Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) - Trailer Analysis.

This trailer begins, with a low angle shot of a car driving past in a hot sunny desert like place. The location at this point isn’t really a setting paradigm. The non-diegetic sound sounds calm. It is set in the day time, the fact that it is also set during the day, also breaks that convention. The camera cuts to a two shot of the two couples in the car, Equilibrium. The camera then cuts to a tone card: “August 18, 1975”, this establishes hen it was set, also it’s been written in a traditional font, which contributes to it.  The camera cuts to a two-shot of a couple, this shot establishes their relationship. Everyone is laughing having a good time (Equilibrium). The camera cuts to a close up of a sign, then cuts to a tone card; “Travis county Texas”, establishes where they’re going. The camera then cuts to a long shot of the truck slowing down next to a “hitchhiker”. There’s a lot of dust, making it hard to see what’s happening behind them, which suggests that wherever this person “hitchhiker” came from is somewhat a blur, distorted. The diegetic sound of speech spoken by the “hitchhiker”; “They’re all dead” creates tension, moment of disequilibrium.

The camera then cuts to a series of short quick shots, in sync with the diegetic sound of a vinyl scratching which almost sounds identical to the sound of a heartbeat. The first shot is of the couple, looking back at the “hitchhiker” in shock to what they’ve just herd. The next shot is a close up of the “hitchhiker” crouching over her knees with her hands covering her ears, like she’s looking for a place to escape, trying not to hear or see anything. The camera cuts to a close up of someone observing from behind a set of blinds. You cannot see the face of the person, which makes it very voyeuristic.

Camera cuts to an establishing shot of an old building, isolated in the middle of nowhere, they have done this to show that, no one’s around to help them, they can scream as loud as they want, and no one would be able to hear them. Camera cuts to a girl walking up to the house on her own. Camera then cuts to a shot from inside the house, and two people are standing outside banging on the door, shouting to see if anyone is there. The house is dimly lit; the only form of light is the ones coming from outside shining in from the windows. Camera cuts to a low angle of the girl walking towards the house by herself. The fact that the camera is a low angle shot suggests that she is a powerful character, possibly the final girl? The camera then cuts to the guys face which shows his facial expression which is of suspicion.

“BANG” the diegetic sound of that bang stopped the non-diegetic sound. The camera then cuts to the girl jumping as a reaction from that sound. The camera then cuts to a close up of a “peeping hole”, which suggests that someone is watching which is yet again voyeuristic. The camera then cuts to the girl on the other side of the “peeping hole” looking through it, which suggests that she might have had the feeling of someone watching her. Camera then cuts to an over the shoulder shot of an old guy in a wheel chair, him being in a wheel chair makes him vulnerable therefore not a threat to them. Camera cuts to a two shot of their faces as a reaction to the man’s appearance. Cuts to the “hitch- hiker” With the diegetic sound: “You’re all gonna die” moment of disequilibrium. The camera cuts to a close up of the peeping hole, which suggests that someone is probably watching behind it.  Camera then cuts to that door opening finally revealing who is behind it however the camera cuts to a close up of the boy and girls face in reaction to the villain.

The camera fades out to a white screen which looks like a flash of the camera, it fades out in sync with the non-diegetic sound which also sounds like a camera. The camera cuts to a hand held/point of view shot of the villain chasing one of the guys through a clothing line, the camera does the same thing with the fade out and the non-diegetic sound. The camera then cuts to a close up of the girl holding back the door in order to prevent someone coming through, Final girl? The camera then cuts to a close up of two girls huddling in what looks like a basement. Due to the way they have been composed in this shot, they look extremely vulnerable. The camera is still doing the fade to white, with the non-diegetic sound that sounds like a camera. The camera then cuts to a series of quick short cuts, with the sound of the non-diegetic sound speeding up. This creates tension.

The camera cuts to a tone card one after the other, and the second one says “Inspired by a true story”. By doing this they have made the movie 10 times scarier than it already was, as by saying it’s inspired by a true story, it make people believe that it could happen anywhere, to anyone. There is a voice over, over a fade to black of a girl screaming, with then a sound of some sort of chains, gives the impression of imprisonment, claustrophobia. The camera then cuts to a series of short quick cuts, yet again building tension. The trailer ends with the villain sliding his door shut, going back to hide away. Until now he has remained hidden.

The Last House On The Left - Trailer Analysis (2009)

This trailer starts off with an establishing shot of a car driving through the woods; it is set during the day which gives a sense of equilibrium. The camera cuts to a long shot of the car taking the left route, with the diegetic sound of speech saying: “Only house for miles” whish shows that they’re isolated. The camera then cuts to a medium shot of the girl taking her clothes off to go for a swim; gives a sense of voyeurism. Camera then cuts to a two shot of mum and daughter, established the relationship between the two. The non-diegetic sound is calming very melodic which contributes to the equilibrium.

The camera then cuts to a close up of Justin’s face which is in shock; he’s got his hood up, hiding his face, which gives the impression that he is hiding something. The camera then cuts to a close up of the 3 characters (Mary, Justin and Paige), establishes each character and the relationship between them. Camera then fades out to a different scene, establishes a change of time. The camera then cuts to a close up of feet as the door opens, in sync with the non-diegetic sound of a “whoosh”, moment of disequilibrium.

The camera cuts to a medium close up of the three villains walking in, and due to the way that they have been composed in this shot, with two of them slightly more in front in a sort of protective stance, shows that they’re protecting him from something or someone. The camera then cuts to a close up of their faces, Mary looks scared. The camera then cuts to a two shot of Justin and one of the villains, the one being “protected”, establishes a relationship which we then find out to be a father and son relationship. The camera then cuts to a shot – reverse shot between Mary and the villain. The camera then cuts to a close up of Paige being held captive with a knife to her throat. They have used a knife, as it’s more personal. The camera then blacks out to nothing.

The diegetic sound of speech; “NO, NO, NO” shows signs of distress and mercy. Camera cuts to quick short cuts of Paige attempting to escape, by banging on the windows crying out for help, to then of the villain coming back in and grabbing her and banging her head against the sink to knock her out of consciousness, camera then fades out, linking with the idea of Paige being unconscious. The camera then fades back to a long shot of them in the woods; this establishes a change of time. The camera then cuts to a close up to Mary escaping by running into the water, the diegetic sounds of gun shots link in with the fade, which suggests that she’s been wounded and knocked out of consciousness. The camera then cuts to a tone card: “It was a brutal crime”. Camera then cuts to a high angle shot of Mary, which makes her look vulnerable.  This shot links in with the first time line. The camera then cuts to the villains walking past a sign which read; “Lake ends in the road”, establishes that they’re heading to the same place as where Mary’s parents are staying at, it is now night time which suggests a change of time.

The camera cuts to a point of view shot of someone opening a door, the door opens to the sight of the villains, we then discover that it was Mary’s dad who had opened the door, and they stay unaware of where they are. Cuts to a tone card; “It was a place to hide”, camera then cuts to a point of view shot of Justin looking at the picture of Mary that’s attached to the fridge. He finally realises where they are. The camera then cuts to a close up of Mary taking a breath; this then fades out to a close up of Justin’s face, which is in shock, horror and guilt. There’s a voiceover of Mary’s parents and the villains talking about Mary, but not exactly mentioning her name. Cuts to a tone card; “It was the wrong house”.  The camera then cuts to a close up of May’s hand grabbing the red cone in the water. This makes her seem weak and vulnerable, as she’s holding out for something to keep her stable. The camera fades out to a rocking chair banging against the porch. The camera then cuts to Mary’s dad shining a light on the rocking chair, only to find Mary on the floor barely alive. Cuts to black, the non – diegetic sound comes in, this song juxtaposes with what’s going on as this song is a joyous song.

The camera cuts to a close up of the parent’s reaction of shock and horror, as they find out what had happened to her. Camera cuts to a medium shot of them placing her on the living room coffee table, camera cuts to the villain getting comfy in bed. The camera fades out to a high angle close up of Mary’s mum crying, makes her look very weak and vulnerable. The camera then fades to a close up of another villain, then to a close up of a gun.  The camera then cuts to a close up of Mary’s dad looking down at Mary’s mum in a kind of protective way. This shot makes him look extremely powerful. Camera then cuts to a close up of the kitchen knives, disequilibrium.

Camera cuts to a close up of the female villain in the shower; this shot relates slightly to the famous shower scene in the film psycho, in this shot she looks very suspicious and cautious. The camera cuts to a point of view shot of Mary looking up at one of the villains; this shot makes her look very vulnerable, especially after the shot reverse shot of their reactions; the villains being in shock, and Mary’s in pure fear.  The camera then cuts to a series of quick short shots, of the parents killing the villains, this juxtaposes with the non – diegetic sound, which is still that joyous song “Sweet child of mine”. It then cuts to two tones cards; “If some hurt”, “Someone you love” but in a fade, so it makes sense. Camera then cuts to a close up of Mary’s face being pressed up against the dirt. Cuts to a tone card; “How far would you go”, Cuts to a series of short quick shots of more violence, cuts back to a tone card; “To hurt them back”. That section is of an almost shot reverse shot kind of thing linking the tone cards with the shots, explains, what is going to happen.  The diegetic sound of speech; “Do you wanna hear what I did to your daughter?” in a voice over, this shows that he is provoking the dad, and that he has no morals, and is pure evil. The camera cuts to a close up of someone taking the gun, from the villain’s bed side table. Camera cuts to another series of quick short cuts, of more violence.

The camera then cuts to a point of view distorted shot of the villain looking up at the dad, seeing as his sight is distorted almost as if he has just woken up from unconsciousness suggests a change of time. The camera then cuts to a close up of a slight high angle shot of the villain’s face, makes him look weak and vulnerable. This supports my theory with that first shot of when the villains were introduced and the other two were in an almost protective stance, as those two villains died before him, leaving him to attempt to defend himself. The camera then cuts to a close up of the mother’s face smiling, slightly sinister. This is a new equilibrium for them. The camera cuts back to the point of view distorted shot, of the villain looking up at the dad. The trailer ends with a medium shot of the villain paralysed from the neck down, with his head in a microwave. 

Saw Trailer Analysis:

The trailer starts with a very old T.V on an old chair that looks pretty much broken. The location is in a rundown setting. There’s some sort of a clown, ventriloquist doll mask which distorts his features. The mask is a paradigm.  The idea that he is on a T.V In an isolated place, which could be anyone anywhere gives a sense that it could happen to anyone anywhere. Also the use of a point of view shot. The trailer in the beginning lacks in tone cards or preview card, it gets straight into it. There is no disenable equilibrium, we are already thrown into disequilibrium.

The camera then cuts to a couple of newspaper articles, which gives a narrative creates a background story. The non-diegetic sound “whoosh” creates a sense of unease. Finally a tone card has been introduced. “It’s his game” there is a colour connotation, which gives a sense of darkness. The words are slightly unfocused and disorientating. The smoke being used gives a sense that things are unclear, this links in with the unfocused writing. The font used looks slightly like a serious and traditional font. This suggests that maybe this is not a traditional horror film, as the font gives a sense of age and maturity, the font is intelligent, which cannot be linked with a slasher film.

The camera then cuts to a point of view shot through a camera lens, which gives a sort of voyeurism effect, as the character is being watched. The location is set in like a prison, with barred windows; also the balcony suggests that they’re high up, and isolated. Someone knows that they’re being watched, as the curtains moved.

The camera then cuts to a man in scruffy jeans and blue shirt; he looks like a middle class worker, in which anyone could identify with. The camera then cuts to a medium shot. He is not wearing any shoes which give a sense of exposure and vulnerability. He is in an isolated setting, all you can see is that they’re in a place where there are tiles and pipes its a little damp. It suggests that he is located in a place that is hidden away, as nothing looks like it has been take care of.

Camera cuts to a man in a black cloke, which slightly looks like the grim reaper, which gives the impression that he could possibly the villain. He is surrounded by smoke, which gives a sense of mystery as you cannot see through smoke. Also he is in a low key lighten location with cages which gives a sense of imprisonment.

There is a voice over which narrates parts of the film. This establishes the narrative of the story. We also learn more about the characters. The non –diegetic sound of a low rumbling creates a sense of unease. The camera then fades to black, which suggests a passage of time. This suggests that they have been there for a long time.  The colour black gives a sense that they’re plunged into darkness. The tone card “it’s your move” draws audience in, makes them identify with the characters, which then makes them an active audience instead of a passive audience.

The camera then cuts to a point of view shot, looking up which gives that almost in a hospital kind of effect, drifting in and out of consciousness. The camera then cuts to a point of view shot of a chain saw, which is a paradigm. The fact that the image of the chainsaw is slightly blurred and rigid, suggests that the character is in an unstable mental state, which shows a real sense of panic, sets up the narrative.

The camera cuts to a CCTV camera with yet again gives that sense of voyeurism. Also the man in wired cages gives the sense of physical imprisonment. The non diegetic sound of the clock links in with the spinning of the camera, which breaks the 180 degree rule, which makes it extremely voyeuristic. It also makes you feel sick and disorientated.

Camera cuts to a load of different character types which supports Propps theory of character types. The camera cuts to a blonde girl, which is the victim which could possibly be the final girl. She is leaning against a banister for support.

The camera cuts to a cellar door, which gives a sense of being trapped and imprisonment. It also suggests that it’s underground, in the darkness where horror happens. (Light = salvation). There is an acceleration of shot types which are very short, which raises questions (pleasure of the texts). There non diegetic sound of a sort of industrial noise links in with the use of the machines and tools e.g. saw. The trailer ends with the diegetic sound of the clown/ventriloquist doll laughing in a creepy sinister way.  

Media Theories - Presentation.

http://www.slideshare.net/Eleonitaa/media-theories-12531583