Friday, 30 November 2012
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Psycho Essay on Portrayal of Victim
We are first introduced to the victim, Marion Crane, in a medium-long shot of her lying on top of a bed with a man standing over her. The man’s identity is hidden, as he is only visible in the frame from the waist down. The character of Marion appears to be in a very vulnerable position, and it appears as though the man may or has taken advantage of her. Hitchcock has used this startling shot in the very beginning of the film to establish Marion’s role as victim, and to make her seem defenseless and weak. Hitchcock has managed to film this opening scene in such a way that although we realise that the man is in fact Marion’s boyfriend Sam, we are suspicious about his character. Due to him being repeatedly presented in medium shots, where his full body remains hidden, a sense of mystery is created around him (despite him not actually wishing to do the victim any harm).
After the initial shot of Marion on the bed, our first impressions of her change. She moves from at first appearing extremely vulnerable, to seeming to be in control of the situation. Whilst the pair are embracing, Marion moves into the foreground, not only making her the main focus of the medium shot, but blocking Sam’s face from view, which creates a power shift in her favour. In addition, in this opening scene her character is presented to the audience mostly through medium shots with the majority of her body in full view, and this shows her to be the more dominant figure when compared to her lover, Sam, whose full body and face are often out of the shot.
After the initial shot of Marion on the bed, our first impressions of her change. She moves from at first appearing extremely vulnerable, to seeming to be in control of the situation. Whilst the pair are embracing, Marion moves into the foreground, not only making her the main focus of the medium shot, but blocking Sam’s face from view, which creates a power shift in her favour. In addition, in this opening scene her character is presented to the audience mostly through medium shots with the majority of her body in full view, and this shows her to be the more dominant figure when compared to her lover, Sam, whose full body and face are often out of the shot.
Medium shots are continually used on Marion as the film progresses, which highlights her ability to be relaxed, calm, and in control (even whilst stealing a large sum of money from her boss). However, this is sharply contrasted in later scenes where she becomes the more vulnerable and less powerful character; as close-up shots are used to emphasize her role as victim.
‘The Bates Motel’ is first introduced to the audience as Marion is driving on the motorway on an especially stormy night. In an extra-long shot from the perspective of Marion’s view, we can see that the sign for the motel is distorted due to the heavy rain on the windshield of her car. The sign is positioned slightly off-centre in the shot, which creates an uneasy and unpleasant atmosphere when paired with the harsh diegetic sound of the pouring rain. This build in tension, along with the unclearness of the sign which could symbolically suggest that Marion’s vision of Norman Bates will be clouded.
Upon seeing the motel for the first time, it is clear that it conforms to the conventions of a typical horror setting. The motel is dark, dimly lit, and eerie, and a low angle shot of the Bates’ house as it is shrouded in darkness gives it an imposing feel. As Marion arrives she is greeted by Mr. Bates himself, who shields her from the rain as he takes her inside of his office, even offering her his “trusty umbrella”. This is ironic as we later realise that Norman cannot actually be trusted, and is in fact the villain of the film whose intentions are not to protect her at all.
As Norman is choosing which room key to give Marion, an over the shoulder shot is used. This gives the impression of secrecy as it appears as though he has something to hide. He hesitates over key number ‘3’, before moving onto ‘2’, and finally deciding on room number ‘1’ to give to Marion. This could symbolically suggest a countdown of sorts to her demise, and that the power of deciding her fate is in his hands. This strengthens the idea that she is the victim, as that she is ultimately defenseless against the villain’s actions.
As the pair continue to interact, close-ups are used on both Marion and Norman to build tension as the pace quickens. This also conveys that they are both dominant and equal characters, and as of yet Marion still believes herself to be in control, and not yet the victim. There are many sharp objects in this scene, with the close up shots of the keys and also the fountain pen Marion uses to sign her name. The focus on these objects builds tension and could foreshadow the stabbing scene later on in the film.
Norman shows his new guest to her room, and later invites her for dinner in his office. As the pair are seated, there are cross-cuts between them both, with symbolic props behind each of them. On Marion’s side there is a lamp, which could represent innocence and her being the ‘good’ character of the story, contrasting the dark lighting on Norman’s shot as he is the villain. There are two stuffed birds positioned on the cabinet behind him, which could symbolise that he is the predator and the victim is the prey. Also there is a candle to his right, which could suggest that Marion’s time is running out before she is murdered by Mr. Bates. The speed of the cuts then increase, helping to quicken the pace of the scene to its climax. The tone of the scene quickly shifts from being pleasant to tense after Marion mentions Norman’s mother, and is matched with a sudden low angle shot of Norman looking at Marion. There is another cross-cut, but this time it is a high angle shot of Marion, emphasizing the imbalance in power between the now menacing villain and the vulnerable victim.
After Marion leaves his office to get unpacked, Norman is shown to be sitting in his house alone at the end of a long, dark hallway. This long shot seems quite sinister, and we begin to suspect his evil side as the lighting in his house is very dark and eerie. This is juxtaposed with the bright lighting in Marion’s room, and as she is wearing a silk gown she appears to be very comfortable, highlighting the contrast between the villain and the victim.
The long-lasting shots used on Marion as she gets ready for her shower appear to be smooth and fluid, creating a calm environment. The diegetic sound of her harshly pulling the shower curtain across snaps the audience out of this calmness, and puts us on edge for the suspenseful scene about to unfold. Anxiety is maximised as we become aware at how vulnerable Marion really is in the shower, and we begin to worry for her safety. There is a switch from medium close-ups to close-ups which links with the building proximity of the killer, and the silhouette of a person begins to become visible behind the shower curtain whilst Marion continues obliviously. The villain snatches the curtain across and begins to attack her with a knife, and aggressive music begins to play. The extremely quick cuts between shots mirror the stabbing motion used by the villain, and therefore Hitchcock manages to show her being stabbed without actually ‘showing’ the physical contact between the weapon and her skin. Marion is eventually overpowered and killed by the villain, and has finally fulfilled her role as victim.
Norman enters the room shortly after Marion’s death, and jumps back in horror causing a photo frame to drop to the floor. The painting is of a small bird, which could be regarded as ‘weak’ when compared to the other intimidating birds of prey seen all around the Bates Motel. This could symbolically link with the character of Marion, as she is viewed as the victim (or prey) when compared to the villainous character of Norman Bates (the predator) who knocks the photo down. Norman decides to drag the body out of the bathroom and into the dark bedroom. Light is often seen to represent life, and due to the bathroom being very brightly lit, it could be said that this action could symbolise Marion succumbing to death by being dragged away into the darkness.
The victim of Psycho appears to be relaxed, calm, and in control of her life. This is shown through the use of medium shots which are used on the character throughout most of the film. This changes, however, whenever she becomes uncomfortable or the more vulnerable character, and this change is shown by using close-ups to highlight her emotion and fear. Victims in horror are typically taken advantage of in a brutal way by the villain, and Hitchcock has made sure his victim fulfills this role in Psycho to its fullest.
Sound
Mise-en-scene
Editing
Camera work
Sunday, 4 November 2012
10 favourite horror/thriller screenshots
'The Last Excorcism' follows the story of a priest trying to excorcise a possessed girl, and this long shot demonstrates the demon's grip on her. The scene is very dark in the foreground, where the characters are positioned, and the only source of light is from behind the girl, emphasizing her figure and dominance. Her stance is powerful, and the audience fears her as she appears to be in an unnatural and dangerous state. 
This shot is from 'Skeleton Key', and it is a P.O.V. shot from the perspective of someone watching this woman through a key hole. Key holes feature in many films of the thriller genre, and can represent mystery and secrets that have been locked away. The woman appears to be rather anxious, creeping down the hallway slowly.
This shot is from 'The Ruins'. It is a long shot, with the majority of the screen completely black. The only source of light is from the lantern, and I like the sense of mystery created due to this. In my final film I may decide to use similar lighting, with an item such as a torch being the only main source of light.
This is from 'The Descent', and again has similar lighting to some of my other favourite shots. There is some sort of creature behind the character in the foreground, and it is only visible due to the light reflecting off of the torch being shone at them. I think this works well, as the shadows don't reveal its identity straight away and i may use this technique in my own film opening.
This is a worm's eye shot from the film 'Sucker Punch'. In the film one of the characters has just been killed, and subsequently her childhood photo falls off of the mirror in which it was placed. I like the way that the violence is left to the viewer's imagination, with the photo symbolising her death rather than it being shown. The colour yellow, often associated with optimism and hope, contrasts the dark events to have just occurred, but could also symolise that she is now free and not in pain.
I am hoping to incorporate the factors that work well from these 10 shots into my own horror opening. I am going to use close-up shots of the victim's to emphasise their vulnerability in my film, which is displayed in some of these shots above. I am also going to try and use dark lighting in my opening, with the use of a torch being the main source of light. This will hopefully create a great sense of suspense and will establish a tense atmosphere, which all horror films should have.
Sound
Mise-en-scene
Editing
Camera work
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Top 10 US Grossing Horror Titles (according to IMDb.com)
1
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What Lies Beneath (2000)
The wife of a university research scientist believes that her lakeside Vermont home is haunted by a ghost - or that she's losing her mind.
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$155M
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2.
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Gremlins (1984)
A boy inadvertantly breaks 3 important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
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$148M
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3.
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The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Three film students go missing after traveling into the woods of Maryland to make a documentary about the local Blair Witch legend leaving only their footage behind.
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$141M
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4.
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The Ring (2002)
A young journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it.
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$129M
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5.
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The Grudge (2004)
An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.
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$110M
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6.
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Paranormal Activity (2007)
After moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence.
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$108M
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7.
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A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.
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$105M
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8.
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Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
In 1988, young sisters Katie and Kristi befriend an invisible entity who resides in their home.
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$104M
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9.
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Scream (1996)
A killer known as Ghostface begins killing off teenagers, and as the body count begins rising, one girl and her friends find themselves contemplating the "Rules" of horror films as they find themselves living in a real-life one.
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$103M
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10.
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Jaws 2 (1978)
Police chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.
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$103M
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From researching the top 10 grossing horror films in the US, we can gather information as to which sub-genre or type of horror film is most popular with audiences. It is apparent that films with ghostly themes or a supernatural twist prove very popluar, as 5 of the 10 films above (Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity 3, The Grudge, The Ring, What Lies Beneath) follow the story of a ghostly presence lurking within a house.
From these findings, we can take into account which type of horror the majority of audiences would enjoy, and so we will perhaps use the supernatural sub-genre in our final film opening.
Friday, 2 November 2012
Top 12 Best-Reviewed Horror Films Since 2000 (According to metacritic.com)
1. Drag Me to Hell (2009) (4 stars) 
A loan officer who evicts an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.
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2. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)(4 stars)
The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. Based on the hit Broadway musical.
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3. Let Me In (2010) (4 stars)
A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian.
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4. 28 Weeks Later (2007)(4 stars)
Six months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes to plan.
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5. Shaun of the Dead (2004) (4 stars)
A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living.
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6. Joy Ride (2001) (4 stars)
Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychotic killer.
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7. The Others (2001) (3.5 stars)
A woman who lives in a darkened old house with her two photosensitive children becomes convinced that her family home is haunted.
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8. The House of the Devil (2009) (3.5 stars)
In the 1980s, college student Samantha Hughes takes a strange babysitting job that coincides with a full lunar eclipse. She slowly realizes her clients harbor a terrifying secret; they plan to use her in a satanic ritual.
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9. Zombieland (2009) (3.5 stars)
A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.
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10. Land of the Dead (2005) (3.5 stars)
The living dead have taken over the world, and the last humans live in a walled city to protect themselves as they come to grips with the situation.
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11. Shadow of the Vampire (2000) (3.5 stars)
The filming of Nosferatu is hampered by the fact that the star is taking his role far more seriously than what seems humanly possible.
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12. The Descent (2006) (3.5 stars)
A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.
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Types of horror film shown above:
- Zombie horror: (4) The Living Dead, Zombieland, 28 Weeks Later, Shaun of the Dead
- Supernatural horror: (3) Drag Me to Hell, The House of the Devil, The Others
- Vampire horror: (2) Let Me In, Shadow of the Vampire,
- Slasher horror: (2) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Joy Ride
- Monster horror: (1) The Descent
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