Friday 10 December 2010
Monday 6 December 2010
Analysis of the opening sequence of 'Shutter Island' (more to add from notes)
Shutter Island starts with titles in an old school font style which represents the theme of old school policing and detectives. The second part introduces us to the characters and the location of the plot, being Shutter Island, the creepy boat in the fog is the first thing we see representing the film's creepy and mysterious feel for it. The boat that emerges from the fog grabs the attention of the audience and creates suspense, making you wonder why is there and who is inside and you you are left unknown as to who is steering.
The single silhouette of the human figure looks ghostly in the fog. Then we hear the non diegetic sound of the fog horn with no returning fog horn sound which shows us as the audience, how isolated the ship is.
We are first introduced to the main character in the bathroom with his head down the toilette throwing up showing that he is flawed in someway. After we hear the non diegetic sounds of chains and shackles rattling around whilst showing them hang from the ceiling which adds a strong sinister feel to it and you know that the film contains something to do with prisons and or holding people hostage.
The introduction finishes when we're first shown the Shutter Island which is where the film is set. The island is shown as a large island but at this point is only shown as a dark, dangerous looking island. When we are first shown the island it is shown half dark and stormy and although the other side is dark looking, it is much lighter which may subtly suggest to the audience that the film is unbalanced and seems like the darker side is creeping over to the more pleasant side.
The single silhouette of the human figure looks ghostly in the fog. Then we hear the non diegetic sound of the fog horn with no returning fog horn sound which shows us as the audience, how isolated the ship is.
We are first introduced to the main character in the bathroom with his head down the toilette throwing up showing that he is flawed in someway. After we hear the non diegetic sounds of chains and shackles rattling around whilst showing them hang from the ceiling which adds a strong sinister feel to it and you know that the film contains something to do with prisons and or holding people hostage.
The introduction finishes when we're first shown the Shutter Island which is where the film is set. The island is shown as a large island but at this point is only shown as a dark, dangerous looking island. When we are first shown the island it is shown half dark and stormy and although the other side is dark looking, it is much lighter which may subtly suggest to the audience that the film is unbalanced and seems like the darker side is creeping over to the more pleasant side.
Denotation & Connotation of Horror Film Stills
I looked at denotation and connotation by annalysing some stills from a variety of different well known, classic Horror/Thriller films. Denotation is the literal analysis of a picture, by literally just saying what you see in the picture without giving your opinions or outside knowledge. Conotation is when you give your opinion and/or your interpretation of the image and explain the denotations of the movie stills.
Still from Gothika:
Denotation-
Girl facing a wall with red writting on, reading 'Not Alone', with her back towards us.Wearing a hoody.
Connotation-
'Not Alone' symbolises how shes probably not alone. Highlighting mental problems or to contradict that she isnt the only person there. Her tracksuit highlights simpleness and possibly youth. The red writing may be perceived as blood, therefore showing murder and death and the colour red, showing danger.
Still from The Exorsist:
Denotation-
Girl with red hair, blood and scars covering her face. She is wearing a white gown. She is slightly smiling and she has glaring eyes, looking straight into the camera.
Connotation-
Her white gown symbolises innocence and child like nature. The red shows danger and by her appearence she has been harmed but does not look in pain to show she may be possessed.
Still from The Ring:
Denotation-
Young girl in an all white room with a white dress and white socks with black shoes and long, black, greasy hair. She is sitting on a wooden stool and there is a microphone next to her on the floor.
Connotation-
The white symbolises innocence and the black may symbolise there is an element of evil in her maybe a dark side. The white room may signify something clinical, like a hospital or a mental institute.
Still from Scream:
Denotation-
A figure with a black cloak, a white mask and holding a knife, looking through a window at a blonde woman on the phone who is facing away from us but looking at the person dressed in the scream outfit.
Connotation-
Cloak and mask show danger and hidden identity. Woman may be on the phone to police. Perhaps he has broken into her house. Mask shows fear of the unknown
Still from Pyscho:
Denotation-
Black and white, Woman in shower, wet because of water, mouth open.
Connotation-
Naked shows her vaunrability and her mouth may be open due to shock as there may be somebody else in there with her. The black & White shows it probably isnt a modern movie.
Still from H20
Denotation-
Man with white mask looking through a window at a woman with her mouth open.
Connotation-
Woman has her mouth open as she is probably shocked to see him which means he is not meant to be there signifying his danger. Also the fact thay he does not show his face means hidden identity which reinforces that he is evil.
The window is circular indicating it may be on a boat which highlights the name 'H2O' which is the chemical symbol for water, meaning the even probably happens under water.
Still from Halloween
Denotation-
Man with white mask looking over a banaster, holding a large knife looking down.
Connotation-
Low angle shot, looking up at him shows he has power and shows authority. Maks once again signifys hidden identity, highlighting danger which is also reinforced by the knife.
Still from It
Denotation-
Man with a painted white face, with red hair, red nose and long sharp teeth.
Connotation-
Painted face symbolises a Clown. Red hair shows danger - contrasting with the white face, when white usually symbolises innocence. Clowns are meant to symbolise child friendly, happy, jokey people which juxtapposes with the sharp teeth and angry face, making him look threatening and dangerous.
Still from Gothika:Denotation-
Girl facing a wall with red writting on, reading 'Not Alone', with her back towards us.Wearing a hoody.
Connotation-
'Not Alone' symbolises how shes probably not alone. Highlighting mental problems or to contradict that she isnt the only person there. Her tracksuit highlights simpleness and possibly youth. The red writing may be perceived as blood, therefore showing murder and death and the colour red, showing danger.
Still from The Exorsist:
Denotation-
Girl with red hair, blood and scars covering her face. She is wearing a white gown. She is slightly smiling and she has glaring eyes, looking straight into the camera.
Connotation-
Her white gown symbolises innocence and child like nature. The red shows danger and by her appearence she has been harmed but does not look in pain to show she may be possessed.
Still from The Ring:
Denotation-Young girl in an all white room with a white dress and white socks with black shoes and long, black, greasy hair. She is sitting on a wooden stool and there is a microphone next to her on the floor.
Connotation-
The white symbolises innocence and the black may symbolise there is an element of evil in her maybe a dark side. The white room may signify something clinical, like a hospital or a mental institute.
Still from Scream:
Denotation-
A figure with a black cloak, a white mask and holding a knife, looking through a window at a blonde woman on the phone who is facing away from us but looking at the person dressed in the scream outfit.
Connotation-
Cloak and mask show danger and hidden identity. Woman may be on the phone to police. Perhaps he has broken into her house. Mask shows fear of the unknown
Still from Pyscho:
Denotation-
Black and white, Woman in shower, wet because of water, mouth open.
Connotation-
Naked shows her vaunrability and her mouth may be open due to shock as there may be somebody else in there with her. The black & White shows it probably isnt a modern movie.
Still from H20
Denotation-Man with white mask looking through a window at a woman with her mouth open.
Connotation-
Woman has her mouth open as she is probably shocked to see him which means he is not meant to be there signifying his danger. Also the fact thay he does not show his face means hidden identity which reinforces that he is evil.
The window is circular indicating it may be on a boat which highlights the name 'H2O' which is the chemical symbol for water, meaning the even probably happens under water.
Still from Halloween
Denotation-
Man with white mask looking over a banaster, holding a large knife looking down.
Connotation-
Low angle shot, looking up at him shows he has power and shows authority. Maks once again signifys hidden identity, highlighting danger which is also reinforced by the knife.
Still from It
Denotation-
Man with a painted white face, with red hair, red nose and long sharp teeth.
Connotation-
Painted face symbolises a Clown. Red hair shows danger - contrasting with the white face, when white usually symbolises innocence. Clowns are meant to symbolise child friendly, happy, jokey people which juxtapposes with the sharp teeth and angry face, making him look threatening and dangerous.
Ideas for a thriller
IDEA 1 - A woman driving in her car alone, dark outside, bad weather - foggy, raining slightly. She gets lost, starts getting stressed and anxious. Creepy, strings music (violins) starts building up suspense. She hears the sound of somebody breathing, looks up in her wing mirror to see a face, she screams and it ends ends. The shots would start on quite long and get shorter and shorter to create tension for the audience. After the scream it would cut to a black screen and show end credits with daunting music.IDEA 2 - Man and wife go and stay in an old hotel but coincidently nobody else is there. They are shown to their room and take no notice of nobody else around them, they start to hear strange noises and the woman goes upstairs, husband sees a shadow of a person, her husband calls his wife back pinickly and ends with wife screaming.
IDEA 3 - A crime scene investigation. Starts off showing the bodies with credits across screen. It then goes on to showing crime scene investigators. They explore the death of the young, female student and come to the conclusion of a murder. There would be several reverse shot reverse in order to show conversation keeping the 180° rule.
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