budget dictated the use of non-actors and the camera equipment. The film used proved a masterstroke as fans and critics alike claim the "gritty" look gives the film its documentary-style feel and therefore embeds the "horror" in reality
.Hooper also directed Poltergeist
.Hooper likes to taunt the audience by exploring taboos - in this film it's cannibalism
.The eerie and disturbing music score was not composed for this film. Much of it came from the sounds an animal would hear inside a slaughterhouse
.Became a sucess because of word of mouth - not much money for a marketing campaign.
.Early 1970's America was a hotbed of social unrest. Massive fuel shortages, Watergate and the Vietnam War. High unemployment
.Dinner table scene shot in one 27 hour shoot
"Inspired camera angles and brave new editing techniques ensured that when the eye didn't see something, the imagination would fill in the blanks
.Written, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper & Kim Henkel
.The film is considered an innovator of the slasher genre - pre-dating Halloween, Friday 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street
.Cast mainly non professional actors
.Despite being labelled as excessively graphic, there is not much explicit "gore"
.Violence and gore is implied
.Hooper was hoping for a PG rating which is why the explicit "gore" is kept to a minimum. Needless to say, he failed. The film has an R rating
.An independent film which cost $83,532
.Generated over $36m at the U.S box office in 1974
.The most sucessful independent film ever - until Halloween in 1978
.The film was highly influential for the "slasher genre"
.This film, like "Psycho" and "Silence Of The Lambs", was inspired by the Wisconsin serial killer, Ed Gein
.Ed Gein did apparently wear human skin but he didn't use a chainsaw
.The mis en scene in this film is very important, the house was modelled on crime scene notes describing .Gein's house
The film is renowned for its use of the marketing technique (based on true events) ...The false documents
.The film is filmed in documentary style - it is interesting to note that hooper was formerly a documentary cameraman
.The small budget dictated the use of non-actors and the camera equipment. The film used proved a masterstroke as fans and critics alike claim the "gritty" look gives the film its documentary-style feel and therefore embeds the "horror" in reality
.Hooper also directed Poltergeist
.Hooper likes to taunt the audience by exploring taboos - in this film it's cannibalism
.The eerie and disturbing music score was not composed for this film. Much of it came from the sounds an animal would hear inside a slaughterhouse
.Became a sucess because of word of mouth - not much money for a marketing campaign.
.Early 1970's America was a hotbed of social unrest. Massive fuel shortages, Watergate and the Vietnam War. High unemployment
.Dinner table scene shot in one 27 hour shoot
"Inspired camera angles and brave new editing techniques ensured that when the eye didn't see something, the imagination would fill in the blanks
Bringing Sall Home
Camera Angles:
Low angle
Close up
Panning
Tilt
2 Shot
High angle
Point of view - Objective, Intrusion
Music - Building up sound
Mis En Scene/Editing - Focus, disorientation
Fade to black
Doorway, voyeur
Friday, 18 November 2011
Claude Levi - Strauss
Following Aristotle (all drama is conflict) - Binary opposition
E.g
Good - Evil
Light - Dark
Right - Wrong
Honesty - Deciet
All narratives have to be driven by conflict caused by opposing forces.
E.g
Good - Evil
Light - Dark
Right - Wrong
Honesty - Deciet
All narratives have to be driven by conflict caused by opposing forces.
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Todorov's Narrative Theory
6 part structure
Equilibrium
Disruption
Complications
Crisis
Climax
Resolution
Theory Application to psycho
The equilibrium - "Discreet lovers Marion Crane and Sam Loomis want to marry but cannot"
Disruption - "Marion steals $40,000"
Crisis - "An anonymous figure enters the bathroom and stabs Marion to death"
Twist - "Norman appears, dressed in his mother's clothing and a wig, and attempts to attack Lila"
Explanation - "Mrs.Bates is alive in Norman's fractured psyche"
Resolution - "In the final moments of the film, Norman is seen sitting alone in a jail cell thinking in Mother's voice"
Alfred Hitchcock
.Directer over 50 films
.Thousands of storyboards per film
.Appears briefly in each film
.Perfected voyeurism in film
.New camera angles
.New take on representation
.Career spanned 60 years
.Social taboos included
.Relied heavily upon psychological
.Influenced Quentin Tarnetino
.Thousands of storyboards per film
.Appears briefly in each film
.Perfected voyeurism in film
.New camera angles
.New take on representation
.Career spanned 60 years
.Social taboos included
.Relied heavily upon psychological
.Influenced Quentin Tarnetino
Psycho - 1960
The Shower Scene
Camera angles
. P.O.V
.High angle
.Low angle
.Profile
.Zoom
.Close up
.Head and shoulders
.Birds eye view
.Pan
.Long shots
.Extreme long shot
Music/Sound/Silence
.Silence - normality
.Violin - Psycho strings - Urgency
.Shower curtain rips
.Screams
.Knife to flesh
editing
.Quick cuts - fast pace, disorientation
Point of View
.Removed, objective
.Marian's
.Killers
Mis En Scene
.Money in newspaper - concealment
.Water and blood
.Knife and clothing of Mrs. Bates
How does Hitchcock create tension leading up to and during the shower scene?
Hitchcock recognized that tension was important in extracting the right reaction from the audience concerning the shower scene, but whilst creating such an uneasy atmosphere it was crucial not to reveal the specific details and events of the plot. The tension begins to build along with the dynamics of the plot, when Todorov’s theory is applied to Psycho, the disruption of the equilibrium as Marion Crane is dressing in her bedroom and the camera is used to portray her thoughts on the money that she later takes. It is at its greatest during the scene with the suspicious police officer, subdues as Marion reaches Bates Motel and then begins to grow once again until the murder in the shower scene. The effects of the tension are achieved mainly by the reliance Hitchcock had on the audiences’ feelings changing swiftly as the tension rises and falls, each reaction exaggerating the next one. The use of mise en scene, such as the way that the stuffed birds have been positioned, like they are looming over the pair representing Mrs.Bates’ controlling nature or showing Norman’s sexual interest in Marion is also effective as it is a subtle message, but shows the effort Hitchcock made to deliberately create a tense atmosphere. Further examples of how tension is created include the various camera angles, shots and editing techniques like those present in the hiding of the money whilst in the Motel room, non-diegetic sound, for example the music whilst Marion is in the car on her way out of town, and the actors' actions and reactions, most importantly the conversations between Norman and Marion, and Norman and Mrs. Bates.
Marion Crane’s dressing scene in the bedroom includes no diegetic sound; however the audience is fully aware of Marion’s thoughts. The camera is used in various ways to achieve this, alongside the movement and facial expressions of Marion and the mise en scene (suitcase). We as the audience are exposed to foreshadow the following major events and the reasons for them through the specific shots, such as the close up of the paperwork for a car that Marion’s body is later left in. We are made aware by the emphasis on the money that Marion’s greed is clouding her judgment. As the audience can recognize this and Marion remains oblivious, the audience feels frustration, and they become more aware of tense situations. It is possible that the tension is meant to transcend through the screen and audience, as again we are introduced to the voyeuristic nature of some of Hitchcock’s scenes for the effect of feeling closer to the characters, as if it is all of us in the situation and room together. The most effective aspects of this scene are definitely the camera work and sound. The silence of Marion in conjunction with the nature of the scene allows the audience to concentrate on the direction of the camera, as if they embody Marion’s temptation.
The scene with the Police officer is particularly effective in creating tension, as after the dressing scene, the audience is aware of what she has done, and can provide reason for her nervousness, his suspicion and imagine possible outcomes with Marion as she desperately attempts to appear “normal”. Although the camera angles are less detailed and do not allow the audience to have the point of view of a companion traveling with Marion, the audience are still not completely detached from the scene, and recognize the tension immediately, especially when the policeman watches Marion at the car dealership. The greatest moment of the scene for showing tension was the guilt on Marion’s face coupled with the patience of the Policeman as Marion removed the money from her handbag to find her license. This is extremely effective, as the angle of the camera is tilted downward and shows Marion confined to the small space of the car, as if her own conscience is closing in on her.
The parlor scene with Norman Bates overwhelms the audience with tension; I believe the mise en scene and the camera shots and angles are the main reason. The stuffed birds on the walls resemble the side of Norman that is not visible whilst he is talking to Marion, and seem to loom over the pair and cast shadows, making the scene more dramatic.
The sound of the water in the beginning of the shower scene against the silence of Marion and the isolated Motel, suggests to the audience that Marion is vulnerable to danger and reflects the uneasiness of the previous scenes with the caution Marion takes to rip the evidence and dispose of it in the toilet, showing her feelings of guilt and then her attempt to cleanse herself in the shower. The head and shoulders shot of Marion from different angles around the shower remind the audience that Marion is enclosed by the walls of the shower, and the close ups of the shower head show the normality of the shower, to contrast the abnormal following events and how oblivious Marion was to them.
Camera angles
. P.O.V
.High angle
.Low angle
.Profile
.Zoom
.Close up
.Head and shoulders
.Birds eye view
.Pan
.Long shots
.Extreme long shot
Music/Sound/Silence
.Silence - normality
.Violin - Psycho strings - Urgency
.Shower curtain rips
.Screams
.Knife to flesh
editing
.Quick cuts - fast pace, disorientation
Point of View
.Removed, objective
.Marian's
.Killers
Mis En Scene
.Money in newspaper - concealment
.Water and blood
.Knife and clothing of Mrs. Bates
How does Hitchcock create tension leading up to and during the shower scene?
Hitchcock recognized that tension was important in extracting the right reaction from the audience concerning the shower scene, but whilst creating such an uneasy atmosphere it was crucial not to reveal the specific details and events of the plot. The tension begins to build along with the dynamics of the plot, when Todorov’s theory is applied to Psycho, the disruption of the equilibrium as Marion Crane is dressing in her bedroom and the camera is used to portray her thoughts on the money that she later takes. It is at its greatest during the scene with the suspicious police officer, subdues as Marion reaches Bates Motel and then begins to grow once again until the murder in the shower scene. The effects of the tension are achieved mainly by the reliance Hitchcock had on the audiences’ feelings changing swiftly as the tension rises and falls, each reaction exaggerating the next one. The use of mise en scene, such as the way that the stuffed birds have been positioned, like they are looming over the pair representing Mrs.Bates’ controlling nature or showing Norman’s sexual interest in Marion is also effective as it is a subtle message, but shows the effort Hitchcock made to deliberately create a tense atmosphere. Further examples of how tension is created include the various camera angles, shots and editing techniques like those present in the hiding of the money whilst in the Motel room, non-diegetic sound, for example the music whilst Marion is in the car on her way out of town, and the actors' actions and reactions, most importantly the conversations between Norman and Marion, and Norman and Mrs. Bates.
Marion Crane’s dressing scene in the bedroom includes no diegetic sound; however the audience is fully aware of Marion’s thoughts. The camera is used in various ways to achieve this, alongside the movement and facial expressions of Marion and the mise en scene (suitcase). We as the audience are exposed to foreshadow the following major events and the reasons for them through the specific shots, such as the close up of the paperwork for a car that Marion’s body is later left in. We are made aware by the emphasis on the money that Marion’s greed is clouding her judgment. As the audience can recognize this and Marion remains oblivious, the audience feels frustration, and they become more aware of tense situations. It is possible that the tension is meant to transcend through the screen and audience, as again we are introduced to the voyeuristic nature of some of Hitchcock’s scenes for the effect of feeling closer to the characters, as if it is all of us in the situation and room together. The most effective aspects of this scene are definitely the camera work and sound. The silence of Marion in conjunction with the nature of the scene allows the audience to concentrate on the direction of the camera, as if they embody Marion’s temptation.
The scene with the Police officer is particularly effective in creating tension, as after the dressing scene, the audience is aware of what she has done, and can provide reason for her nervousness, his suspicion and imagine possible outcomes with Marion as she desperately attempts to appear “normal”. Although the camera angles are less detailed and do not allow the audience to have the point of view of a companion traveling with Marion, the audience are still not completely detached from the scene, and recognize the tension immediately, especially when the policeman watches Marion at the car dealership. The greatest moment of the scene for showing tension was the guilt on Marion’s face coupled with the patience of the Policeman as Marion removed the money from her handbag to find her license. This is extremely effective, as the angle of the camera is tilted downward and shows Marion confined to the small space of the car, as if her own conscience is closing in on her.
The parlor scene with Norman Bates overwhelms the audience with tension; I believe the mise en scene and the camera shots and angles are the main reason. The stuffed birds on the walls resemble the side of Norman that is not visible whilst he is talking to Marion, and seem to loom over the pair and cast shadows, making the scene more dramatic.
The sound of the water in the beginning of the shower scene against the silence of Marion and the isolated Motel, suggests to the audience that Marion is vulnerable to danger and reflects the uneasiness of the previous scenes with the caution Marion takes to rip the evidence and dispose of it in the toilet, showing her feelings of guilt and then her attempt to cleanse herself in the shower. The head and shoulders shot of Marion from different angles around the shower remind the audience that Marion is enclosed by the walls of the shower, and the close ups of the shower head show the normality of the shower, to contrast the abnormal following events and how oblivious Marion was to them.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
The History of horror Films
1896 - Le Manoir Du Diable (Melies) - Vampire Horror
1913 - Der Golem (Wegener) - Monster Movie
1920 - The Cabinet of Dr Caligari - Psychological Horror
1922 - Nosferatu (Murnau) - Vampire and Gothic Horror
1923 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Gothic monster Horrror
1930's - Universal Studios made a plethora of horror films: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy
1950's - Horror moves toward sci-fi and becomes a hybrid with Invasion Horror: The Thing from Another World - 1951, Invasion of the body Snatchers 1956
1960's - Moves towards Psychological Horror and Slashers: Psycho - 1960, Peeping Tom - 1965
1970's - Moves towards Demonic Horror: Rosemary's Baby - 1970, The Exorcist -1973, The Omen - 1976
1980's - Video nasties - Friday the 13th - 1980, Nightmare on Elm Street - 1984
1990's - Postmodern - Self mocking and reflexive horrors: Scream - 1996, I Know What You Did Last Summer - 1996
2000's - Move towards more Supernatural Horror: Sixth Sense - 1999, Final destination - 1999, Also Action Horror Hybrids: Blade - 2000, van helsing - 2004
1913 - Der Golem (Wegener) - Monster Movie
1920 - The Cabinet of Dr Caligari - Psychological Horror
1922 - Nosferatu (Murnau) - Vampire and Gothic Horror
1923 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Gothic monster Horrror
1930's - Universal Studios made a plethora of horror films: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy
1950's - Horror moves toward sci-fi and becomes a hybrid with Invasion Horror: The Thing from Another World - 1951, Invasion of the body Snatchers 1956
1960's - Moves towards Psychological Horror and Slashers: Psycho - 1960, Peeping Tom - 1965
1970's - Moves towards Demonic Horror: Rosemary's Baby - 1970, The Exorcist -1973, The Omen - 1976
1980's - Video nasties - Friday the 13th - 1980, Nightmare on Elm Street - 1984
1990's - Postmodern - Self mocking and reflexive horrors: Scream - 1996, I Know What You Did Last Summer - 1996
2000's - Move towards more Supernatural Horror: Sixth Sense - 1999, Final destination - 1999, Also Action Horror Hybrids: Blade - 2000, van helsing - 2004
Camera Angle/Shot Purpose And Editing Techniques
Camera Angles/Shot
CU - Close Up
Shot used to reveal detail on a face/object
Head and Shoulders
used in news broadcasts reveals enough detail to see lips move and facial expressions
2 Shot
2 people in the scene, introduces a conversation, often used in conjunction with other shots
OS - Over the Shoulder
simulates a view of the subject as seen from the 2nd persons eyes
ECU - Extreme Close Up
used to reveal horror in the subjects face
LS - Long Shot
used to show movement in the subject's whole body
MS - Medium Shot
used to show upper body movement
ELS - Extra Long Shot
Establishing shot, important when subject is moving location
Editing
Nosferatu - 1922
An iconic image from the film; Count Orlok's shadow
A German expressionism film
Silent, black and white
Germany in 1922
Issues of reducing, limiting or abolishing weapons in Germany, the trial of war criminals had now receded into the background.
(Relates to vulnrability when weapons cannot be used as protection against powerful threats)
The issue of reparations and inflation, now dominated life in Germany.
(Relates to the greed, a recurring theme of the film)
Analysing the opening scene
What ideas are introduced?
The film's genre does not appear to be horror, but romance, a genre that horror films often include elements from. There is a clear stereotyping of the roles of men and women in a horror film.
The ideas of over sensitivity from the female character in the scene concerning the flowers, and the over protective and caring nature of the male character responding to her emotions shows this.
Who are the characters?
Ellen Hutter - appears to be very feminine, naive, relies on hutter, emotional
Hutter - Positive attitude, comforting/loving, masculine, responsible, takes care of Ellen
What are they doing?
Hutter is informing Ellen that he has to leave the country, he is entrusting his friend and his sister to take care of her
Connotations?
Sexism, love, loneliness,
Music and effect?
Violin and piano - nervous/panic during credits, fading into calm when Ellen is sewing, melancholy when Ellen is presented the flowers
Edits and their effects?
Fast cuts, showing different aspects/angles of the scene.
Iris in/out - seen as nostalgic
Monday, 24 October 2011
Horror Films
Conventions
Isolation
Familiar setting at night
High amounts of violence, weapons, gore - iconography
Examples
The Blair Witch Project
Psycho
Friday 13th
Alien
Last exorcism
Drag Me To Hell
Sub Genre
Slasher
Psychological
Torture Porn
Thriller
Comedy/Parody
Representation
Monsters
Society
Teenagers
Women, useless
Promiscuity
Isolation
Familiar setting at night
High amounts of violence, weapons, gore - iconography
Examples
The Blair Witch Project
Psycho
Friday 13th
Alien
Last exorcism
Drag Me To Hell
Sub Genre
Slasher
Psychological
Torture Porn
Thriller
Comedy/Parody
Representation
Monsters
Society
Teenagers
Women, useless
Promiscuity
Propps Character Theory - Narrative
"Propps narrative theory of narrative seems to be based in a male orientated environment (due to his theory actually reflecting early folk tales) and as such critics often dismiss the theory with regard to film. However, it may still be applied because the function (rathe rthan the gender) of characters is the basis of the theory. E.g. the hero could be a woman; the reward could be a man.
Critics argue that Propp's strict order of characters and events is restrictive. We should rather apply the functions and events randomly as we meet new narratives. E.g. the hero may kill the villain earlier than Propp expects. Changing the traditional format will change the whole way the text is recieved.
Some critics claim there are many more character types that Propp suggests and we should feel free to identify them. E.g. the stooge in a sci-fi film, who is usually nameless and killed early on to suggest the power of the alien force, is a typical modern character type."
Story - Sequence of events (plot)
Narrative - presentation to the audience (events put together)
Analysis
Construction
Theme
. All media texts have a narrative
Critics argue that Propp's strict order of characters and events is restrictive. We should rather apply the functions and events randomly as we meet new narratives. E.g. the hero may kill the villain earlier than Propp expects. Changing the traditional format will change the whole way the text is recieved.
Some critics claim there are many more character types that Propp suggests and we should feel free to identify them. E.g. the stooge in a sci-fi film, who is usually nameless and killed early on to suggest the power of the alien force, is a typical modern character type."
Story - Sequence of events (plot)
Narrative - presentation to the audience (events put together)
Analysis
Construction
Theme
. All media texts have a narrative
Types of character
The Villain - Against hero
The Helper - Hero's "sidekick"
The Princess/Prize - Helpless, useless
Her Father - Gives task
The Doner - Gives something to hero
The Hero - Main character
The Dispatcher - Sends hero on mission
False Hero - Pretend hero
The Rougue Hero? The Underdog? E.g. Jack Sparrow, Pirates Of The Carribean
Why is this theory useful?
It avoids treating characters as if they are individuals and reminds us they are merely constructs. Some characters are indeed there just to progress the narratives.
Analysis of promtoional posters: "Halloween", "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Psycho", "Saw 4"
Image relates to title
Dark background
Veins in hand show tight grip
Knife - iconography
Text - "He" - not clear, relates to plot
Insinuating revenge plot
Text - rhetorical question
woman trapped
villain wears mask
chainsaw - iconogrpahy
Based on a true story - scarier
Selling line - relates to image
Image - distorted
Black strips - trapped
Red - iconogrpahy
Broken font, broken mental state
Scales - measurement of time, "weighing" of the victims' worth
Chain - held against will
Severed head - death
Victim - treated like an animal
Iconography - blood
Selling line - relates to plot
Font - measured up, carpentry, saws
How are the key conventions of the horror genre used within the promotional poster?
"The elements and conventions of genre are always in play rather than simply being replayed." - Neale
. Iconography always present- blood, zombies, weapons, mutilation, ghosts.
. Setting - run down, isolated, dark, trapped in domestic area.
. Selling line relatable to plot of film.
. Text matches image and possibly reflects to the theme of the film.
. Characters - challenge eachother due to crisis
. The side characters are killed for the main character's survival.
. Subverts - Challenges horror genre key conventions
. Marketing & advertising:
. Relateable to both film and audience
. Connotations - usually culturally accepted
. Iconography always present- blood, zombies, weapons, mutilation, ghosts.
. Setting - run down, isolated, dark, trapped in domestic area.
. Selling line relatable to plot of film.
. Text matches image and possibly reflects to the theme of the film.
. Characters - challenge eachother due to crisis
. The side characters are killed for the main character's survival.
. Subverts - Challenges horror genre key conventions
. Marketing & advertising:
. Relateable to both film and audience
. Connotations - usually culturally accepted
"The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement" : Sound
"The Hole" features limited non-diegetic sound, as the film aims to reflect a real situation and relate to and engage the audience as much as possible. Diegetic sound shows the reality of the film, and creates a fairly empty, quiet atmosphere that has an effect on the way the film is viewed by the audience.
"The Devil's Rejects" does not try to make the film too realisitic, and uses much non-diegetic sound, especially during scenes containing sex or drugs, and the main scene of violence at the end.
"Amusement" uses an equal mix of diegetic and non-diegetic, possibly to aid the scenes in their effects upon the audience, and uses fast paced music to create suspense and tension.
"The Devil's Rejects" does not try to make the film too realisitic, and uses much non-diegetic sound, especially during scenes containing sex or drugs, and the main scene of violence at the end.
"Amusement" uses an equal mix of diegetic and non-diegetic, possibly to aid the scenes in their effects upon the audience, and uses fast paced music to create suspense and tension.
"The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement" : Settings
A common occurance with horror films, is the settings being isolated and often dark. This is because unfamiliarity will cause both the audience and characters to be unsettled and vulnrable. "Amusement" follows this, but "The Hole" and "The Devil's Rejects" seem to feature the isolation with the unfamiliarity rarely within the film. Although "The Hole" is set almost entirely in one large, dark room, the characters are fully aware of their surroundings, but not always of those they share the area with beyond the walls they are trapped in. This is particularly effective, as the audience is able to see how such a length of time and a small space can change the characters and the way they interact with eachother.
"The Devil's Rejects" shows the main charaters, also the criminals, as being relatively free. They have acess to transportation and travel during daylight through towns, however they are forced out of their most familiar surroundings, their home. Entrapment is often felt by their victims, as they are usually in either a hotel room or a cage, and gradually throughout the film, the characters' surroundings begin to trap them.
"The Devil's Rejects" shows the main charaters, also the criminals, as being relatively free. They have acess to transportation and travel during daylight through towns, however they are forced out of their most familiar surroundings, their home. Entrapment is often felt by their victims, as they are usually in either a hotel room or a cage, and gradually throughout the film, the characters' surroundings begin to trap them.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
"The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement" : Themes
The most common themes/motives displayed in these 3 particular films are mental disorders, obsessions, seeking approval from family, revenge, violence, sex, loneliness, fear, power, death, status, coincidence, childhoods, desperation, torture and twists. Although these are found to be linked to many other films, the way they are presented and used as crucial components of the plot is what could potentially weaken the foundations of the film.
For example, the theme of a murderous family in "The Devil's Rejects" could have taken all uniqueness away from the film and caused the audience to assume it was "just another", but the use of the theme of a strong family and presentation of them being united in their cause saved it, and it is rare to see a conventional American family that openly admit to being murderous animals. The contrast adds a dark humour and an interest in their behaviours, as they switch from killers to a family, and sometimes become both at once. We as an audience begin to ask questions about how they came to be this way, and become more and more aware of the flickers of the themes as the film goes on.
For example, the theme of a murderous family in "The Devil's Rejects" could have taken all uniqueness away from the film and caused the audience to assume it was "just another", but the use of the theme of a strong family and presentation of them being united in their cause saved it, and it is rare to see a conventional American family that openly admit to being murderous animals. The contrast adds a dark humour and an interest in their behaviours, as they switch from killers to a family, and sometimes become both at once. We as an audience begin to ask questions about how they came to be this way, and become more and more aware of the flickers of the themes as the film goes on.
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
"The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement" : Characters
In each of the 3 films, there isn't necessarily only 1 main character, but a group and multiple killers. This is most likely to provide a range of personalities and likeable qualities for the audience. The use of groups also highlights the similarities and differences between the individuals, using the contrasts due to the often found juxtapositions within the groups to make the characters memorable, seem more like real people and emphasise important things about them, for example movement, thought, feeling, action and reaction, dialogue, expressions and personal styles.
In each film, the most innocent looking woman is the most brutal, again playing on opposites. The methods of brutality may differ from mind games to violence, but is present. It is also common for the killers to act on animal instinct, and to show no remorse. However, when the characters hide the evidence of their atrocities, the audience have the ability to detect fear in them, or decide that they were simply prepared and wise.
In each film, the most innocent looking woman is the most brutal, again playing on opposites. The methods of brutality may differ from mind games to violence, but is present. It is also common for the killers to act on animal instinct, and to show no remorse. However, when the characters hide the evidence of their atrocities, the audience have the ability to detect fear in them, or decide that they were simply prepared and wise.
Monday, 17 October 2011
"The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement" : Plot
"The Hole" and "Amusement" display clear background stories and reason within the plot that have been gradually explained throughout the films, relying heavily on the psychological elements to appeal to the audiences' want of a complex storyline and the freedom to draw their own conclusions about the mental health, emotions and justifications of the characters' actions and reactions.
By providing motives for the protagonists, they are no longer ruthless killers in the eyes of the audience, but troubled people. Often, plots such as this cause the audience to try to understand and even favour the killer at one point or another, or at least feel sympathy for them.
By letting the audience into the minds of the main characters, they can often relate to them somehow, and will feel their feelings with them. A plot such as "The Devil's Rejects" also allows this, but relying heavily on the sexual and violent aspects of the film has slightly numbered the effects on the audience reaction, and instead we root for the antagonist. Some may look at the "senseless killing spree" based films as cliché and bland, however if made correctly can sometimes match films with a deeper "original" plot.
By providing motives for the protagonists, they are no longer ruthless killers in the eyes of the audience, but troubled people. Often, plots such as this cause the audience to try to understand and even favour the killer at one point or another, or at least feel sympathy for them.
By letting the audience into the minds of the main characters, they can often relate to them somehow, and will feel their feelings with them. A plot such as "The Devil's Rejects" also allows this, but relying heavily on the sexual and violent aspects of the film has slightly numbered the effects on the audience reaction, and instead we root for the antagonist. Some may look at the "senseless killing spree" based films as cliché and bland, however if made correctly can sometimes match films with a deeper "original" plot.
"The Devil's Rejects" Poster Analysis
Text: angled, fits with background, all uppercase showing emphasis on title, unconventional title placement, red and white
Image: movement, iconography (guns & blood), unusual for the woman to stand on the outside as the men will usually protect the women
Background: hot, reflects area the film is set in, mainly yellow, orange, black, unusually bright for a horror film poster
Colour: although image & background are coloured and bright, they show heavy shadow, showing contrast between the plot and the warm setting
Selling Line: none
Reflection upon the plot: limited, although directly addresses the film ending. Despite the characters wearing plain clothing, they are not plain characters. As the background is a road, the idea of being ''on the run'' is put forward. Features no selling line, but instead a review.
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMYQP5uRMkY
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMYQP5uRMkY
Sunday, 16 October 2011
"The Hole" Poster Analysis
Text: Reflecting light, showing juxtaposition as a hole is dark, mainly lowercase, showing a low level of panic/highly serious matter
Image: eye contact from all 4 main characters, chiaroscuro photography, sepia tone, narrator main focus, fade into background
Background: plain, works with image
Colour: almost none, tones used for dramatic effect
Selling Line: Short, reflects plot, punctuation for emphasis, same colour as film title, capital letters for emphasis
Reflection upon the plot: The 2nd image directly relates to scenes from the film, as does the use of the narrator being the main focus of the main image, as the other 3 characters' stories are told through her. By placing Mike in front of the other 2 characters, the poster emphasises the importance he holds to both the story and to the characters, Liz. The use of the title as the only light source shows that the plot is based around entrapment and voyeurism, and includes the title within the image.
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0E75vi3ETc
Friday, 14 October 2011
"Amusement" Poster Analysis
Text: Distressed, angled, relating to nature of the film, hung by what looks to be an imitation of a stretched piece of skin/cloth
Image: Dark mid shot, shot obeys rule of thirds, subject is a costume but gives the impression of eye contact
Background: simple, dark room, hanging pictures suggest basic living/working space
Colour: mainly red, yellow and black, carnival colours to reflect image
Selling Line: matches colour of text, line is mentioned in film, relates to image of clown
Reflection upon the plot: The image uses the costume worn by character "the laugh", and the background features the isolated area that the victims are chased through. The colours and shadow show juxtaposition in the purpose of the film, as they are warm and the fading of the image into background suggest an unseen twist. The text is displayed upon key horror iconography (sharp objects) and an important aspect of the film (the cloth/skin)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqlmChTHGUk
Image: Dark mid shot, shot obeys rule of thirds, subject is a costume but gives the impression of eye contact
Background: simple, dark room, hanging pictures suggest basic living/working space
Colour: mainly red, yellow and black, carnival colours to reflect image
Selling Line: matches colour of text, line is mentioned in film, relates to image of clown
Reflection upon the plot: The image uses the costume worn by character "the laugh", and the background features the isolated area that the victims are chased through. The colours and shadow show juxtaposition in the purpose of the film, as they are warm and the fading of the image into background suggest an unseen twist. The text is displayed upon key horror iconography (sharp objects) and an important aspect of the film (the cloth/skin)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqlmChTHGUk
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
"The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement" : Comparison
After watching "The Hole", "The Devil's Rejects" and "Amusement", I noticed some similarities and differences between the three films. For example, the ''Final Girl Theory'' can be applied to all three, and are against "Propp's Character Theory". The main characters are all groups of friends/family members. All three also focus on teens/young adults. However, they differ in plot, as "The Hole" and "Amusement" heavily rely on a psychological motive, whereas "The Devils Rejects" seems to focus on mainly sex and gore.
Plot twists are evident in all three, and "The Hole" and "amusement", most likely due to their psychological nature, are narrated by the ''Final Girl''. Iconogrpahy is also important in these films, and in all three the killer uses and typical weapons to kill, such as knives, and blood is shown. As well as more unconventional methods, such as "The Hole", where many of the deaths are accidental, (except Martyn's drowning and the murder of Geoff').
Close ups and diegetic sound are often used in horror films such as these, as expressions of the characters are important to the audiences emotional reactions, and the sound is crucial for a realistic effect. Isolated areas are also a key aspect of these films, as is heavy shadow, pahtetic fallacy and a background story. All three also seem to follow "Todorov's Narrative Theory" also, and can definately be applied to the "Male Gaze Theory" and include scenes of a voyeuristic nature. They also seem to be responding to the "Desensitisation Theory" with the levels of violence and scenes designed specifically for the shock factor.
Director: Nick Hamm
Narrator: Liz (plot = flashbacks)
Protagonist: Mike
Antagonist: Martyn
Others: Lisa, (implied to be Liz) Geoff, Frankie, Alex, Psychiatrist
Themes:
Bulimia
Claustrophobia
Schizophrenia
Obsession
Loneliness
Power
Control
Love
Status
Desperation
Revenge
Improbability
Coincidence
Class/Cliques
Extract from a Review: "It's a very good concept but the film fails to live up to the initial promise. Trying to tell the story in an interesting way through flashbacks backfires as the only interesting version is the last one, meaning you have to wait for more than half the film before getting to the good stuff. This is made all the worse by how unlikable all the four characters are. Number one rule; if you lock your audience in with a small amount of people, make sure their characters are at least interesting and a bit amusing. Between whining, shouting and blaming each other you'll be wishing for the whole place to fall down on their heads and end the wittering."
Source: http://awannabewriters.blogspot.com/2011/04/film-review-hole-2001.html
Director: Rob Zombie
Protagonist: Captain Spaulding
Antagonist: Sheriff Wydell
Others:
Tiny
Rufus
Mother Firefly
Baby
Otis
Themes:
Revenge
Murder
Torture
Boredom
Family
Sex
"Violent Western"
Extract from a Review:
"The characters are so much better than in the first film. They are obviously further developed and more convincing. More real. Somehow less of a freakshow, despite Captain Spaulding’s unsettling appearance. Sheri Moon Zombie looks and feels more at ease in her role as Baby – the Devil’s own candy. Otis is 100 times scarier with a big, bushy beard and now looks like guitar god Zakk Wylde from Ozzy Osbourne’s band. Leslie Easterbrook has taken over from Karen Black as Mother Firefly and her performance during the scenes with Wydell in the police station will blow you away. She is, as they all are, completely evil."
Source: http://www.eatmybrains.com/showreview.php?id=89
Narrator: Tabitha
Protagonist: Shelby
Antagonist: The Laugh
Others:
Lisa
Cat
Themes:
Revenge
Psychology
Childhood
Torture
Extract from a Review:
"The acting was decent enough, nothing great, but as it was the only positive aspect of the film it’s worth mentioning. Katheryn Winnick, Laura Breckenridge, and Jessica Lucas all played the victim well enough and showed us realistic enough characters before this point. Katheryn Winnick stands out the most as she takes on the role of the heroine. Keir O’Donnell was somewhat creepy, but really wasn’t a very effective villain. He seemed to have a very underdeveloped mind set, which should have been complex, darkening, and interesting as someone who thrived on killing even from a very early age. Still, there wasn’t much there."
Source: http://www.horrormoviefans.com/newsblog/2009/02/06/amusement-review/
Plot twists are evident in all three, and "The Hole" and "amusement", most likely due to their psychological nature, are narrated by the ''Final Girl''. Iconogrpahy is also important in these films, and in all three the killer uses and typical weapons to kill, such as knives, and blood is shown. As well as more unconventional methods, such as "The Hole", where many of the deaths are accidental, (except Martyn's drowning and the murder of Geoff').
Close ups and diegetic sound are often used in horror films such as these, as expressions of the characters are important to the audiences emotional reactions, and the sound is crucial for a realistic effect. Isolated areas are also a key aspect of these films, as is heavy shadow, pahtetic fallacy and a background story. All three also seem to follow "Todorov's Narrative Theory" also, and can definately be applied to the "Male Gaze Theory" and include scenes of a voyeuristic nature. They also seem to be responding to the "Desensitisation Theory" with the levels of violence and scenes designed specifically for the shock factor.
Information and Extracts of reviews:
"The Hole"
Psychological thriller/horror. Based on the novel "After The Hole". - 2001Director: Nick Hamm
Narrator: Liz (plot = flashbacks)
Protagonist: Mike
Antagonist: Martyn
Others: Lisa, (implied to be Liz) Geoff, Frankie, Alex, Psychiatrist
Themes:
Bulimia
Claustrophobia
Schizophrenia
Obsession
Loneliness
Power
Control
Love
Status
Desperation
Revenge
Improbability
Coincidence
Class/Cliques
Extract from a Review: "It's a very good concept but the film fails to live up to the initial promise. Trying to tell the story in an interesting way through flashbacks backfires as the only interesting version is the last one, meaning you have to wait for more than half the film before getting to the good stuff. This is made all the worse by how unlikable all the four characters are. Number one rule; if you lock your audience in with a small amount of people, make sure their characters are at least interesting and a bit amusing. Between whining, shouting and blaming each other you'll be wishing for the whole place to fall down on their heads and end the wittering."
Source: http://awannabewriters.blogspot.com/2011/04/film-review-hole-2001.html
"The Devils Rejects"
Crime, horror, thriller Sequel to "House of 1000 Corpses" (Cult Film) - 2005Director: Rob Zombie
Protagonist: Captain Spaulding
Antagonist: Sheriff Wydell
Others:
Tiny
Rufus
Mother Firefly
Baby
Otis
Themes:
Revenge
Murder
Torture
Boredom
Family
Sex
"Violent Western"
Extract from a Review:
"The characters are so much better than in the first film. They are obviously further developed and more convincing. More real. Somehow less of a freakshow, despite Captain Spaulding’s unsettling appearance. Sheri Moon Zombie looks and feels more at ease in her role as Baby – the Devil’s own candy. Otis is 100 times scarier with a big, bushy beard and now looks like guitar god Zakk Wylde from Ozzy Osbourne’s band. Leslie Easterbrook has taken over from Karen Black as Mother Firefly and her performance during the scenes with Wydell in the police station will blow you away. She is, as they all are, completely evil."
Source: http://www.eatmybrains.com/showreview.php?id=89
"Amusement"
Horror, thriller - 2009
Director: John SimpsonNarrator: Tabitha
Protagonist: Shelby
Antagonist: The Laugh
Others:
Lisa
Cat
Themes:
Revenge
Psychology
Childhood
Torture
Extract from a Review:
"The acting was decent enough, nothing great, but as it was the only positive aspect of the film it’s worth mentioning. Katheryn Winnick, Laura Breckenridge, and Jessica Lucas all played the victim well enough and showed us realistic enough characters before this point. Katheryn Winnick stands out the most as she takes on the role of the heroine. Keir O’Donnell was somewhat creepy, but really wasn’t a very effective villain. He seemed to have a very underdeveloped mind set, which should have been complex, darkening, and interesting as someone who thrived on killing even from a very early age. Still, there wasn’t much there."
Source: http://www.horrormoviefans.com/newsblog/2009/02/06/amusement-review/
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