Silent Hill
Introduction to the film/Brief background
The first Supernatural Horror genre film opening I chose to analyse was Silent Hill (2006).Directed by Christoper Gans, staring Laurie Holden and Sean Bean.Made by Davis Films studios, with a $50 million budget and $572, 000 for the opening weekend.As for critical acclaim, it received 6/10 by IMDb, Tenn Choice Award and Golden Trailer Award in 2006.
Key characters/ Stock characters
Watching the clip the Protagonist and a stock character is immediately shown, which highlights their importance i n the film and helps the audience identify their roles and purpose in the film.
Female Protagonist- The scene began with a female, who we can assume is a protagonist, as she was running to rescue, which the audience can infer that she has both heroic and conventional characteristics of a key character/protagonist by doing this.
The character's appearance, in some respects,reflects masculine traits, with little, if not any, makeup on the subject's face.The female protagonist shows some key signs of femininity though, through her costume.With it being tightly fitted, denim shots and a white strap top, making it seem unpractical , particularly in the location the scene is set in.With the scene in a eerie and dark location, which is conventional to a horror, it makes the female character seem out of place , showing femininity through style over practicability.The idea of this character having female traits helps the audience view her as vulnerable and under threat from the unknown.This therefore helps add to the tension, creating a dark climatic atmosphere/mood.This also makes the character meet the conventions for a protagonist character, following the stereotypical expectations for a horror genre movie.If we were to look at this character stereo typically, the audience can also assume that she is under educated as she is a blonde, which, if we were to stereotype , is the inference for a girl with that hair.This adds to her vulnerability, making her more accessible to danger.
Young female protagonist/ Supernatural antagonist-This character is shown at the end of the scene,dressed in casual generalized clothing, which appear to be nightwear, which links to the setting, as it is dark.Her makeup is dark, with preaching black eyes and a shadowed face.This adds to the idea of her being possessed/controlled by a supernatural being.As by the end of the scene her state of mind seems contained, as she is crying, adding to her viability. She.She also meets the conventions for a supernatural horror, with conventionally a child being linked to the supernatural activity/being, to enforce vulnerability, innocence and danger.
Although I've stated she is a protagonist character, the supernatural being inside the female from half-way through the scene till the near end, seemed dominant and overpowering, making the character seem dangerous and demonized, as her behavior and body language was abnormal and antisocial.
Other stock characters-There was a male stock character, who appears to be the females partner, he however isn't present throughout the scene, with little shots with the character in, yet he appear again at the end.Supporting and being affectionate towards both protagonist's, enforcing his romance over them, showing signs of masculinity.
The stock character is shown by a depth pull and medium shot, with the male's costume informal and baggy, suggesting traits of masculinity.With the less frequent occurrence in the opening scene, in comparison to the other key stocks, the audience can assume that the male is a stock character and not a main/key character.
The stock character is shown by a depth pull and medium shot, with the male's costume informal and baggy, suggesting traits of masculinity.With the less frequent occurrence in the opening scene, in comparison to the other key stocks, the audience can assume that the male is a stock character and not a main/key character.
Narrative/ Stock situation
The scene contains little about the narrative, however provides the audience with an insight into the protagonist, antagonist and stock characters.We can infer that a supernatural occurrence is prevent in the young protagonist, which carries both danger and complication. As the protagonist searches for her child stepping into the dark woods ahead, tension increases, as she is not knowledgeable of the danger approaching her.The antagonist appears later, suggesting the protagonist is a victim, with the symbol of a cross, Also the young protagonist seemed dominated and overpowered by the demon/spirit being, which adds to the character's vulnerability, with the antagonist controlling her mentally or psychically harming her safety.
However, due to the common stereotype of child dreaming/living in a fantasy, her perspective of events may be overlooked by her parents, as nothing more than a nightmare or figment of imagination.As for the stock character he seems less important and more on the side lines in this movie.
Genre iconography
This opening shows icons which immediately establishes to the audience the film's genre,Horror.With the idea of a disappearance in the woodlands, creating fear and tension. From the beginning of the scene you are immediately shown, as the audience, that this film follows the key conventions of it's genre,Horror.This is shown through the mis en scene, such as dark lighting.Showing a range of shots to enhance and enforce the eerie atmosphere, such as an extreme long shot and a bird's eye view shot of the woods and ground.Silent Hill used a suburban house as it's first location to establish that the people involved in the supernatural event are normal, making it seem realistic and therefore more engaging.Using a forest for the second location is conventional to a horror movie, because it's dark, isolated and dangerous, which connotes evil.The scene also has a cliff and waterfall, which shows the distance between life/death and death/hell.
Themes of genre
There are several themes of horror, we are able to depict from this scene one .The 'unknown', where we are given a 'unknown' being, with it's intentions unclear being at this stage.This builds fear and tension, for both the audience and the characters.With the idea of a spirit or demon overpowering and possessing the female. Another theme present in the first scene is 'Good versus Evil' which is shown through the young protagonist.As the antagonist is overpowering her, she fights for her sanctity. This scene also has a theme of historic importance, which is shown through the icon of a cross, passing through into the young protagonist as a spirit or evil.
Score
In this scene non-diegetic music is used to add tension and to create a eerie atmosphere.The tone increases as the antagonist is shown, with incidental music being used under the music. High pitch string tones are used to emphases the antagonist and the danger they are entering.Making the audience more engaged into the events.
Typography
The title of 'Silent Hill' appear later in the scene, after the climax of the antagonist, and when the events end.This is effective positioning, due to the fact the tension builds and the title is then shown after, to provide an insight into the movie's content, making a link with the antagonist and title, suggesting the antagonist has some kind of involvement with 'silent Hill'. The typography appears on the screen quickly and does not dwell over the words, yet has a transition which allows the text to stand out and attract interest.The white colour and sharp lettering helps enforce the importance of the word to the audience.
The scene contains little about the narrative, however provides the audience with an insight into the protagonist, antagonist and stock characters.We can infer that a supernatural occurrence is prevent in the young protagonist, which carries both danger and complication. As the protagonist searches for her child stepping into the dark woods ahead, tension increases, as she is not knowledgeable of the danger approaching her.The antagonist appears later, suggesting the protagonist is a victim, with the symbol of a cross, Also the young protagonist seemed dominated and overpowered by the demon/spirit being, which adds to the character's vulnerability, with the antagonist controlling her mentally or psychically harming her safety.
However, due to the common stereotype of child dreaming/living in a fantasy, her perspective of events may be overlooked by her parents, as nothing more than a nightmare or figment of imagination.As for the stock character he seems less important and more on the side lines in this movie.
Genre iconography
This opening shows icons which immediately establishes to the audience the film's genre,Horror.With the idea of a disappearance in the woodlands, creating fear and tension. From the beginning of the scene you are immediately shown, as the audience, that this film follows the key conventions of it's genre,Horror.This is shown through the mis en scene, such as dark lighting.Showing a range of shots to enhance and enforce the eerie atmosphere, such as an extreme long shot and a bird's eye view shot of the woods and ground.Silent Hill used a suburban house as it's first location to establish that the people involved in the supernatural event are normal, making it seem realistic and therefore more engaging.Using a forest for the second location is conventional to a horror movie, because it's dark, isolated and dangerous, which connotes evil.The scene also has a cliff and waterfall, which shows the distance between life/death and death/hell.
Themes of genre
There are several themes of horror, we are able to depict from this scene one .The 'unknown', where we are given a 'unknown' being, with it's intentions unclear being at this stage.This builds fear and tension, for both the audience and the characters.With the idea of a spirit or demon overpowering and possessing the female. Another theme present in the first scene is 'Good versus Evil' which is shown through the young protagonist.As the antagonist is overpowering her, she fights for her sanctity. This scene also has a theme of historic importance, which is shown through the icon of a cross, passing through into the young protagonist as a spirit or evil.
Score
In this scene non-diegetic music is used to add tension and to create a eerie atmosphere.The tone increases as the antagonist is shown, with incidental music being used under the music. High pitch string tones are used to emphases the antagonist and the danger they are entering.Making the audience more engaged into the events.
Typography
The title of 'Silent Hill' appear later in the scene, after the climax of the antagonist, and when the events end.This is effective positioning, due to the fact the tension builds and the title is then shown after, to provide an insight into the movie's content, making a link with the antagonist and title, suggesting the antagonist has some kind of involvement with 'silent Hill'. The typography appears on the screen quickly and does not dwell over the words, yet has a transition which allows the text to stand out and attract interest.The white colour and sharp lettering helps enforce the importance of the word to the audience.
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