Slasher Film Research: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Texas chainsaw massacre was made in 1974. It was directed by Tobe Hopper. The gross takings for the film were $30,589,000 (USA). The production company is Vortex. The film is based on the true story of Ed Gein who stole bodies from the grave. He also murdered two people and the police found skin, skulls, bones and other body parts in his house.

The Narrative.

It is 1974 and a group of five close friends are heading through the back roads of Texas to their grandfather's vandalized grave. In the group is Sally Hardesty, and her invalid brother Franklin. They come across an hitchhiker who slashes himself and Franklin with a knife. The others manage to get rid of the hitchhiker from the car, but shortly afterwards, they are forced to stop and wander over to a small house nearby in hopes for gas. But none of the group realize that this house is the home of Leatherface and his evil, demented family of cannibalistic psychopaths. One at a time, the teens are killed off by Leatherface in horrifying ways. Sally soon finds herself an involuntary guest at Leatherface's home, and runs away in the night to escape the cannibal and his chainsaw.

Target Audience.

I think that this film would be aimed towards males and females of the ages of 16-35. I think this because usually people under the age of 16 can get scared of Slasher film easily and find them too gory so it would not appeal to people under that age. I also think that people under that age range wouldn't understand who the film is based on. I think that the oldest age range would be 35 because people of that age may have remembered when the film first came out and may want to re watch it again. I think this would not appeal to people over that age range because I think older people don't find Slasher films entertaining and they may find it immature. People who go and see this film would expect gory and jumpy pleasures you would expect from a horror film.

Sound.

In this film opening the screen is black and there is a non diegetic voice over reading out the introduction on screen. The voice over is male and has a deep voice which could make the story seem more dramatic and scary. Using a deep voice could make the audience feel more intimidated and could also build a climax for the story After the voice over has finished  the screen goes black again and then the audience hears non diegetic sound of digging and some incidental music. The incidental music is quite deep and this could be creating a creepy atmosphere or building a climax for the audience. At some points in the incidental music the tone changes and goes more high pitched. I think that this helps to build the climax for the viewer. Later on in the opening sequence there is a non diegetic sound track which is someone talking on the radio. I think that this sound is meant to sound like it is coming from a cars radio. This can make the audience feel like they are listening to the radio themselves.

Representation of characters and Mise en scene.

In this film opening we do not see any characters but I can infer that the main group would be wearing casual clothing like jeans and t-shirts so the audience can distinguish them as normal stereotypical teenagers. I think that the villain would be wearing clothes that would make it easy for the audience to distinguish the villain character from the protagonists. I think that the make-up of the villain would make him look quite gaunt and easier for the audience to recognise that there is something not quite right with him. When the group of kids are on the way to see the vandalised grave I think the lighting would be high key to set a realistic day time atmosphere for the viewer. However when the group of protagonists arrive at the small house looking for gas I think that the lighting would turn to low key to set up the creepy and eerie atmosphere for the audience. In the opening the audience is shown an extreme close up of the body parts which seem to have been dug up judging from the non diegetic sounds earlier in the opening sequence. I think this camera shot would have been used to the audience can see the body parts in detail.

Slasher Film Elements.

I think in this film the storyline is a element that is used in the horror film genre. Usually in horror there is always a threat and a threat has been included in this film in the form of the chainsaw villain. In this film the physical threat is the chainsaw and other weapons- this is an element that is included in the sub genre of a Slasher. In horror films there is stereotypically a group of friends, usually there is a couple or relatives in the group. This element has been included in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Another element that has been included in this film is members of the group being killed off one by one and leaving one member left. This part of the storyline usually happens in most Horror films. It helps to categorise the film into genres and sub genres.

Slasher Film Research: Halloween.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afp2xeHp_i8

Halloween Film opening.

Halloween was a film made in 1978 and is a horror film and the sub genre Slasher. The film is rated X (18). The director of this film is John Carpenter. The gross takings for Halloween was $47,000,000 (USA). The film won a total of 4 awards and also had 2 nominations.

The Narrative

In 1963 a young boy is sent to a mental institution for stabbing his 15 year old sister to death on Halloween. After being in the metal institute for 16 years he escapes and returns to his home town the night before Halloween. No one knows what he will do or what will happen except for his psychiatrist. He knows that the main character is returning back to his old hometown. By the time the village is aware he has returned it is too late...

Sound.

In the film opening the incidental music is quite soft and eerie which makes it seem more creepy and could also be setting a tense atmosphere for the audience to get them in the mood for this genre of film. The instrument that has been used has is a piano or keyboard and has been played using the higher pitched end which reinforces the eeriness of the film. The speed at which the incidental music has been played in is quite fast which means it could be building a climax right at the beginning of the film. There is also a jittering sound in the background whilst the sound track is playing. I think this has been used because it could make the audience nervous as someone becomes jittery and shaky when they become nervous or scared.

Target Audience.

I think that the target audience of Halloween would be people between the ages of 17-25. I think this because people over the age of 25 may think that this film is too childish and they may not want to watch it. I think that this film would appeal in this age gap because I know that people of this age enjoy films like this one. I think that the youngest age would be 17 is because there are elements in the film that people younger than this may not enjoy watching and younger people tend to fin slasher films scary and un-enjoyable. I think that this film may be aimed towards males as they stereotypically enjoy horror films more and are not as squeamish when it comes to blood and murder.

Representation of characters and mise en scene.

In this particular film opening there are no characters shown on screen. There is however a pumpkin. This pumpkin relates well to the title of the film as there pumpkins are a tradition to have at Halloween. The background of the opening credits could be done to make everything look dark and ominous- this could also be summing up Halloween. The dark background could also be showing the audience that this film is quite dark in the storyline and the themes that are in this film. I think that the bright orange font could also represent the glow in a pumpkin's mouth or Halloween- orange is the colour stereotypically associated with Halloween.  I haven't seen this film before however I can infer that most of the characters will be wearing casual clothing like jeans to show that they are ordinary characters in the film. However I think that he main character will be wearing something slightly different so we able to distinguish the main character from everyone else. I also think that his hair and his appearance will be dishevelled to relate beak to the narrative as he escapes a mental institution. I think that the psychiatrist will be wearing something smart so we will be able to tell that he is a professional and a working class man. I can also connote that the psychiatrist will also be a mid forties male as this is the stereotypical age for doctors and psychiatrists in films.

Atmosphere created.

In this film opening a creepy eerie mood is created due to the incidental music that is used to build a climax for the audience. I also think that a childish and youthful atmosphere could be created as Halloween is stereotypically associated with young children dressing up and going trick or treating. This atmosphere could make the audience think that this film is childish therefore they may not be expecting the slasher expects as much. The childish atmosphere could also be created through the music. I think this because the piano incidental music sounds quite like a lullaby used for toddlers and babies.

Slasher film elements.

A main Slasher element is the music and I think that the incidental music used in this film opening is very creepy and eerie which is a key element used in scary slasher films. After reading what the narrative of the film is I can infer that that the physical weapon is a knife which is a fixed element that usually occurs in Slasher films. I can also infer from the narrative that there would be a lot of blood involved in the murder of the main characters sister at the beginning of the movie. I can also connote from the narrative that blood would also be used in some scenes to reinforce the sub genre. One of the fixed elements in horror films is a threat. From reading about the narrative I can also infer that the main character who has escaped from the institution is the main threat of  this film. The gory storyline and the threat from the main character is what we should expect from a slasher film.

Slasher Film Research: The Shining.

The Shining Film opening
The shining was created in 1980. This time period was very popular for creating Slasher films. The director of this film was  Stanley Kubrick. The writer of the novel The Shining was Stephen King. If the audience has read the book they would expect the film to be very scary as the book is quite scary and Stephen King is well known for his writing in the thriller genre. The gross takings for this film in the USA were $44,017,374.

Sound.

In many Slasher films sound effect is key for setting the atmosphere that people who go and see this sub genre of film would expect. In the opening of this film the non diegetic incidental music sets a creepy and on edge atmosphere. The music is very deep with makes it more dramatic but there are also parts of the incidental music which are very high pitched and sound like whistles. These parts of the music set a very tense atmosphere and also sets the suspense for the rest of the film.

Target Audience.

I think that the target audience for The Shining would be between the ages of 16 and30. I think this because there are elements of the film which would be too scary for people under the age of 16 as I know some younger people do not enjoy scary films. The reason I think that he oldest would be 30 is because some people over that age may find this film boring and not as scary as other Slasher and people of that age may not enjoy horror films anymore and would prefer  different genre of film. A viewer who would go and see this film would expect gory parts, things that will make them jump. They will also expect tense atmosphere and creepy elements which will help to build this up.

The Narrative.

This film is about a man who goes for an interview as a caretaker in a hotel which is in a quite isolated area. When he gets the job the manager tells him that the last person who had the job went insane and brutally murdered his daughters and wife with an axe before shooting himself. The main character moves into the hotel with his wife and young son. The hotel has been shut for 5 months and the main character and family are there to look after the hotel and to write a book in his spare time. As the family are there the father becomes quite distance and slowly starts to lose his mind. However the young boy starts to see the young girls that were killed and become very scared and almost possessed as he warns his mother about murder by writing it on the door in lipstick. The father starts seeing things and tries to kill his wife and son with an axe.

Representation of characters and Mise en Scene.

In Slasher films the Mise en scene is quite similar. In The Shining when we first see the main character he is wearing a suit which can connote that he is trying to make a good first impression or he wants to look smart. His wife and son are wearing the opposite style of clothing. They are wearing casual clothing which could tell the audience that they are trying to portray the stereotypical wife and son. It could also be telling us that they a typical family. Throughout the opening of The Shining the lighting is quite high key which could portray a happy life which could through the audience off thinking that this film is not too scary. However throughout the film and when the family have been at the hotel for a while the lighting slightly drops to low key lighting which could show the audience that things aren't right and the lighting is setting the atmosphere for what it to come.

As the film progresses we see the main character slowly losing his mind and turning into the villain of the film. About halfway through the film we see the character get quite tense. The Mise en scene helps to portray the insanity that is being suffered by the main character. The main characters makeup has emphasised this. The main characters face goes quite pale and pasty which could show the audience that he isn't sleeping and is panicking or feeling ill. I also think that the main characters eyebrows show that he is the villain. The main characters eyebrows and very arched with could show anger. Other villains in films have very arched eyebrows which could show that he is evil or angry.

In the opening the camera has filmed an extreme long shot of the car driving down the road using a high angle to make the car look smaller and so we can also see the location. There is also an establishing shot so the scene can be set and the audience can see where the film location is.

Atmosphere created

In the opening the music creates a tense creepy atmosphere which is what the audience would have expected from a Slasher film. A happy atmosphere could also be created as the main character is going for a job interview so there could be a happy atmosphere set and there could be some excitement and anticipation for a fresh start.

Slasher Film elements.

In this film there are many elements that fit into the Slasher sub genre. The style of incidental music is what I would expect from  Slasher film. The music is very deep and some parts are high pitched which creates tension and makes the audience anticipate something scary to happen. The storyline of The Shining fits in well with the fixed element of a Slasher film. In The Shining the storyline is about a father who goes crazy and tries to kill his wife and son like a man did in the past at the same hotel. This storyline is what we would have expected as in Horror films a threat is something to be expected in the storyline. In Slasher films there is usually a gory weapon/killing like a knife and there is also a lot of blood as well. In The Shining the main weapon in the film is the axe and there is some blood included as which shows us that this film fits into the Slasher sub genre well.

Genre Information

Genre is French for type or kind. Every film that has been made is in a particular genre. When a film is created it is then categorised into a genre depending on storyline and content in the film. For example a film with comedic and romantic pleasures would be classed as a Romantic Comedy film. There are films in this category like Love Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral. 

In each film there is a set element which helps to categorise these films. These fixed elements are usually things like storylines or settings. For example in a Horror film there is usually a threat that effects the group or the film is set in a dark setting usually a small town or woodland area.

Sub Genres are different types of genre. Sub genres help to categorise films better as each sub genre has a set element. Some genres of films have sub genres like Horror and Action and Adventure. These particular genre of film have set elements which therefore sort them into sub genres. In Horror films the fixed element us usually a threat towards the protagonist. However in sub genres of a horror film the fixed element of the threat is still there but the weapon is usually different. For example in a Slasher film the weapon would be something sharp that creates a gory atmosphere like a knife or an axe.

Film genres have to be recognisable so when a viewer goes to watch a film and knows they do not like horror if they see the genre of the film then it will stop them from going to see a film that they will not enjoy. Film genres can also help the writers know what kind of script and film appears to types of audiences. For example writers of Romantic Comedy films are written in a certain way and f the film is enjoyed by the audience they know that the next rom-com film should be written in the same style. If the audience has enjoyed a film like Love Actually then the writers and director know that if they create another romantic comedy film they know they would be expecting the same audience to watch the new film.

Genres are important to audiences because in film genres there are usually pleasures which the audience would expect from a film. A pleasure is something that the audience expects from a film that they are going to see. For example if a viewer was to go and see a horror film they would expect tense, scary and jumpy pleasures.

Genres are useful for institutions because they help the audience identify easily. Genres also have recognisable conventions for the audience such as characters, settings, modes of narrative, music and cast. These conventions help the industry to predict the audience expectation.

Research opening: Perks of Being A Wallflower

Film opening of Perks Of Being A Wallflower.

Perks of being a wallflower was made in 2012. The film has a rating of 12a. The production company of this movie is Summit Entertainment. The director of the film is Stephen Chbosky. One of the distribution companies is Entertainment One. Perks Of Being A Wallflower received 20 awards and some of which were: Teen Choice Award, San Diego Film Critics Society Awards,  People's Choice Awards , Hollywood Film Festival and Independent Spirit Awards. The gross takings the film brought in was $17,738,570 (USA).

Target audience and whom it appeals to.

After watching the film opening and the rest of the film I can say that I think this film is aimed at people between the ages of 12-30. I think this because there are elements that will affect and appeal to this age range. I think that this film appeal to males and females as there are elements in the narrative and parts in the script that would appeal to both genders. People who would go and see this film would expect pleasures that you would find in a romantic comedy or a tear jerking film.

The Titles

The titles in this film are created with a typewriter style typeface. Using the typewriter style font it helps to fit in and relate to the narrative as in the film the main character is given a typewriter for his birthday. The font can also relate to the target audience as in the narrative the main character writes a diary and that could be what some people in the target audience do. People in the target audience may also remember using a type writer when they were little so it can also help them to reminisce on old childhood memories. The font colour is white which could show that there isn't a stereotypical female or male colours such as pink or blue meaning this film could appeal to both genders. Whilst the titles of the film are playing in the foreground there is no image or clip playing in the background which could show us that the director wanted to keep the opening title sequence quite simplistic. However after the title of the film is shown on screen a video is added in the background. The video is of someone going through the tunnel and is filmed at a low angle so we can see the roof on the tunnel. I think this has been added in because it relates to the narrative and also makes the title sequence look unique and almost simplistic. The way the tunnel scene has been filmed has been done as if someone is filming it on his or her digital camera, which gives the opening title a unique and different effect. After the tunnel scene has finished it then cuts to the main character in his bedroom and has been edited using a dissolve cross over to make the happen.

Sound.

In the opening title sequence the typewriter titles have been reinforced by the use of a typewriter sound effect that has been added. The use of this sound effect makes the typeface look more realistic. In the opening a sound track is also added and is non-diegetic. The sound track is quite relaxing and is quite indie. The sound track also related to the narrative as this piece of music is the genre that the main character and his friends like listening to.  The way that the sound track is sung is quite echoed which could link to the tunnel that the camera is going through. The soundtrack is also quite youthful which can reflect the narrative. As the non-diegetic sound track fades the non-diegetic voice over takes over.

Representation of Characters and mise en scene

After the titles have appeared on screen the camera cuts to the main character in his bedroom at first the whole location is out of focus but then the camera goes back into focus on the main characters reflection in the window. Whilst we see a shot of him writing down there is also a voiceover of the main character telling us what he is writing. During the voice over I can connote that the main character is telling us about starting his high school life so it makes the audience feel like they can relate to him and that they know a bit more about him. The main character is dressed jeans, t-shirt and a zip up jumper. This outfit could connote that he is a stereotypical high school teenager and it could also show the audience that he is not part of a sports club because he is without a varsity jacket. Due to the fact he has no varsity jacket can connote that he is not one of the “popular” or “jocks”. I think that the audience could also connote that the main character is also very clever as he was the only one is the classroom who knew the answer. There could also be connotations that the character is smart but is embarrassed and doesn’t want to be bullied for it. This is shown when he doesn’t give his answer in the lesson. The set of the opening is based in a school. There is high key lighting, which could connote that that school is meant to be a happy place. The lighting is quite bright in the main characters English room, which could connote that this is his favourite room and the place where he feels happiest. There are also many posters up in the room that could show us that the school is very helpful to students and that students take ride in their work.

Atmosphere created

At the beginning of the opening a happy atmosphere has been created due to the soundtrack in the tunnel scene. The sound track is also quite youthful and reflects the narrative of the film. I think there is a content atmosphere which could reflect the personality of the main character.

Research opening- Love Actually

Film opening love actually

Love actually was made in 2003 and the film is certified age 15. Universal pictures and StudioCanal produced the film. The director of Love Actually is Richard Curtis. The distribution company was Filmes Lusomundo. The gross takings in America for the film was $59,365,105. The film received 1 BAFTA, 1 Empire Award, 2 Evening standard British film award and more.

Target audience and whom it appeals to

After watching the opening of the film I can connote that this has a target audience of 13-50. I think this because the storyline could appeal to this age gap and the script could be funny for this age gap. I think that this film appeals to both genders as there are characters that both genders would like and favour. I think people who would go and watch this film and expect romance and comedy pleasures.

The Titles

The titles in the film are quite minimalistic and only show important names such as production company and the title of the film. "Love actually is all around" is also included in the opening title and appears on the screen in sync with the voice over. This particular line is based on the song "Love is all around" which in the beginning of the film is sung by one of the characters. The typeface that is used in this film is very simple and I can connote that it is like this to stop the audience from being distracted from the clip playing in the background- I can infer that this is what the director wants us to focus on. The colour of the font is white which is a neutral which can be for both genders. At one point the word "is" is in red which can emphasise its meaning- the word in red which is used later is "love". I think that this is highlighted in red because it makes it standout more and red is stereotypically a colour related to love.

 Whilst the credits are going on in the foreground, in the background a clip is shown from an airport in the arrivals area showing loved one being reunited. This could be showing the audience that the film is based on love as it is shown many times in the airport clip and is also making the theme of love more prominent. In this film opening it also shows people from different genders and age groups which could emphasise how this film is for both genders and more than one age group.  

Sound

In this opening there is a sound track added to the opening of the film. The score is quite soft, relaxing and quite romantic. This kind of music fits in well with the genre of film which is romantic comedy- it also helps to set a romantic atmosphere which goes well with the airport clip in the background which is full of love. Whilst the clip is playing a voice over is added on top and it is Hugh Grant describing the airport scene being shown whilst he is speaking. He is also telling the audience why he likes the arrivals gate at the airport and I think that this makes it more personal to the audience as if he is telling them a secret.

Representation of the characters and mise en scene.

In the opening of this scene we are not shown any particular character from the film. However we are shown the people at the airport and from looking at what they are wearing I can see that they are meant to be stereotypical middle  class people. The people in the clip are al wearing everyday clothes which could show that they don't need to dress up to be reunited with the ones that they love. In the voice over Hugh Grant comes across as quite humble which could be what his character in the film is like. The lighting that has been used is high key and helps to emphasise the happy atmosphere that is created through this happy scene at the airport. When the people in the airport are being reunited with their loved ones there is a medium close up i think this has been done so we can see the happy expressions on their faces.

Atmosphere created

When the film opening begins I can tell that the atmosphere is full of love and happiness which I think is what the director wanted. Because the atmosphere is like this it could give the audience an idea of how the rest of the film will be like. It could also encourage them to keep watching to see if this atmosphere remains the same throughout the whole film. Through the voiceover Hugh Grant seems quite humble and down to earth which could foreshadow the personality of his character when the film continues.

Research opening: Hairspray

Hairspray opening

Hairspray was made in 2007 and the film is certificated P.G. New Line Cinema produced this film. The director of Hairspray is Adam Shankman. One of the distributing companies was Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution  At opening weekend the takings for the film was $27, 476,745 (USA). Hairspray on a total of 18 awards some of which including MTV Movie Awards, Hollywood Film Festival awards, Teen Choice Awards and People's choice awards.

Target Audience and whom it appeals to.

After watching the opening to the film I can connote that this film has a target audience of people between the ages of 12 and 40. I think this because the storyline and the songs could appeal to a wide range of ages. I also think that this film would appeal more to females as the genre and storyline may appeal to the female gender more. I think people who go and watch this film would expect romance, musical and comedy pleasures from this particular film.

The titles

There is a small amount of titles in this film. I think this because the director may have wanted us to focus more on the narrative being shown on the screen. During the opening of this film we see the main character wake up and get out of bed. She then goes to the mirror and puts on hairspray. The director has used the fumes from the hairspray to create a transition in which the title of the film can fluently appear on screen. The typeface that has been used in the title for the film is quite bubbly and groovy which could reflect the time period in which the film was set in. After the title is shown on screen it then dispersed like hairspray fumes would normally do. This gives a good affect and makes the title sequence look more fluent. I think the colour of the typeface has been used because it matches the can of hairspray that the main character. I think that this shade of blue may have also been used because it could be representing the hairspray.

Sound

In the film there is a non- diegetic sound track which has been added to the opening sequence- the track has been added to this particular scene to make the audience believe that the main character on screen singing. The style of music is very upbeat, happy and groovy which also fits in well with the time period that this film was set, in 1962. I think this style of music would also be very popular which teenagers who where in high school in that time period. However in some parts of the opening sequence there is some diegetic sound such as the sound coming from the television in the living room and the sound of the door closing.

Representation of characters and Mise en scene.

In this opening sequence I can see that the main character is represented as quite bubbly and friendly- she also appears as someone who is very outgoing. From what the main character is wearing I can see that she is represented as a stereotypical high school student in that time period. The knee length yellow plaid skirt is a piece of clothing and print which was quite popular in the 1960s and was worn by a lot of the girls in those days. The backpack that the main character is wearing was also a popular style trend to follow in the 1980s. The close up of these things from the camera makes us focus our attention on them and can also remind us what era the film is set in. The lighting that has been used is high key lighting which makes everything look more brighter and more daylight. Her hairstyle also reflects the time period as big emphasised hair was all the rage in the 1960s.  The setting of the opening scene and the way that the buildings in the shot look like is also based on how things were in the 1960s. When the main character first wakes up we the camera goes to an extreme close up and the main focus of this camera angle is her eyes. I think that the director has done this to add emphasis to the fact that she is waking up and her day is starting. The director has also included an action match shot where the main character opens the door then cuts to her coming through the door. This gives us a different perspective whilst watching the film.

Atmosphere created.

From watching the opening scene I can see that a groovy kind of atmosphere was created because everyone seemed to be happy and the sound track used in the background helped to set this atmosphere. I think the way the mise en scene was created helped the viewer feel as if they were in the film and that time period. A happy and excited atmosphere was developed more by the sound track and the singing done by the main character it helped to intrigue the audience and make them look forward to watching the rest of the film.