Horror
Conventions of horror;
-Jumpy shots
-foolish, curious characters
-anonymous enemy, face is disguised into the very end.
-Jumpy shots
-foolish, curious characters
-anonymous enemy, face is disguised into the very end.
In this opening to ‘Clown Tears’, the clip uses both sound and very focused imagery, relating to only a few key items and themes, to create a tone and atmosphere of suspense and effectively creates a compelling mystery for the viewer in the identity of the clown killer, and what he might do later on in the film itself.
The opening introduces characters and plot elements that will presumably be used later on in the film, but it is specifically the characterisation that is achieved in this opening that is the most captivating element. For example, the character of the clown killer is obviously meant to be feared, but due to the nature of the opening, cutting to different characters who are clearly significant, as well as himself as a child, we get a sneak peek at the killer’s backstory, which provides a naturally curious viewer with a reason to watch the rest of the film, in an attempt to perhaps decipher what lurks beneath this character, and the way he chooses to live his life. In addition, the use of a young girl as well as a child in several shots highlights the innocence of his victims, giving the audience a set of characters to want to protect, to provide investment for the viewer in the story. But perhaps this also highlights the innocence lost to the killer himself, again perhaps alluding to the character’s backstory and intriguing the viewer as to what might have happened to him. It seems in this scenario that the killer himself will be the major focus of this film, rather than the usual horror film scenario of following a group of friends or a family trying to deal with a killer or ghost, etc. It seems to want the audience to think about what might drive a person to this way of life, with the shots to the killers childhood as well as the newspaper cuttings suggesting a spurned lover or misunderstood individual taking his revenge. This mystery of the killer seems to surround the opening sequence, and really draws the viewer into the story by creating enough curiosity within them to want to keep watching to find out more.
The sound is also effective in presenting mood and atmosphere, with the score being suitably chilling and tense, and with the sound effects, especially at the end, highlighting a very creepy, psychotic edge to the characterisation of the clown, which further heightens both his fear factor as a villain and the mystery behind him yet again. Is he of sound mind? What drove him to this crazed state? The sound used is creepy and somewhat disorienting especially when coupled with the fast cuts between shots creating a real sense of uneasiness and discomfort when watching the sequence.
Overall then, while not being particularly frightening in the traditional sense, this opening does create a real sense of intrigue and discomfort around the character of the clown, who seems to be what the director wants the audience to focus on and presents the idea that the narrative itself seems like it will likely focus on the unravelling of this character’s mystery, which draws in the viewer in the hope they might satisfy their curiosity over the identity of the anonymous clown…
JF
The opening introduces characters and plot elements that will presumably be used later on in the film, but it is specifically the characterisation that is achieved in this opening that is the most captivating element. For example, the character of the clown killer is obviously meant to be feared, but due to the nature of the opening, cutting to different characters who are clearly significant, as well as himself as a child, we get a sneak peek at the killer’s backstory, which provides a naturally curious viewer with a reason to watch the rest of the film, in an attempt to perhaps decipher what lurks beneath this character, and the way he chooses to live his life. In addition, the use of a young girl as well as a child in several shots highlights the innocence of his victims, giving the audience a set of characters to want to protect, to provide investment for the viewer in the story. But perhaps this also highlights the innocence lost to the killer himself, again perhaps alluding to the character’s backstory and intriguing the viewer as to what might have happened to him. It seems in this scenario that the killer himself will be the major focus of this film, rather than the usual horror film scenario of following a group of friends or a family trying to deal with a killer or ghost, etc. It seems to want the audience to think about what might drive a person to this way of life, with the shots to the killers childhood as well as the newspaper cuttings suggesting a spurned lover or misunderstood individual taking his revenge. This mystery of the killer seems to surround the opening sequence, and really draws the viewer into the story by creating enough curiosity within them to want to keep watching to find out more.
The sound is also effective in presenting mood and atmosphere, with the score being suitably chilling and tense, and with the sound effects, especially at the end, highlighting a very creepy, psychotic edge to the characterisation of the clown, which further heightens both his fear factor as a villain and the mystery behind him yet again. Is he of sound mind? What drove him to this crazed state? The sound used is creepy and somewhat disorienting especially when coupled with the fast cuts between shots creating a real sense of uneasiness and discomfort when watching the sequence.
Overall then, while not being particularly frightening in the traditional sense, this opening does create a real sense of intrigue and discomfort around the character of the clown, who seems to be what the director wants the audience to focus on and presents the idea that the narrative itself seems like it will likely focus on the unravelling of this character’s mystery, which draws in the viewer in the hope they might satisfy their curiosity over the identity of the anonymous clown…
JF
This is the opening scene to the 2002 film 'The Ring', directed by Gore Verbinski and written by Koji Suzuki, Ehren Kruger and Scott Frank. In this opening we see fear and suspense built through the spontaneous happenings and sounds as well as the variety of camera angles and slow camera movements used in the scene.
The director creates unease in the viewer from the start by placing an attractive young girl in what seems to be a creepy and quite large house, which makes this girl seem very vulnerable and as a viewer you start to feel uneasy as you feel that this girl is prone to harm and attack and therefore creates a foreboding atmosphere. Where we first see a close-up of the young girls face where the TV first spontaneously turns on, we see here that through the anxious expression on the face of the girl, that the girl is feeling some kind of fear at this point and tries to dismiss it by blaming the spontaneous turning on of the TV on her sister playing with the remote. However a close-up of the remote with no-one by it, establishes to the viewer that the spontaneous happening is not down to her sister messing with the remote but down to something else, which creates suspense and induces fear in the viewer as well as highlighting the position of vulnerability of the young girl due to the increasing foreboding atmosphere. We then seen the the TV turn on by itself again spontaneously which further heightens the suspense and fear induced in the viewer as we see the young girl getting more scared and once again trying to dismiss her fear and stay in control of her emotions by blaming her sister which gives her some sought of comfort, although as a viewer we know its not down to her sister but down to something else which again promotes the suspense built through the unpredictability of what's going to happen next. The suspense continues to heighten where we see another spontaneous happening of the fridge randomly opening, without seeing know one opening it, which suggests to the viewer that there is a un-invited being in the household which therefore also heightens the vulnerability of the young girl and the distress that she is going through which is also presented through the close-up camera shots of the frightened emotions on her face.
The camera angles are effective where we see a high angle of the girl coming up the stairs which creates a sense in the viewer that something is looking down on her and waiting for her to come up which assists in creating a sense of suspense due to the foreboding atmosphere. We then see a close up of the girls feet running up the stairs into a low shot of the girl slowly and carefully reaching the top of the stairs and on to the landing where she approaches the bedroom door of her sister slowly and carefully. The low shot almost seems as if it's taken from the perspective of the being that's in the house with her, which builds suspense in the viewer as it seems as if somethings ready to pounce out at her. Also where we don't see the face of the young girl once she's reached the landing from the low shot and only the legs and feet, it puts the viewers focus on the direction of the movement that girl is making and highlights the importance and relevance of her next destination that she is about to reach, which is already seen as a frightening destination due to the suspense built to the lead up of it. Where we then see the girl get slower as she approaches closer to the door we see that the girl is very horrified at this point as she can sense danger so is being cautious by reducing the speed of her footsteps. This is further reinforced by the close-up of the emotions on the girls face and then to the close-up of the door handle where we can suspect that the danger leers behind. The switch to the point of view shot where the girl opens the door, places the viewer in the same position as the girl at this point and the zoom out which then reverses to the opposite shot perspective and zooms into a fuzzy TV effect works well as a jumpy device as the viewer feels as if somethings coming out at them.
There is no score in the scene so is very quiet throughout the scene which proved to be very effective. This is because where sounds were then randomly and spontaneously introduced, it has a jumpy heart raising effect which works well in inducing fear in the viewer especially where we hear the scream at the end of the opening sequence. Also we can clearly hear the panic in the voice of the young girl where dialogue is used as well as the huff and puffing of the girl which is induced by the heart raising effect of the fear in the girl.
Overall the spontaneous happenings of the scene, helped to create a foreboding atmosphere which induced fear in the viewer from the start of the film by placing a young girl in a vulnerable position and leaving the viewer free to suspect what mysterious being was present in the household. As we are not introduced to the being from the start of the film it makes the viewer want to carry on watching the film due to the fear fueled adrenaline of not knowing what's going to happen next and not having an image to relate the mysterious being to.
SC
The director creates unease in the viewer from the start by placing an attractive young girl in what seems to be a creepy and quite large house, which makes this girl seem very vulnerable and as a viewer you start to feel uneasy as you feel that this girl is prone to harm and attack and therefore creates a foreboding atmosphere. Where we first see a close-up of the young girls face where the TV first spontaneously turns on, we see here that through the anxious expression on the face of the girl, that the girl is feeling some kind of fear at this point and tries to dismiss it by blaming the spontaneous turning on of the TV on her sister playing with the remote. However a close-up of the remote with no-one by it, establishes to the viewer that the spontaneous happening is not down to her sister messing with the remote but down to something else, which creates suspense and induces fear in the viewer as well as highlighting the position of vulnerability of the young girl due to the increasing foreboding atmosphere. We then seen the the TV turn on by itself again spontaneously which further heightens the suspense and fear induced in the viewer as we see the young girl getting more scared and once again trying to dismiss her fear and stay in control of her emotions by blaming her sister which gives her some sought of comfort, although as a viewer we know its not down to her sister but down to something else which again promotes the suspense built through the unpredictability of what's going to happen next. The suspense continues to heighten where we see another spontaneous happening of the fridge randomly opening, without seeing know one opening it, which suggests to the viewer that there is a un-invited being in the household which therefore also heightens the vulnerability of the young girl and the distress that she is going through which is also presented through the close-up camera shots of the frightened emotions on her face.
The camera angles are effective where we see a high angle of the girl coming up the stairs which creates a sense in the viewer that something is looking down on her and waiting for her to come up which assists in creating a sense of suspense due to the foreboding atmosphere. We then see a close up of the girls feet running up the stairs into a low shot of the girl slowly and carefully reaching the top of the stairs and on to the landing where she approaches the bedroom door of her sister slowly and carefully. The low shot almost seems as if it's taken from the perspective of the being that's in the house with her, which builds suspense in the viewer as it seems as if somethings ready to pounce out at her. Also where we don't see the face of the young girl once she's reached the landing from the low shot and only the legs and feet, it puts the viewers focus on the direction of the movement that girl is making and highlights the importance and relevance of her next destination that she is about to reach, which is already seen as a frightening destination due to the suspense built to the lead up of it. Where we then see the girl get slower as she approaches closer to the door we see that the girl is very horrified at this point as she can sense danger so is being cautious by reducing the speed of her footsteps. This is further reinforced by the close-up of the emotions on the girls face and then to the close-up of the door handle where we can suspect that the danger leers behind. The switch to the point of view shot where the girl opens the door, places the viewer in the same position as the girl at this point and the zoom out which then reverses to the opposite shot perspective and zooms into a fuzzy TV effect works well as a jumpy device as the viewer feels as if somethings coming out at them.
There is no score in the scene so is very quiet throughout the scene which proved to be very effective. This is because where sounds were then randomly and spontaneously introduced, it has a jumpy heart raising effect which works well in inducing fear in the viewer especially where we hear the scream at the end of the opening sequence. Also we can clearly hear the panic in the voice of the young girl where dialogue is used as well as the huff and puffing of the girl which is induced by the heart raising effect of the fear in the girl.
Overall the spontaneous happenings of the scene, helped to create a foreboding atmosphere which induced fear in the viewer from the start of the film by placing a young girl in a vulnerable position and leaving the viewer free to suspect what mysterious being was present in the household. As we are not introduced to the being from the start of the film it makes the viewer want to carry on watching the film due to the fear fueled adrenaline of not knowing what's going to happen next and not having an image to relate the mysterious being to.
SC
Horror Mock opening (sound only)
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
- We think this opening is very effective despite having no film clips included, in fact it is probably significantly improved because of it
- We tried very hard to create a clear narrative and chronology through the sounds, and we think that overall we succeeded in making sure that the sounds progressed with enough joining them together so that they all made sense coming one after the other
- We used the theme of a child crying because in most people one of the most basic impulses is the desire to protect one's child. using this we feel we created a sequence that would be scary enough to enough people to be effective
- Finally, we feel the rather understated and simple titling is effective in not drawing too much attention to themselves in order that they distract from the fear felt from the sounds
Weaknesses:
- The clip is quite busy. in some ways this is effective, but perhaps we should next time consider the power of silence
- We could have been more creative with titling, utilising fonts more effectively