Here is the first. It is from the film Mirrors.
In this scene, for 27 seconds she is looking in the mirror. There is a twinkling music. It stops. She gets in the bath and then the gory, 'pulling-her-head-apart' starts to happen. The only diagetic noises are the splashing of the bath and her screams. This is rather unusual I think as there is no music. A shot of her hand grabbing the side of the bath is brilliant:
Her blood-covered hand slapping the side of the bath and the blood running around it has such a good effect. The close-up shows the desperation and intensity of the situation.
Here is the next clip from the film Hollow Man. This man seems to have an obsession with the woman. The over the shoulder shot at the beginning of him looking through the window at the woman gives this impression. It seems to be a shot used a lot with stalkers (remember Sketch from Skins as previously analysed) as it establishes a longing from the closest character for the person being watched. Being watched is the main point here being established.
I am beginning to realise with these scenes of women in the bath or shower before they are murdered there is a common theme. They are all naked, they are all alone and most of all, they all vulnerable. In todays society, being naked would make anyone feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. Shifting this feeling of unnerving vulnerabiliy into a horror film really emphasises the 'damsel in distress' thing with these women. Of course, they are all women because women are seen as less dominant and being in a bath is a place one is easily 'trapped'. Washing is a private thing, especially naked, and should be even more so in the comfort of your own home. The home is a safety zone for most people and when the home is intruded and when one is naked and vulnerable in a low down position where you can't do much for yourself, its going to be scary. I think I will just need to develop my original idea of her just relaxing in the bath and being pounced upon to something a little more scary and unique.
But back to the scene above. So she has been watched and her safety was taken away as soon as she looked through that peephole in her front door. The doorbell was a sound the whole audience was dreading. We know yet she doesn't. This evolves a common feeling within the audience that is very common amongst horror films: wanting to scream out and tell the protaganist what and what not to do; where and where not to go. There are close-ups to show emotion such as her calmness at the beginning of the scene and her fear and panic at the end of the scene. There are zooms to show that the woman is 'undergoing a realisation that causes him or her to reassess everything she had previously believed'. Basically, she has just realised that something bad is happening and it is time to panic. Longshots-to-close-up emphasis a panic and her emotions. There are pans to show her assessing the scene and moving the camera as she moves her head lets the audience be as involved as she is. It helps the emotion of the characters to be transferred into the audience. This is followed by a point of view of the 'predator' in a sped up
take which is a scary and tense shot as she didnt see it happen. This is a shot similar to one I shall be using but mine shall be slow to add suspense.
Overall, I have learnt that:
- the blood on the hand on a close up had a good effect
- a point of view shot from the 'predators' view has a high impact reaction
- a pan following the movement of the protaganist provokes panic in the audience
- and, being naked and vulnerable is always scary!
I'll be thinking of these scenes when I rewrite my storyboard!
No comments:
Post a Comment