Thursday, 15 December 2011

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. 

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