The Shining
(0.0-2.48 minutes)
Introduction to the film/Brief background
The third film I have chosen to analyse is a Thriller movie, The Shining (1980).Directed by Stanley Kubrick, staring Jack Nicholson and Danny Lloyd, made in Peregrine Productions and Producers Circle.The film is about a family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.The film was budgeted $19,000,000 and $622,337 for the opening weekend in USA. Critical acclaim was mostly positive, yet the film did get nominated for worst actor and director, yet the film also got nominated for the Saturn award of best actor and director.
Film's Narrative for the Opening scene
The scene's narrative is unusual, yet contains several conventional elements throughout, such as the location of the Thriller.
Personally, this scene doesn't provide the audience with much knowledge on the plot or purpose of the film.Yet contains conventions expected in this genre movie, as well as establishing the scene ( setting the scene).
Showing numerous shots of the setting and location of the film, in a isolated woodlands, with the main focus being the car, with the camera tracking this subject.
Representation
Characters/Social groups and Mis en scene- The scene consists of scenery shots of the setting and location.The tension builds as the car approaches the destination.
Props- A car was used to allow the camera to focus on a subject, this helps engage the audience, giving them a prop to follow.
Costumes- There are no shots of the costumes in this scene, however the audience are able to infer them.The prop of the vehicle, helps the audience do this, with it being a van, we can stereo typically assume the character/characters carry some masculine traits.Perhaps more practical and adventurous, with lower class costumes. Again if we were to look at it stereo typically, I would assume that the costumes would also have little detail and appear quite generalized, linking back to the idea that the subject/subjects are driving a van, which is stereo typically a vehicle considered for employment, like a Builder, Plumier, electrician.
Accent- The audience are unaware of this, again if we were to look at the vehicle,stereotypical we can assume that the accents of the character/characters are at a lower class, with poor communication skill, under educated.
Makeup-Again, the audience are unable to determine what the characters appearance are, due to the scene not showing any, yet from the prop we can assume it is masculine and neutral. Stereo typically, from the van, I would assume the character/characters would be male, therefore have little to no makeup on.
Sound- The sound is non-diegitic eerie and dark music, this helps add to the tense of the scene.Making the atmosphere mysterious and uncertain.
The tone of the incidental music increases as the scene ends, which again reinforces the tensions, engaging and enticing the audience to watch on.The music fits the visual, with the tone of the sound increasing as the scenery location is changed from shot to shot.This is effective because it helps set the scene.The music used also helps create suspense, making the audience wait for the climax, encouraging them to track the subject as the bass tone increases.
Location
The location of the scene is immediately made clear in the scene, with an establishing shot to show the scenery.The location is isolated and remote, which fits into the conventional thriller setting.
Throughout the scene several shots of the location were shown, from woodlands to mountains.Suggesting that this movie is perhaps in a nature reservoir, such as Yellow Fields or Alaska, again giving the impression of isolation, linking to the movie's genre and it's conventions.
Sound
Like mentioned beforehand, incidental music is used to illustrate the tension and to build up the atmosphere.Without this is would not entice the audience and would create a different feel for the film.Personally, the music helps the audience immediately establish the type of film and the mood.
Mood/Atmosphere
The mood is very eerie and negative, with dramatic, tense ,incidental music used throughout the scene, it makes the scene seem dark and gloomy.Although the scenery show in the shots are beautiful, you are unfocused from this due to the tense tone and tracking of the camera.
Titles/Typography
Titles are used to show the audience institutional information, such as the producers and directors, this is done quickly.Using simplistic and basic typography.This quickly fades out, ensuring it does not detract the audience from the contents, making the background the main focus.
Camera shots/Movements
several low and high angle shots are used to em phase their important and power.For example a low shot is used on a mountain, this makes the setting seem large , as if it's towering above the subject, which is enforced by the music increasing in volume as this shot occurs.
Tracking is used repetitively to help make the subject/vehicle the main focus
zoom is also used in several shots.This helps show the setting to the audience, showing it's size and over emphases it's proportions.
An Establishing shot is used at the beginning of the piece to set the scene.
Extreme long shots to again set the scene, it also helps put into perspective the size of the van in comparison to it's surroundings, making the vehicle seem vulnerable and insufficient to the setting.
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