I chose to analyse the films ' The Last House on the Left', 'Sorority Row' and 'The Strangers'. I chose to analyse these films as they all have a genre of horror with an alternative twist in the story, which links into our film idea. The films also have similar characters to what we want to use in our film idea, such as the abducted girls in 'The Last House on the Left' and the sisters in 'Sorority Row'. Firstly I made notes on the obvious such as genre and characters etch, I then started to analyse more into the trailer with elements such as the narrative of the film, dialogue, special effects, voiceover, intertitle’s, credits etc.
‘The Last House on the Left’
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Genre: The genre of the trailer is horror/thriller.
Narrative:
Plot structure – Brief outline of plot: Parents and Daughter take a family vacation to their house nearby a lake. Their daughter Mary takes the car one day to see her friend Paige. The girls Mary and Paige befriend a young teenager Justin in the store who offers them marijuana and takes them back to his motel. While they are smoking in Justin's room, Krug, who is Justin's father, Francis and Sadie arrive and abduct the girls. After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, the gang unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home, belonging the parents of one of the victims (Mary). The parents find their daughter on their doorstep almost dead. The parents then find out from Mary that the people who refuge in their vacation home were the ones who did this to their daughter. The mother and father then devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics to the gang that hurt their daughter.
Introduction - Introduction of the film is where the family (dad, mum and daughter) are in car travelling to their 'get away' home.
Falling Action - murderers walk through door to find Mary, Paige and Justin together in his room.
Climax - Murderers brutally assault Mary and Paige, hide away in someone’s house, to find out the girl (Mary) they attacked, lives at the house they are hiding away in.
Resolution - Parents know that it was them who hurt her daughter and Paige - secretly plan revenge against them.
Conflict - Conflict between Murderers and Parents
Setting/Theme - House situated in an empty village. House is alone surrounded by a lake and fields.
Unique Selling Point: The unique selling point of this film is that it differentiates from any other typical horror film. It does this by using an unexpected, puzzling story line about the happenings associated with 'the last house on the left' (relating to the title of the film). The film uses elements of a typical horror film by including scenes of blood, death and torture, but does this in a more modern, alternative way in which would normally be used in a typical horror film.
Target Audience: The target audience of the film is for 18+. Mainly teenagers, young adults will be watching this film as the scenes of blood; terror and murder in the film would be too explicit for younger viewers.
Music: The music in the beginning 28seconds of the trailer is non-diegetic. The non-diegetic music is soft, slow and calm with the use of instruments such as the piano and brass strings, reflecting the image of a 'happy' family taking a road trip. This soft, slow, calm music also enhances the dialogue of the family making the audience feel as if they are excited to get away. The music then changes 28 seconds into the film where a loud 'thrashing' noise appears. We immediately associate this noise with evil/bad as the music has changed from upbeat and happy to almost silence with the occasional 'thrashing' sound. We also immediately associate the 3 characters that appear in the doorway with this noise as evil. The music then disappears to an almost silence with a quiet 'screech' in the background for around 10seconds whilst the 3 new (evil) characters and the other 3 characters have dialogue together. The music then returns at 42 seconds where it becomes low, deep and mysterious again, making the audience associates the music with evil. The 'trashing' noise then begins to become more frequent and beings to get louder and louder. This helps the audience notice that this is where the climax and action of the film begins and that it is associated with bad/evil, generalizing the film is a horror film. The music towards the end of the trailer turns to a slow, gentle song called 'Sweet Child O Mine' by Taken by Trees. The song helps shows empathy with the parent’s situation, as they have found their daughter almost dead. The song also associates with the parents as it is called 'Sweet Child O Mine' and that their daughter has just been brutally hurt. The music then is a stark contrast of the actions as the parents vent their revenge on the murderers.
Camera Shots/Angle.
(1) Firstly we are shown a Medium Shot of the daughter Mary. This shot helps give the audience an insight that Mary is an important character of the film as it’s the first character we are shown close up. The medium shot also shows the audience the facial expressions of the character, helping the audience begin to understand the scene and the characters excitement that they are going away on holiday.
(2) We are then shown a long shot of the surrounding area. This can also been seen as an establishing shot as we are show the sign which says “last house on the left” referring to the title of the film. The long shot of the surrounding area helps show the audience the scenery, a deserted area surrounded by woods and lakes where the house is positioned. This also helps partially set the genre for the film.
(3) Here we are shown a medium shot of the 3 characters. This is an establishing shot for these characters as they are positioned standing together, blocking the doorway. This shows the audience they are of importance, intimidating and don’t mean well.
(4)The close up shot of Mary, as she stares at the 3 characters clutching her necklace, shows the audience her emotions of fear and terror towards the 3 characters again showing their intimidation and importance. This shot helps the audience understand that Mary is in severe trouble as she is stuck in the room with the 3 characters.
(5)The extreme close up of the newspaper allows the audience to read and understand what is on the paper, that the 3 characters that have just entered are infact murderers. This gives the audience a sense of suprisement and suspense as they begin to wonder what trouble Paige and Mary are in.
(6)This shot is an action shot, giving the audience a sense of unease and terror as they watch the gruesome attack, also gives them a sense of suspense as they question whether Paige will survive or not.
(7)
(8)This shot is an unnatural exaggerated shot/angle (birds eye shot). The shot disturbs the viewer, giving them a sense of unease/dramatic effect as Mary floats in the river.
(9)This extreme close up shot allows the audience to feel the pain and horror the mother must be feeling as she holds up a gun to the murderers. The shot is also an action shot as it shows the mother getting revenge.
(10)The very last shot shows an mid shot of the man laying on a wooden bed screaming. This gives not only suspense but..
Dialogue: The dialogue of the 3 characters (mum, dad and daughter) presents their characters as kind, gentle and friendly. The dialogue from the father "the last house on the left" refers to the title of the film, showing the audience that 'the last house on the left' is an important element in the film (as it relates to the title which is told at the end). The dialogue is very important in telling the audience which character is which and in telling the audience the plot and happenings in the film. The 3 murderer's dialogue is very sharp, to the point and menacing, showing the audience that they are the 'bad' and will no doubt, cause trouble. As the first murderer enters his dialogue is "evening", this is done in a blunt tone followed by the slamming of a door again showing the audience they are the 'bad' characters in the film. The screaming, shouting and dialogue used with the 2 girls after the clip when the 3 murderers enter, shows their sheer terror. This tells the audience a key part of the story that they are being taken away by the murderers, leaving the audience to guess what happens next, and again showing the type of characters they are.
Special Effects: In the middle of the trailer, when the music begins to contrast with the actions of the characters, the audience experiences special effects within the trailer. Editing/special effects in a trailer are used to change, emphasise and manipulate time. A typical horror special effect used in this trailer is 'jump cuts'. Jump cuts break the continuity of the editing to disorientate the viewer and create shock effects/suggest emotion. For example when they flick between scenes of the murderers to the parents, to the parents helping their daughter, then to the parents murdering the murderers. This effect also tells the audience the outline of the plot. Another used special effect is fades. Fading is used between each scene with the girl at the beginning of the trailer. This fade helps the audience differentiate between each scene again helping the audience understand the story line/plot.
Credits and Intertitles: The credits and Intertitles start within 55 seconds of the trailer. The first intertitle we see quotes: "it was a brutal crime". This gives information to the audience of the plot/story line of the film and helps them understand and differentiate between characters. The next intertitle tells the audience the producer of the film, and then goes back to helping tell the audience the story/plot line. At the very end of the trailer we are told the name of the film. This is done so late, as they want the audience to guess and wonder what the film is called. Throughout the trailer the audience are given subtle hints (for example at the very beginning when the man quotes "it’s the last house on the left") to help them conclude to the title.
'Sorority Row'
Genre: Horror, Suspense
Narrative:
Outline of plot- During a party in the Theta-Pi sorority house, the character Megan and her sisters plays a prank with her unstable boyfriend Garrett after finding out that he cheated on Megan. They trick him into thinking that he has killed his girlfriend, and then take him into the middle of nowhere to 'dismember" the body, only then revealing it was a prank. However, the prank goes horribly wrong as Garrett sticks a tire iron through Megan's chest killing her. The sisters and Garrett decide to dispose the body in a shaft, promising that all involved will never to speak of it again. Eight months later, in their graduation party, the sisters receive a creepy message with a picture of the tire iron. From then on the sisters are in for a terrifying night...
Introduction: Sisters prepare for graduation, have a party to start the year.
Falling Action: Boyfriend Garrett cheats on Megan and the sisters plan revenge against Garrett to teach him a lesson.
Climax: Megan pretends to be dead; Garrett murders Megan as he thinks she is already dead, Girls are shocked and decide to put her body in a shaft and promises to never speak of it again.
Resolution: 8 months go past without any mention of Megan. The sisters announce she has gone missing.
Conflict: Someone messages the girls a picture of the weapon used to kill Megan. All the girls get brutally murdered/hurt thinking its Megan back from the dead.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this film would be for 18+ due to strong bloody violence, language, sexuality and nudity, which would be too explicit for younger years.
Music:
At the beginning of the trailer there is non-digtetic upbeat music, which escalates up to 20 seconds into the trailer. This escalating upbeat music creates excitement for the audience and helps set the scene of the girls about to start graduation. 14 seconds into the film the music changes to a loud blare of ‘rock’ music, with the use of the electric guitar, the music helps create an even higher sense of excitement and thrill. This rock music also helps alongside the actions and creates meaning of the ‘party’ scene. 30 seconds into the trailer, the music goes to an almost silence, with a quiet bass guitar in the background. This creates suspense for the audience as we listen to the dialogue of the girls planning revenge. The song ‘baby did a bad bad thing’ then plays. This emphasizes the story line, as the girls do a prank, which turns out extremely badly. 55 seconds into the trailer the music tops to a blood curdling scream. This scream is of the girl, Megan, being murdered. This helps set and enhance the horror/thriller genre of the film and creates a sense of panic and terror on the audience, as they do not expect this. The music then changes to a mysterious, screeching sound with a constant bass beat in the background. This again helps create the horror/thriller genre of the film. A ‘thrashing’ noises then arises frequently highlighting the important elements of the scene, such as the girls dragging Megan’s body and the dropping of the tire iron in the shaft – which is a key scene as it relates to the events, which occur in the rest of the film. The music then becomes silent and a constant ‘ringing’ noise (preferably bells) appears. This builds up tension, telling the audience something is about to happen. The trashing noise then appears again, this links to the trashing noise earlier on when they throw the iron tire in the shaft. This shows the audience something bad is about to happen. The trashing noise then becomes even more frequent referring to the tire iron. The noise also appears every time someone is being murdered, therefore the audience finally associate the ‘trashing’ noise when something bad has happened or is going to happen. Lastly the music then changes to a ‘sorority song’, which is a chant. This creates a sense of creepiness and an almost disturbing atmosphere to the audience as the song highly contrasts with the actions.
Shot types/ Camera Angles:
(1) Firstly we have a close up shot of the characters. This close up shot shows the audience each main character of the film.
(2)
Next we have a long shot showing the sorority house. This sets one of the scenes for the audience and helps the audience understand the age/profiles of the characters as the scene shows them having a party. This also helps show the target audience of the film, as young teengers are more likely to be interested and attracted to the film rather than older adults.
(3) Another close up shows their reaction to their sister’s news. This shows how they behave to the news and also helps the audience see the relationships between the girls as they are always together, and agree on the same thing to play a prank.
(4)
The long shot shows the girl’s altogether whilst watching their plan take action. This reminds the audience that this is a prank they are playing on their sister’s boyfriend. We are reminded this by their facial expressions and reactions towards the watching of the filmed prank.
(5)In the next scene, the close up of the characters in the car shows the boyfriends sheer terror of the news his girlfriend is dead, whereas we get a close up shot of the girlfriend who smiles, reminding the audience that it is only a 'prank' for revenge.
(6)As they arrive, the extreme long shot sets the scenery for the audience. The extreme long shot is used to make it look like as if they are being watched (which will help explain happenings later on in the film).
(7)
When Garrett murderers Megan with a tire iron, we are shown a reaction shot of the characters as they turn round to find their sister dead. The reaction helps tell the audience the plot of the story, that it has become serious and is no longer a prank and also feel the emotions from the sisters due to their surprise.
(8)The next extreme long shot shows the sisters together dumping the body. This again makes the audience feel as if someone is watching them. The extreme long shot also creates a sense of horror due to the silhouettes of the characters and the dark misty sky.
(9)The close up of the tire iron as it falls down the shaft, is used to highlight the importance that is of the tire iron to the audience as it is an important prop later on in the film.
(10)Later on in the trailer we are shown close ups/reaction shots of each character as they are being hurt or something bad is happening to them. Close ups of this help the audience see which character is being hurt and their facial expressions, which show sheer terror and violence, relating to the genre of the film. (Here is one example of the close up shots on one of the characters)
Voice over:
There is no voice over in the trailer, although writing appears on the screen at the end sequence of the trailer.
Dialogue:
Dialogue is typical of an 18-year-old sorority girl. Dialogue assists audience into working out the plot of the story, as well as what the girls are going to do. Dialogue of Garrett the boyfriend shows the audience he is not in on the prank - truly believes Megan’s dead. Girls dialogue afterwards the murder implies fear, panic and shock of the girls as they receive a picture message of the tire iron used to kill Megan.
Special Effects:
At the beginning of the trailer they use a montage, flicking back and forth from scenes of the girls - the party - graduation and getting revenge. A montage is a rapid succession of images/scenes, which create a dramatic form of parallel editing. Using a montage for these scenes gives the audience as much information at one time and helps them understand the story line. A montage in this trailer also creates a noticeable amount of drama/action within the film to again help the audience understand the so-called 'prank' they are conjuring up.
Credits and Intertitles:
The intertitle "a prank" and "no one will ever forget" creates a sense of suspense and thrill as the audience, at this point begin to understand what is going on. The intertitles also create a sense of drama as we now know from reading these lines, that it has all gone terribly wrong and something bad is about to occur. The trailer leaves the revealing of the name of the film to the very end like most films, this is done to leave the audience guessing what the film may be called.
Unique Selling Point:
The films Unique Selling Point is that is a break from your daily grind. The film is a typical bloody violence horror film with an unexpected ‘twist’. The 'twist' of the story makes it an alternative horror film, enticing audiences to come and watch it.
Pace:
The intertitle "a prank" and "no one will ever forget" creates a sense of suspense and thrill as the audience, at this point begin to understand what is going on. The intertitles also create a sense of drama as we now know from reading these lines, that it has all gone terribly wrong and something bad is about to occur. The trailer leaves the revealing of the name of the film to the very end like most films, this is done to leave the audience guessing what the film may be called.
'The Strangers'
Genre:The genre of this film is Horror/Thriller.
Narrative
Plot Outline:After returning from a wedding reception, a couple staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.
Introduction – The introduction begins with a couple spending an romantic evening together in their vacation house.
Falling Action – The anonymous knock/bang on the door, unaware of who it may be
Climax – Man in strange mask appearing in places around the house, cannot find who it is.
Resolution – Attempt to run away from the house to get away from the people intruding.
Conflict – As they try and get away, they use weapons such as knifes and guns to keep them safe against ‘the strangers’.
Unique Selling Point: Again an escape from your daily grind. The film uses a powerful storyline, which has usual horror elements with an alternative twist. The twist makes the film thrilling as we, the audience; feel as if we are in the same position as the characters being attacked.
Target Audience: The rating for this film is an 18 due to violence/terror and language. Therefore the film would attract the target audience of 18+.
Music:
Firstly digetic sounds are played. These diegetic sounds are of the wind and the crickets in the grass. The diegetic sounds relate to the image and the scenery of the lake and country side giving the audience a calm/nature/relaxing sense. The non-digetic of the piano then comes in, again giving a peaceful sense to the audience. 19 seconds into the trailer, the non-diegetic sound, which is a loud bang, frightens the audience as it highly contrasts with the previous diegetic sounds, giving the audience a sense of tension and suspense as they wonder what is about to happen. The creaking sounds of the swings outside then become increasingly louder for the audience to hear, this again gives the audience a sense of suspense and makes them feel uneasy as the creepy creaking sound grabs their attention making them feel as if something unusual is outside. The music then rises along with the creaking of the swings, this builds up tension to what is about to happen next. The trailer focuses in on the sound of the locking of the door, this makes the audience feel safety but also make them feel at unease as the characters feel unsafe. The drums then appear to get increasingly louder, along with the music player which plays a slow calm song contrasting to the actions and images on screen. The music then stops and plays again, as if the music is broken. This repeats giving the audience a sense of terror and suspense as the music contrasts to the actions. The tempo then speeds up, again increasing the suspense till we are left with silence where dialogue appears from the masked strangers.
Camera Shots/Angles:
(1)
At the very beginning of the trailer a extreme long shot is shown of the scenery. This shot is also referred to an establishing shot as it is used to set the scene and establish the location before the action focuses more closely in.
(2)The next shot is a close up of the two characters. This focuses the attention of the audience on the couple and helps tell them the relationship between the two characters due to their actions e.g. hugging.
(3)This shot is a reaction shot/close up. This shot tells the audience the reaction of the characters making them feel as if their with them as they turn to the unexpected knock on door.
(4)This shot is a point of view shot. This is a shot made from the point of view of the actor/actors. This shot makes the audience feel that they can see whatever the character can see and identify with them.
(5)
The extreme close up shot shows one of the characters locking the doors. This gives the audience a sense of suspense, as they understand they must be locking the door for a reason.
(6)This long shot shows the audience a character lurking in the background. This creates a sense of suspense as the audience know the women is unaware of the dangerous masked ‘stranger’ behind her.
(7) The extreme close up/reaction shot shows the audience the two characters reaction to the stranger ‘bashing’ the door down. The girls expression gives the audience a sense of terror and fear as they are trying to escape from these ‘strangers’. The mans facial expression is stern and strong, emphasizing to the audience his masculinity contrasting with the women’s facial expressions.
(8)The long shot of the ‘strangers’ lurking in the background Is repeated throughout the trailer. This emphasizes the genre and the meaning of the film, that there are unknown strangers in their house.
(9) The extreme close up of the knife is used to show the audience they are in danger as a knife does not have positive connotations, it symbolizes anger and danger, which the couple are in. The close up of the knife also adds excitement for the audience as they suspect it will be used in a scene of action, such as a fight.
(10) The medium shot shows the faces of the 3 characters standing over of the couple. This creates a sense of power for the 3 masked strangers as they are physically above the couple showing they are in charge.
Voice Over: There is no voice over in the trailer, although the intertitle’s and credits give the audience the information needed from the film.
Dialogue:
Special Effects:
Credits and Intertitles: ‘we always tell ourselves, there’s nothing to fear’, ‘but sometimes were wrong’. These intertitles appear at the beginning of the trailer. This gives the audience a sense of excitement and suspense as they begin to wonder what is about to happen in the trailer. It also sets the genre for the audience as we can already tell the film is going to be tense, thrilling and frightening due to the phrase and words used. The credits at the very end of the film tell the audience when the film will be released, the name of the film and the producing company of the film which is vital information for the audience.
