Horror- Analysis of film openings

A close look at the action, print styles and music/sound used to establish the
codes and conventions of Horror films in their opening sequences.
Action:
Horror films tend to introduce the main characters immediately after the opening
credits and title are shown. However, before the main characters are introduced
they tend to establish the setting and mood of the film from the beginning, as
the credits are shown. This is portrayed through music/sound and the type of
print styles used. In order to help set the scene there is use of time and location.
This tells the audience where the action is taking place. The films I analysed
mostly have their titles shown before the story starts. Most of them dont tend to
mention the director, writers or actors in the credits at the start.

Above
stills

are some
from the
opening
first
minutes
of The
Woman
in Black
2: Angel
of Death, Psycho, The Purge: Anarchy, The Blair Witch Project and The
Shining. The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death is similar to the other films in
which it first introduces the main characters. However, it also differs from them
as the main title is shown after the film has already started. Before the main title,
the film starts with a flash in which it faintly identifies Eel Marsh House. This is
significant as Eel Marsh House was a key location in the first film. They do this to
remind the audience about the first film and to maybe hint that something is still
wrong. This is similar to what happens in The Shining, the film begins with a
car driving through mountains and as the camera follows its journey the credits
including the names of the director, writers and actors are portrayed onto the
screen, along with the main title. The Shining and Psycho are the two oldest
films out of the ones I chose. Similarly, they both include the credits with the
names of the director, writers and actors at the beginning of the film. Whilst The
Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death and The Shining both have their main titles
after the film has started, Psycho opens in a different way. It has its own title
sequence portraying lines which combine together to make up the names in the
credits, this links to the movie as it could represent a stabbing motion.
The Blair Witch Project and The Purge: Anarchy are similar in the way they
open. They both have a black background in which their titles both appear. The
Blair Witch Project opens with one of the main characters being filmed, at first

the

image looks blurry and not

indicate that something is wrong and not clear.

focused which could

A similarity that I found between all the films was that they contained
information, time and location before the story even started. This is so the
audience know where the action is taking place, at what time and some
background information about the story. It is significant for a film to do this as
depending what year or country its set in there might be specific things the
audience need to look out for. Also the writing tends to be in the colour white as
the backgrounds of horror films tend to be quite dark. Even though they all
contain information, time and location, they appear in a different sequence. In
The Blair Witch Project and The Purge: Anarchy they both give specific
background information about how the story in the film came to be, which is
shown on a black background. However, in The Blair Witch Project the
information appears after the main title. This is similar in Psycho as the time
and location is portrayed after the main title, as the setting is being established.
On the other hand The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, The Purge:
Anarchy and The Shining all have their information shown before the main
title appears. The Shining is different to the other films in which it does not
actually have written information but by following the car through the mountains
it sets the location and time of day, this is similar to Psycho by how the
location is established.

Print Styles:

Horror films tend to use certain fonts and colours that they think will match with
the genre and theme of the film. They also have the credits and main title
appear in a certain way that can engage the audience before the films even
started. These techniques give hints to the audience about the storyline of the
film and also indicate what the main characters personality is like.

Psycho
portrays
its
credits
through
moving
lines
which
piece
together
to
create words. The lines continuously move across the screen throughout the
opening sequence. It uses its opening sequence as a way to build up the main
character to the audience. The grey lines could represent a knife which is
portraying a stabbing motion as the lines move in and out continuously. They
could also represent panic and like its chasing after something, this is because
the lines give a short and sharp entry, similar to a knife. The lines coming in and
out could represent the main characters distorted mind and how he stabs his
victims multiple times. Since the lines have to piece together in order to make
the credits, it takes some time to reveal the names. This could indicate that the
story is a mystery and doesnt quite match up. The credits are very hard to
identify at first which could indicate how the main character wants to remain
hidden and unidentified. The credits appear looking cracked and broken which
again could link to the main character and how something is wrong. They are in a
white colour and portrayed in capitals with a block font. This makes it look
serious and sinister. White and black are opposite colours so it could show the
characters opposite from normal thinking. The capital letters make the credits
look sharp like a knife. They appear onto the screen from different directions
which again could link to how the characters not thinking straight. The Woman
in Black 2: Angel of Death is similar to Psycho in the way it says something
about the main character through the way the titles appear. Looking at the first
still, the title appears to be emerging from dark clouds and mist. This links to the
film as the Eel Marsh House lies on a Marsh which becomes very misty. The
letters are quite hidden, which could link to the woman in black herself as she
appears out of nowhere but seems to be hidden. The hidden title could also link
to her as she is a ghost, you cant really see her whole body. Like Psycho, The
Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death appears in capital letters which are in the
colour black. However, Angel of Death appears to be in a bigger font which
might be telling the audience that something is outstanding and very wrong. The

black colour is normally associated with death and funerals which links to the
theme of the film.
The Shining is very different to the other films in the way the credits are
shown. Similar to Psycho there is lots of movement as the credits scroll up,
onto the screen. This continuous motion could link to the character and indicate
that they are unstoppable and will just carry on. The credits are again in capital
letters like Psycho, The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death and The Purge:
Anarchy. This could represent a knife as they look quite sharp. The font colour is
light blue which is a very uncommon colour to use for a horror film. They could of
chose this colour as it could represent the main character and how something is
very odd and not right. As the credits are shown there is imagery behind showing
a car driving through mountains, this is very odd as there are no other cars on
the road except for that one. The location seems very remote and lonely which
also links to how the people are alone and have to fend for themselves in the
film.
The Blair Witch Project and The Purge: Anarchy are similar in the way their
main title appears. They both have white writing which could symbolise
surrender. Their main titles both appear on a black background on the screen
and then fade out which makes it look mysterious. The Purge: Anarchy appears
in block capital letters, this could represent weapons like knifes. The word
Anarchy is shown in the colour red which links to blood as there is a lot of it in
the film. Next to the title there is a logo which is showing that its government
approved, this makes it scarier to know that people are allowed to kill each other.
The word Anarchy appears on a line, which could symbolise a heartbeat
monitor, but since its flat that could indicate death. The word is also shown in a
box; this could represent people being surrounded, with nowhere to go. On the
other hand The Blair Witch Project is not in capital letters and is a simple font
which looks normal. The title seems to be pushed aside which could indicate that
something is odd and off track. This links to the movie as the characters get lost.
When the title is shown it is slightly shaking, this is because the whole film is
shown through the perspective of a camera, which is hand held. It makes it
scarier as the audience feel like theyre on the front line and whatever the
camera sees they see it too.

Music/Sound:
A main convention of a horror film is the type of music and sounds used. This is
significant as it sets the mood and atmosphere for the film. Its used to
sometimes build up tension and suspense within the audience, preparing them
for the film. Horror films usually have creepy music playing as the opening
sequence and title are shown, then throughout the movie they introduce certain
types of sounds that link in to the action happening in on the screen. I have
noticed that most of the horror films that I have chosen
tend to have slow

music.

The Shining and Psycho are both similar in the way they present their
music. They both contain high pitched sounds in the opening sequences,
which could represent screams and cries for help. The high pitched sound
used for Psycho is played by string instruments which play short and
sharp music whilst The Shining uses a type of long lasting sound which
fades out. They also both use a low bass undertone which could indicate
threat and suspense. However, there is a difference between them;
Psycho has faster music which is very sudden and dramatic, it goes up
and down which again represents a stabbing motion and the sharp driving
sound links to how the character doesnt give up, whilst The Shining has
a slower more laid back type of music.
The Purge: Anarchy and The Shining are similar because they both
have sounds that fade out and leave echoes. The music for The Purge:
Anarchy sounds mysterious and like its creeping up on something. It is
very slow and sounds whispery like. When the main title is shown the
music gets louder and sounds sinister. This all links to the film as people
silently creep up on each other. When the title is shown the music sounds
like a person is taking their last breath, which indicates death.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death presents a familiar sound in its
opening sequence. At first there is a faint drum and low bass sound. As
the camera zooms in on Eel Marsh House the sound gets louder, similar to
The Purge: Anarchy, it turns out to be a rocking chair. This is key, as the
rocking chair was a main sound in the house in the first film. This tells the
audience that something is not right and that the woman in black is still
alive, in ghost form. As the shot cuts to the London underground, the
sound merges into the sound of bombs which are dropping on London.
After that the music sounds slow and funeral like.
The Blair Witch Project has a very different opening sequence. It doesnt
contain any music or sound until the film has started. The absence of
music builds up tension and makes it feel more realistic. At the beginning
of the film the audience are introduced to the main characters which are
speaking to each other, holding cameras. The silence could represent how
they get lost and are all alone out in the woods.