This week we have been looking at the opening scenes/titles of Thriller films in the media. For this post, I am going to embed the class' deconstruction example of 'Sixth Sense' and then watch 2 minutes of a real Thriller film, print screening each cut and analysing what we see and when we see it:
Sixth Sense Class Exmple:
My Deconstruction: Van Helsing
Beginning Ident:
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| 1) 00:00:00 - 00:00:08 |
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| 1) 00:00:08 - 00:00:15 |
1) The transition between the coloured UNIVERSAL ident to the black and white ident almost at once describes to the reader that they are going back in time. The fact that have included the ident into the film and added the soundtrack over the top seems to make an impression; it instantly gets you interested as to why the picture has gone grey-scale.
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| 2) 00:00:15 - 00:00:18 |
Film begins:
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| 2) 00:00:18 - 00:00:22 |
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| 3) 00:00:22 - 00:00:25 |
3) In cut 3, it displays a crane shot being used to show the audience how many people there are in the mob. To anybody, a mob that size cannot be any good - so with that in mind, it makes the audience start to get a little jumpy about why the mob has formed and who they are hunting.
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| 4) 00:00:25 - 00:00:27 |
4) This shot demonstrates a mid shot cut from the waist upwards of the peasant guy's body. He appears to be dressed in very dark clothes - probably black or shades of brown - displaying that he hasn't actually got much money. Shortly after this cut, it goes on to watch the same mob guy running off screen, roaring, as he rampages forwards to his destination
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| 5) 00:00:27 - 00:00:46 |
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| 5) 00:00:35 - 00:00:40 of same clip |
5) Cut 5 is back to the tree trunk again, being bashed into the courtyard gates of a castle gate. This happens at the point 00:00:34 into the film. The whole effect of this opening at the moment is building the suspense, tension and arousing questions like "why are the mob angry?" or "Who are they angry at?".
At the point when the doors are swung open the camera cuts to, what appears to be, a Point Of View shot from one of the mob participants. As this happens, small details pop up to give away a little of the opening plot = Transylvania 1887. The date would explain why the editing is in black and white low key lightning and the place name - well, that alone brings up many a thought - one popular one being that is home to 1 of the most well know monsters of all time = Count Dracula. In other novels, Frankenstein was also believed to have come from Transylvania also.
Scene change to inside castle:
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| 6) 00:00:46 - 00:00:47 |
6) The first thing you see what the scene switches to the interior of the castle is an extreme close up of somebody's eyes. Now for starters, that's rather creepy. For seconds it's also significant in the way it doesn't uncover to much of the person's identity. All the audience knows so far is that he has normal, human eyes and his face is covered in bandages.
Of course; having seen the place name - some people will begin to make slow connections - causing the thriller genre to work it's magic with the fact it begins to draw people in; getting them asking questions and wanting to find answers.
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| 7) 00:00:47 - 00:00:48 |
7) This 1 second clip shows a hand, to whom we must assume belongs to the person whose eyes we just saw. The hand appears to be strapped down to some kind of table or surface which is made apparent by its constant straining to get free. Again, this links in with thriller because it makes the audience think "Well who is that?" "Why's he strapped down?" etc.
The look of the hand itself has a character of its own. Even in black and white you can tell the skin has a strange tint to it - old and wrinkled with black finger nails... something that we would associate today with that of the walking dead.
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| 8) 00:00:48 - 00:00:50 |
8) Okay, so this cut kind kind of make you jump if your really into the film. The camera cuts to an extreme close up of the man's mouth as he suddenly breaks into an enraged roar. The audience can get a feel from just these main clips about this person - most probably resulting in the fact he isn't normal.
The roar brings out the true pain and anger the creature is feeling... it almost makes the audience feel sorry towards him,
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| 9) 00:00:50 - 00:00:57 |
9) After the 8th cut, we get introduced to another character - though once again information is with held; such as the man's identity, what he's doing or what he's done to make the mob angry. However certain info is available for us to analysis as an audience. This are things like his lab coat for example. The conventions of a lab coat is instantly scientist, professor, doctor etc. Anything basically that works in a lab or with dangerous medication and stuff. So at the moment all we know is he's a scientist of some sort.
Next is the environment he is in. Almost straight away you can tell its the stereotypical 19th century lab; the old fashioned, ahead of it's time equipment, stone walls, often in the basement of a castle and almost every time you see one - there's a body strapped to a table. Well, does this scene tick those boxes? Yes. This adds to the thriller genre because it looks spooky - you half expect the scientist guy to be a villain.
At some point in this cut the scientist crys out "It's alive" three times. This instantly answers and arouses questions once again = answering what he is doing (giving life to a creature) but then arousing the questions of "why?" "How?" Of course, if you've watched or know anything about Frankenstein - this will be beginning to sound bells in your head.
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| 10) 00:00:57 - 00:01:02 |
10) Okay, so that Frankenstein creature has been brought to life in the last cut, but now the unknown scientist has heard the sound of the approaching mob. In this cut a reaction shot is used to allow the audience the ability to see the character's expression on his face - which in this case is panic & shock. I mean, who wouldn't be with over 100 angry villagers charging your castle!
Scene change to exterior:
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| 11) 00:01:02 - 00:01:04 |
11) I'm not sure what the shot is meant to be here - BUT it's certainly over head and it appears to be a POV shot - after quickly glancing at later images from the castle - because the scientist's window is directly behind where the camera is. This is basically allowing the reader to see what has scared the scientist so much - which as we knew before him (Dramatic Irony), the mob are on their second gate. Getting much closer - which then increases the tension and suspense of the opening.
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| 12) 00:01:04 - 00:01:06 |
12) Again, another shot of a peasant mob participant smashing the big tree trunk into the gate. The shot is a mid shot of the villagers however, if you look at it in a technical way - you almost argue that it's coming from the gate's Point Of View - as if it's looking on in resent at being smashed down. The idea that it's being given a persona almost links in with the creature up in the tower.
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| 13) 00:01:06 - 00:01:08 |
13) This over the shoulder shot portrays exactly what the mob leader is seeing - just not through the Point Of View. In the window, if you look hard enough - you are able to see the silhouette of the scientist standing there, watching. Then a crane shot is used to go across the mob and to settle of the leader as he points towards the window and shouts "There he is!" It's annoying how he gives away the scientist's location because almost at once you sort of get the idea of whose the good guy and whose the bad guy - which in this case is mob - baddies and scientist - goodie however, clearly that scientist has done something wrong.
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| 14) 00:01:08 - 00:01:09 |
14) Shortly after the mob leader ^^^ (that fugly looking fella up there) ^^^ gives away the scientist's position, a close up is used to bring his importance into play as he gives the men the order to "hit it again" - meaning the gate. It displays the mobs determination to get into the castle and to confront the scientist.
Furthermore, the identity of the mob leader is being withheld from us which that, and the mob leader himself, adds to the thriller genre. If the mob leader had of been a charming prince for example - the audience would automatically side with him being the hero and the scientist being the villain, however in Van Helsing, the mob leader looks evil himself; sly, aggressive, rotting teeth (possibly bad breath) and wild in the eyes. The long straggly, untidy, white hair displays that he could be working class - these features are enough to freak anybody else, or at the very least put the nerves of hell into them. This subverts the usual idea of monster lives in castle, village flush or kill them because from what we see - the scientist may not yet be a monster - same goes for the person he has created; you instantly made to feel sympathetic to these two characters straight away.
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| 15) 00:01:09 - 00:01:11 |
15) Another cut from the front of the mob - sort of the gates Point Of View again. If you look slightly at the tip of the tree trunk the end doesn't exactly look straight - i mean trees don't grow like the way it is in this picture. This effects the audience because it shows them that these people are on a mission and they aren't crude - they've thought the plan out because sharpening that tree into that sort of shape would have possibly taken a while.
At some angles during the scene that tip of the tree almost morphs into a sharp point - this symbolic to the mobs thirst for the scientist's blood split.
The black and white atmosphere of the whole 2 minutes adds to the traditional, old horror film effect that without evening trying, gives the audience goose-bumps or slight tension - I mean, some of the best and most famous horror films were black and white.
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| 16) 00:01:11 - 00:01:13 |
16) The quality of this photo is shocking... I apologise for that but my Print Screen button decided it was going to call it quits today...
Basically that image is an overheard shot of the mob still attempting to smash down the second gate (apparently the first gate was easier to smash down) with the tree trunk.
This constant slamming and constant going back to this particular scene helps to build up the tension and suspense that every thriller needs. You begin to wonder whether the scientist deserves to escape or if he will escape, what exactly did he do to annoy these people so seriously! I mean that's some serious determination that is.
Scene change to castle again:
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| 17) 00:01:13 - 00:01:14 |
17) Another reaction shot. This is pretty similar to the other shot used above - if not the same. It displays the scientists horror and fear about what the mob are doing. You can tell in his eyes and expression he sort of knows what he has done wrong but as the audience we must find out - which just feeds that growing suspense. The sweat on the scientist's head isn't through heat - its through the stress and fear of what is about to happen. He begins to back away which leads to the Match-On-Action of the next cut.
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| 18) 00:01:14 - 00:01:15 |
18) As I said at the end of the last cut, this cut leads on from the scientist backing away from the window, never turning his back on the glass. This is the typical behaviour of somebody is frightened - they don't turn there back because they want to keep what's frightening them in their line of sight till it no longer is.
At 00:01:15 the scientist twists round quickly and runs into an unexpected visitor. The constant surprises keeps the audience interested in the opening introduction to the film.
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| 19) 00:01:15 - 00:01:28 |
19) As soon as the scientist turns round and practically bumps into the new guy he stumbles and cowards away to the side - as if the person who has turned up without a sound is even more frightening than the mob outside. The identity of the new guy is untold until 00:01:21 when the scientist gasps "Count, it's only you!" shortly after the Count cries "Success!" as the first lightning flash occurs. This scene is a two shot - meaning two people are in the same screen, at the same time. Almost as once the audience can depict that the new comer is upper class just from the characters name and posture in the frame. He is calm and controlled, speaks with the Romanian accent, sharp features and long styled black hair. Furthermore, the camera is tiled to face upwards to look at Count meaning Count has the higher authority between the two.
Another thing about the new comer that pulls at the thriller genre is the way he looks. What I mentioned before is not just things that identify his class but what he is - black, sleek hair, sharp features, black turned up collar and the Romanian accent all point to one creature of the old legends - Count Dracula; the first ever vampire. Of course, the audience don't know completely for sure if that is correct but - we can have a good guess.
The one word "Success!" shows that what ever the scientist has done - the Count is interested in it. It also gives off the idea that maybe he has tried before but it hasn't worked and this time is has; especially when the Count says "I was beginning to lose faith, Victor". That also gives us the identity of the scientist guy - which links in with the whole Frankenstein novel. That ties up the few notes there.
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| 20) 00:01:28 - 00:01:39 |
20) The huge gap between Victor and the Count resembles the idea that Victor is afraid of Count and distrusts him for a reason we are not 100% sure on just yet. The Count on the other hand is still calm and unhindered by the approaching chaos of the mob outside. At 00:01:31 a pedestal shot is used up till 00:01:39 as Count becomes closer to the camera and says "Pity your moment of triumph has been spoilt by a little thing like grave-robbery". Instantly we get answer to our question as to WHY the mob are after Victor. But the question reminds "What was he doing it for?" of course - that lies to those who don't know much about Frankenstein. Other then that it would be "Why he is making a Frankenstein?"
The idea that Count is pitiful about Victor's shortened triumph seems false. He doesn't seem to have an emotion at all - which links to vampire, however it does show that he is taking an interest in what Victor is doing.
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| 21) 00:01:39 - 00:01:53 |
21) Next we see Victor running to collect all of his valuables so he can escape the castle before the mob gets to him or his creation. The strange position he is in is actually him jumping down the stairs for extra momentum. Note how Count is just standing motionless in the window? To me it almost makes it look like it's not just the mob Victor is running away from - its the Count himself. It displays Victor's finally broke and is panicking that the mob will destroy him and the monster. We already know WHY the mob are after him - grave robbery - so the penalty for that appears to be death.
This adds once again to the thriller genre because that tension building is still there - it never left. Everything the characters do either answers questions or arouses more - causing the viewer to want to carry on watching it. After all, we still have that unanswered question of who the Count actually it (though you may have a good guess).
At the end of this cut - Count appears suddenly on the top of one of other hanging bridges - without even walking. This straight away let the audience now he isn't human - or at the very least natural.
At the end of this cut - Count appears suddenly on the top of one of other hanging bridges - without even walking. This straight away let the audience now he isn't human - or at the very least natural.
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| 21) 00:01:50 of same cut |
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| 21) 00:01:51 of same cut |
21 extras) These two images aren't different cuts - they are part of cut 21 - however I thought Id take photos of them anyway and analysis for the two particular reasons: 1) it answers the question of who Count is and 2) this is rather unnerving. Took me a while to get these two images been as the monster face flashes up for like half a second - and when I got it, it scared the life out of me - didn't expect the image to be so vivid been as you only see it as a flash of lightning appears.
My exact reaction is what makes this part of the cut end up in a thriller film / horror film. It startles the unsuspecting audience with a brief jump scare. Even if you had been suspicious about the vampire Count Dracula from the start, you wouldn't have been expecting a full faced, monster looking thing like that; especially when vampires were meant to appear like handsome, gentlemen with a Romanian accent - a lot like Count Dracula's `human` face/body. This subverts that traditional vampire look by giving him a more animalised appearance - almost linking to the old myth that vampires were once wolves but learnt to walk on 2 legs and went by the name we use today. The teeth are stuff of horrors - not the old two small canines, nope - instead, a full on wide mouth of razor sharp fangs. This begins to bring in fear and heightens the tension even more.
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| 22) 00:01:53 - 00:01:57 |
22) Victor, in this cut, is rushing around gathering stuff to pack while thinking aloud or in fact answering one of Dracula's questions from the previous cut. Victor says "I'll take him away. Far away. Where nobody will ever find him". This displays both the panic and the care he as towards the creature he as created. It demonstrates the fatherly side to Victor with the fact he won't give up on Frankenstein, he wont just run and leave him there. The fact Victor has called the creature a he tells the audience that the creature has it's own personality, can think for itself, and is basically the same as you or me. (apart from the pieces of 7 people stitched together...). The audience actually begins to think that Victor may get away safely and that perhaps Count will help.
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| 23) 00:01:57 - 00:02:00 |
23) Again, the filming crew of Van Helsing really liked to use reaction shots. This particular one is shot when Victor is rummaging through an old chest finding valuables and clothes to pack before he escapes. In the last shot he was thinking aloud, saying he will take the creature far away where nobody can find him. Count then says "Oh no Victor" just before Victor looks round at him with a look of surprise and horror (this cut). The fact that Count doesn't want the creature to go arouses the questions of why once again - why doesn't he want the creature to go? Why he is so fascinated with Victor's work? Victor clearly doesn't know anything of Count's true plans until this moment. Any ideas that Victor was going to help - out the window.
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| 24) 00:02:00 - 00:02:01 |
24) So now is when we see Count's REAL reason for being around Victor's place. At this point, Count reveals his true plan to Victor in the single sentence he says at 00:02:01 - "The time has come for me to take command of him". That very sentence - if the rest of his actions didn't already - is all it takes to make him the villain. Also the whole line itself is almost chilling - it's not a normal thing to say "to take command of him." It's very old fashioned - creating an even bigger connection to thriller because the very sound causes you dislike him and ask yourself questions. Plus the more old fashioned something is - sometimes the more of a thriller it becomes.
That classic position is also often associated with upper class people - it shows their business like attitudes, poise and status, however, it was something upper class people did in the olden times - not many people are scene to do it as much ALTHOUGH it has shifted onto villains talking on the action - only this time not to show status but to show they are plotting something. Count fits both of these options.
The end of the 2 minutes.
