Film research: Thriller/Horror - 'The Strangers'

Second Film: The Strangers

1. The first frame is an opening title “What you are about to see is inspired by true events” gives the audience a more emotional attachment than it not being “inspired by true events”. 

The colour of the text is in a dark orange, which stands out from the pitch-black screen. This typically can be representative of a horror, with dark colour schemes connoting a scary happening throughout the film, contrasting to a 'rom-com' for example, where we would naturally see a ‘light-hearted’, brightly set colour schemes for the opening.  

2. In the next shot, there is another opening title: “According to the FBI, there are an estimated 1.4 million violent crimes in America each year”. This statistic gives the audience an instant connotation that this horror will based on a “violent crime”. The statistic also gives the audience an insight into how many of these crimes there are in America – possibly trying to make the audience aware (and frighten them) with these crimes. 

3. This frame gives a brief description of the true event, revealing the date it took place and the names of the people that were involved. This title page kind of tells a story starting with “On the night of...” There is also non-diegetic dialogue over this frame, which a deep-voiced man reads the title in an ‘evil’ voice – stereotypically this suits the genre as the voice could connote a negative or dark themes in the film.

 4. The opening scene starts with a side-tracking camera movement, which looks like it is being filmed from a moving car, possibly showing a person looking out the side window of the car, looking at the houses go by. We can tell from the soundtrack that it is a car that is being represented here. However, I can not entirely gather whether the sound of the car is diegetic or non-diegetic. The edits consists of fade in and fade out shots, which fade in and out of different houses as the camera moves down the streets.

5. As the previous shots go by (house by house), we now see the houses become more spread out and they have a fair distance between them. So, say if they needed help in anyway, considering the title frames stating that “there are an estimated 1.4 million violent crimes in America each year” and that this film is crime-based horror, then the couple coincidentally will be far away from help when needed – a house attack for example.  This is an extreme long shot of a house, emphasising the distance between them. The lighting in this shot shows that it is now turning dark, leading up to the event of a stereotypical horror, commonly being set at night time. The scene is being true to it’s genre due to the darkness in which they are in.

6. This final shot of the travelling shows that it is now set in darkness, with minimal lighting. Also, being set around trees adds to the typical horror mood. I feel that the trees in dark add ‘eeriness’ to the scene.

7. For the benefit of the reader of my blog, the previous shot consists of a fade-out (from shot 6) to a blackout. This shot is now set in the day time, showing a change of day – and from the blackout, we can gather that it is indeed a change of day due to a transition between the scenes. From the start of this blackout, there is an emergency services call with a woman saying: "911, what's your emergency", and she repeats as there is no response. A boy is crying on the phone and struggling to talk. In this close-up of the car, the camera also shows the audience an extreme long shot of the two boys. The camera captures the two boys through the window screen, which has two bullets shot through it. The camera moves in a side-tracking movement, from the side of the car to where we see the boys through the car window. In the clip, you can clearly see that there is smoke still present from where the car has been shot at. This could mean that it was quite late at night/early in the morning that the car has been shot at. 

8. The next shot, which has a straight edit between this shot and the previous, is a long shot of the two boys entering the house – with the camera placed at the other end of the corridor. The boys inspect the house with caution, as you can see by the way they position themselves, partially covering themselves from potential danger – due to the car being shot, they are most likely to be scared and cautious about investigation the house because what they previously saw (in shot 7).

 9. It then cuts to a vinyl playing, but repeating on the end – meaning that the couple have been playing music previously. The diegetic sound from the vinyl adds eeriness to the scene as it makes a repetitively, faint scratching noise.

10. Another straight edit from shot 9 then shows a close-up of two contrasting items. There is a romantic gesture, whilst a violent, but negative connotation from the knife that is coated in blood. This gives the impression there was romance between the couple but something has exempted this from the knife that is shown to be used on a vulnerable victim.

11. This shot indefinitely shows there has been a violent crime/murder, with blood smeared on the wall. Shot 10 can be referenced to this shot, as this shot could be linked to the knife that was on the table, covered in blood. These last few shots have given the audience an impression of how this violent crime was acted out. 

12. Although, going to back to shot 11, this item that has been placed on the kitchen side could be the weapon that has created what is shown in shot 11.The end dialogue states: "... there's blood everywhere". It then fades to a blackout whilst the dialogue from the boy is also faded, of which has clearly been edited to create this effect.

13. The transition from shot 12 and to this shot has a black-out which then fades the orange title page 'The Strangers'. The text is faded-in with an accompanied heavy, dramatic soundtrack - prominently making an impact which closes the opening sequence with this title shown here.

 

Film Research: Thriller/Horror - 'The Amityville Horror'

First Film: 'The Amityville Horror'

1. The first frame is pitch black with white writing, which instantly draws negative or horror stereo-typicality. The 'typewriter' style font of the title also could show it is set in the past or from a past police report
. The fact that this film is said to be “based on the true story”, which automatically draws the attention of the audience, and then makes the viewer become attached to what happens with the ‘true story’. Also, the variation of the statement “based on the true story” is adapted from the common statement “based on a true story”, I think, shows the audience that this story is well-known rather than just ‘a true story’ that maybe someone does not know.  

2. The next frame also is filled black with the date of the scene of the crime in the 'type-writing' font. The information that the scene was set in the past, possible scene of a flashback. This gives me an idea to use a title date as the first shot in the editing process because this gives the audience an insight of the period that we shoot our opening sequence.

3. The first glimpse of a man is out of focus and delusional. There is a cross-fade between the previous shot and this shot. The man we can vaguely see here could be one of, if not, the main character. This connotation could be valid due to the the 'flashback' scene starting with this man; and subsequently, the next shots (of the scene) should tel us more about this man, and why he is shot 'out-of focus'.  

*In between shot 3 and shot 4, there is a non-diegetic soundtrack of a man (possibly himself) saying "catch them", "kill them" in a slurred style.* 

4. The first shot is a extreme close-up of the antagonist who of which is shown with only the lighting of the TV, which is also shown in his pupils. He presents a serious face which could resemble his next actions: with the influence of the soundtrack dialogue "catch them" "kill them". This gives me some impression that he is mental ill, possibly schizophrenic.  

5. The shot then focuses on the desk, which has a book called ‘Evil is proof of God’ which could represent he is an extreme religious activist or looking for guidance through religion with the action “evil”. On the right of the book is an ash tray with many half smoked cigarettes within. This could represent he is worried, nervous about something. There is also a glass; this could be alcohol? If this is alcohol, this could furthermore show he is worried or wants to forget something previously and alcohol may be the ‘answer’ to help him calm his nerves, or help him ‘forget’.

6. This 'over-the-shoulder' shot shows the man in deep thought with mise en scene showing a gun in his lap. He looks at the television, about to get up from the bed. The only light source in this shot is the television, which lights up the room but gives the man a silhouette. This could mean that the man is being controlled by the television with this 'light' symbolising the man's motivation or influence to not also get up from the bed, but also prepare the gun. This could show the audience the television is influencing him to kill someone or cause violence.   

7. This extreme close-up shows the antagonist inserting a bullet into the gun. This shows the audience that from the previous shots, the man is certainly preparing to cause violence with this gun. The light shown in this shot is very bright, the source being the television. The television could be instructing him to prepare this gun to cause violence, but we know for certain he is due to the non diegetic soundtrack dialogue pronouncing "kill them" over the top of the eerie soundtrack that is presented during this shot/scene. 

8. This shot shows a close-up on a shelf with two picture frames and an ornament. The middle photograph shows the man (in the distant past most likely) graduating. This could be symbolic of showing that previously he was a good, hard working man that contrasts to what he seems to be doing now - causing violence with a gun.

9. This close up of the antagonist's movement up the stairs shows he steps quietly. The diegetic sound of the slow creek in the stairs provides the shot with evidence that he is in fact trying to be as silent as possible. This could be due to not wanting to wake someone up that is in the same house, because he wants to "kill them" - as instructed by the non-diegetic dialogue. 

10. The antagonist’s movement around the house is represented in a series of shots which are light up for half a second and then go to darkness again. The producer tried to create a lightning effect, and think this will be good to include in our film. This, I think, can be achieved by editing the scene, having quick, straight cut ‘black outs’. The lighting presents a high contrast  between the man and outside as the man in is darkness while the room lit up by the lightning for about a second.  

11. This mid, side angle shot emphasises what the antagonist is holding, again showing this shot for only one second from the lightning effect in the scene. 

12. This long shot focuses in on a shed that seems to be on the same property as the house he is currently in. Questions arise when looking at this shot - what could be in there, why is the antagonist looking at this? The lightning feature is present again here, and in this video, the doors are opening and slamming shut violently due to the extreme weather outside. This weather could be reflective of what is about to happen - like a violent crime. 


12. The shot here shows  a long shot of a hall way in the house. This gives me an idea to use a similar shot showing the antagonist in our film. The lighting is an important feature in this shot. It could represent that the antagonist is a dangerous threat, like the lightning shown here as the man walks through the corridor.  

13. This low angle shot of the doorway I think is a good shot for showing variations of the antagonist's movement. The bright flash between the door and the antagonist's leg continues with the effect of the quick flashes. The coat he wears (mise en scene) gives the man a mysterious image, to some extent being stereotypically correct for this genre of film.