I then analysed the trailer of the film 'The Lovely Bones.' Although it is not a typical, slasher horror film, I thought it would be good to look at as it does contain some horror elements - a girl being kidnapped, exposed to pedophilia and then murdered.
Camerawork:
One of the main reasons I like this trailer is because at the beginning, the director creates a contrast between the girl's life before and after the murder. There is a two shot of the main girl and her grandmother which is used to reflect the close relationship between the two. The grandmother is being stereotypical of her age by teasing the girl about a young boy she fancies. This is effective as it creates a happy mood, the grandmother is joking which distracts away from the serious message of the film. There is then a shot reverse shot of the young boy looking at the girl and then her becoming embarrassed due to her grandmother's behavior and walking away. This, again, distracts away from the serious tone of the film and reflects her normal, everyday life. It also would interest the viewer as it is possibly suggesting a future love story/ tragedy. There is then a mid shot of the young girl riding her bike. The camera then switches to shots of her mother and father watching her proudly. There is also a two shot of the mother and the girl sitting on the bed laughing and then a two shot of the girl and her father bonding. All of these shots are effective as they initiate to the viewer the close, loving relationship between the family and therefore highlight the huge effect it will have on their lives when their daughter is murdered. There is then a wide shot of the girl standing in what appears to be a field/park. The music cuts which initiates a change in mood, the girl is alone in an isolated, wide open space in which any of the public are allowed access to - including her killer. The camera then takes a close up shot of the girl standing on her own in which she appears young and vulnerable. There is then a wide shot of the police standing in the same spot in which the young girl once was. This initiates to the viewer the time change in the film and that now she has been murdered. There is a close up of the mother showing her crying, again, initiating the young girl's death and her families distraught reaction to it. There is later a two shot of the young girl becoming face to face with her killer. The killer has his face away from the camera which is effective as his full identity isn't revealed so he remains a mystery. There is then a wide shot of the murderer in his own home watching the girl from the window. This would make the audience fearful of him and his intentions. There is then a close up of the murderer showing anger in his face as he realises there is an intruder in his house. This would cause fear in the audience as they know it is the young girl's sister who could be tempting her fate to be the same as her sister's. There is then an extreme close up of the killer's face highlighting his contempt and then the camera pans and follows him as he chases the girl upstairs. This would excite/frighten the reader which is effective in a film trailer. As the trailer commences, there is a high angle shot of the killer at the top of the stairs from the cellar - the place in which he acts out his killings. This is significant as it shows him as superior - typical of a horror villain.
Sound:
The trailer begins with happy, upbeat music, expressing the normality of the girl's life before the murder. When the young boy says to the girl, 'Susie, you are beautiful' it is effective as it suggests a possible love story within the film but how the tragic events will change this. When the young girl says 'I was fourteen when I was murdered' the music stops and changes into more eerie and melancholy music. This initiates a change in mood and contrasts with the previous love scene. The killer then says 'You're the Salmon girl, right?' which is effective as he later repeats this to the young girl's sister which would make the audience fear for her and forebode what is to come of her fate. There is then a ring of a telephone and a smashing of glass which could be effective as it creates an almost frantic atmosphere as her father is trying to trace her killer. It could also reveal his frustration. As the young girl's sister is in the killer's house, she tries to escape however catches his attention by the creaking floorboards. Creaking floorboards are often used in horror films to create suspense and tension. The music then becomes more dramatic as he begins to chase her and the film trailer comes to and end. The trailer ends with the young girl's ghost saying 'Don't be afraid' which has a supernatural/eerie feel.
Editing:
At the beginning of the trailer, the editing is of normal pace which is effective as it reflects the girl's normal life before she was stalked and murdered. The editing becomes fast paced towards the end of the trailer when the sister is being chased and the frustration of the family's inability to find her murderer increases.
Mise-en-scene:
At the beginning of the clip, there is bright/natural light when the the young girl and grandmother are in what appears to be a shopping center. The young girl is wearing a lilac jumper which is effective as it could present her as a typical, innocent girl who is therefore vulnerable. When the girl is riding her bike, again, her innocence is shown. The prop of the bike is effective as it suggests she is learning to ride a bike/has just learnt which highlights her age. The use of the roses are also effective as they are typical symbols of love and affection. That her parents are the ones with the roses shows there utmost love for their child and that they wish to protect her. Susie is typical of a horror film victim in terms of appearance as she has light blonde hair suggesting femininity and innocence which would create more sympathy from the audience. The 'baddy' could be seen to be against the typical stereotypes of a horror villain which is significant for the film's content as he is thought to be merely a member of the community. When the camera switches to the scene of Susie's muder - the killer's own basement - the lighting is dark creating a sense of fear and mystery.
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