This post explores different aspects of film openings in the horror genre, including specific movie analysis. This post is specifically looking at sound, first shot, central narrative + protagonist, mise-en-scene for exposition and transition to main film. This is the list of topics looked at in this post:
SCREAM SOUND ANALYSIS
- Sound
- First shot
- Central narrative + protagonist
- Mise-en-scene for exposition
- Transition to main film
- Film analysis
GENRE SPECIFIC MEDIA LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
WARM BODIES ANALYSIS
Jonathan Levine
2013
Box office: 117 million USD
Budget: 35 million USD
Sound - voice over, harmless non-diegetic string instrument music connoting peace (contradicting what is on screen) signifies the comedy element
ECU on protagonist
opening shot is of guy staring into camera
similar to hot fuzz first shot (1 continuous shot)
clothes + dirt on floor - blue filter on screen - intertextualising halloween (horror element)
Yet to show protagonists full face (slight narrative enigma)
narrative enigma on setting
slow motion
showing little emotion in his voice
chairs fallen over
dark, no sun
yellow signs suggest it is at airport
denotes the mise-en-scene ironically ("hoodie suggests unemployed")
music changes after 52 seconds of opening to become even more joyful when discussing past life
classic old filter to show flashback - brown tint with shaky outer layer
false scare - standard for horror
music cuts off during false scare
scream used (likely added in foley sound)
music reenters after 2 seconds
green screen style when discussing past
signs fallen over
straight blue jeans with zip up red hoodie (used to connote blood)
standard grey hoodie
Broken tv's as mise-en-scene
constant tracking camera
Colours change to bright and colourful when discussing past"we wish you a merry Christmas" starts playing
Cuts out hen it returns to present
diegetic sound of people talking introduced then cut out
cracked windows
panning out shot revealing outside location with hand of god style shot
has no main title - uses high angle ELS shots to transition into main film
binary opposites + countertypes with humans
BRIDE OF CHUCKY ANALYSIS
1998
Ronny Yu
Box office: 50.7 million USD
Budget: 25 million USD
Blue tint
Clear 'prize' denotation
Black tight fitted dress
High heels
Late and dark - usually connotes something bad is about to happen
panning up from worms eye view
leans on abandoned police car - rebellious
blonde hair covering face
heavy makeup
cuts to her doing her nails with blood
non-diegetic sound that would be associated with the antagonist
wearing choker
wet abandoned street
narrative enigma on character
male gaze with nail shot - the chest shown in background due to the revealing dress
licks the blood with her finger - sexual connotations
diegetic sound of high heels on road
very 'creepy' sound of nail file against nails
unknown beam of light coming from sky
reaches into police car and finds a lighter (fire is another signifier that something will go wrong)
'dumb blonde' stereotype when the female says "cool"
Music peaks when she brings mask up
Shape of windows suggests she is near a chapel or church
electric guitar kicks in after "well hello dolly"
She walks moving the bin bag between her hands
What is in the bag?
panning out shot to reveal establishing shot
'Bride of Chucky' - largest font - seems to be made out of bloody parts for bubble font - 'bride of' in cursive italics
first normal shot is panning around a tree
HALLOWEEN ANALYSIS
SCREAM SOUND ANALYSIS
SOUND
- Female scream
- increasing fast heartbeat
- Crash sound effect
- phone ring
- Wolf howl
- Knife slashing sound
- Gunshot
- Crash
- Strings (violin)
- Audio bridge
IDENTS
- 'Dimension' ident has blue tint - intertextualises the Halloween opening
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