AS Foundation Portfolio Thriller Opening

Screenflow Evaluation

Evaluation of Thriller Opening

Editing our film (Audio)

Whilst creating the audio for our film we decided against using Adobe After Effects and using Final Cut Pro X instead as we agreed it was more user friendly and had a larger range of sound effects. Prior to creating our audio, we had all spent large amounts of time on different royalty free websites trying to find the appriopriate music. After numerous different discussions on what type of music genre we wanted for our film we finally decided against the idea of using loud, driving dramatic music and instead went for a more subtle piano piece called 'Ghostopalypse 8' that set an eerie tone for the film.

We used this for the main body of our film but also used two other tracks near the end called 'Hush' and 'House of Leaves.' These two tracks add to the drama of the piece as they build up tension and cause the viewer to feel uncomfortable. We also used a sound effect from Final Cut Pro X for the lighting of a match at the start of the film and another track for the Jazzhands Productions company logo called 'Bent and Broken.' All of the music we used was taken from Kevin Macleod's website: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html/index.html?genre=Horror

What we decided against (Editing)

Whilst editing we experimented with other effects and transitions that we later decided were not fitting for our movie. This was generally because the effects were to flashy and evident and we wanted our film to be more subtle. We also decided against the idea of having a frantic ending shot where many shots are merged together and are sped up for one final scene. However we decided against this and thought that simply revealing the films name against a black screen was the most effective way of finishing our thriller opening.

Gausian Blur (Editing)

Another effect we did in order to reveal text is called the Gausian Blur. This was done for the shot where the antagonist dips his pen in the red ink and a rack focus in used on the ink pot. For this particular scene the text is always present but it is blurred out. When the  man dips his pen in the ink in order to write the text becomes clear and the credit for casting is revealed.

Transitions (Editing)

In order to move from one particular scene where a piece of paper is burnt to another we used a burn transition where we basically filmed the burning of flames. In order to make this transition work we used an opacity dissolve transition between the two clips that allowed the dissolve to take place from one scene to another. We chnaged the opacity from 0-100 on both scenes so that they faded into each other. We used a swipe transition when the antagonist moves the diary to introduce our production company name. This was a fairly simple process that included using the sidesweep effect in order to control the timing of the sweep so that the whole of the text is revealed.

Vignetting (Editing)

For the editing of our film we decided to use Adobe After Effects CS5.5 and CS6, due to the fact we had to work on to separate computers, one in school and one at Ryan's house. Primarily we downloaded all the footage onto the computer and chose the shots we wanted for our film. Once we had chosen the appropriate shots we went about ordering and cutting them, so that we basically had a rough draft of the film.

Once we had the rough draft at the film we went about enhancing our film with many different editing techniques and effects. We used vignetting in our first shot in order to create the effect of the hands coming our of the darkness along with the lighting of the match, instead of just having a silhouette of the hands before the match is lit. We used a vignette in order to change the brightness of the video and created a mask on that video clip that framed the brightness and contrast, so that the light changed when the match is struck and the fire becomes present.

Filming Day Two: Tuesday 18th February

We decided to keep momentum going and film two days in a row. Upon arrival at Ryan's house at around 1300 we got straight into filming as the table and lighting was already set up from the previous day of filming. We started the day by filming the scene in which the killer carves the image of a child out of photo consisting of a mother and son. Using a 1930s razor Ray found in storage we filmed the close up scene which went very well. We then focused on filming the different scenes in which text credits are revealed by being written by the killer. The first credit was simply a close up of the killer writing on a piece of paper which he then crumbles up.

The next text credit shot is of the killer burning a sheet of paper on the candle. This scene was probably the most difficult to film and took three goes to do. The first time we attempted to burn the sheet of paper on the fire we actually put the candle out by pressing the paper to hard on it. The next go the paper took way to long to set a light and the writing was eligible in the shot. The third shot went very well with the paper burning quickly and credit on the paper being easy to read, we also got a close up shot of the flames the paper created which we plan on using for a transition in our film. The next three shots we took were all fairly away and quick. They included the killer dipping his pen in ink and writing Dear Diary in two different shots, one closer up than the other. We decided against two shots that were to hard to do properly. These included a close up of ink dripping of a pen which is swiftly turned round and the ink is caught. We tried this process fifteen times and were unable to get the right shot. The other scene we decided to get rid of was a panning shot of the entire room, however due to continuity and a television we were unable to remove from the background we decided against this scene. The final scene we filmed was one in which we left a pen on a diary page and let ink run down the page where text will later by added. This completed the filming of our thriller opening which was definitely a lot easier on the second day. Upon completion we looked at all the footage in case of continuity problems but we could find no severe ones. 

Filming Day One: Monday 17th February

Over half term on Monday 17th February we did our first day of filming for our As Media Studies Thriller Opening. In the previous two terms we had filmed an a remake of the 'Reservoir Dogs' opening as well as a preliminary task where we were instructed to incorporate many shots we were unfamiliar with. Therefore this was not our first attempt at filming, but it was out first unsupervised and most important project. I arrived at Ryan's house at around 1300 and we began to set up for the work ahead. We had previously set up the lights therefore the arrangement out set was the first task.

Within our thriller opening the whole scene is set around a table where a psychopath manipulates a diary. We decided to scatter old newspaper around the table in order to make the murderer look more demented and also so that we could spill ink around the table without ruining it. We then set up all the different props around the table and took pictures of them in order to make sure we kept continuity for later filming. We scattered many pictures of children around the table as well taired up pieces of paper the killer had written on and discarded. Our actor Ray Still had to wash his hands in dirt as his only preparation for the filming.

With the set and our actor finally ready we started to film our movie. The first two scenes we filmed were relatively easy and were done pretty quickly. As they consisted of simply lighting a match, and then lighting a candle from two seperatr angles. We then moved on to the filming of our top down scenes within our opening. This particular shot occurs many different times throughout the intro of our opening therefore we decided to film a few of the top downs not in chronological order to help continuity. These scenes took considerably longer to film as the actor at times had problems with the speed in which the actions had to take place. However we got the shots and were able to keep very good continuity. We then moved on to the scene in which we punctured through the killers diary. Again this scene proved problematic due to the thickness of the diary paper. Therefore we had to remake a whole in order to make the movement more smooth and less force. Using the macro lense we moved on to filming some close ups of the diary being opening and a side on shot of the killer flicking through the book and stopping at

a random page. This was another scene that proved to be problematic to film. We used rack zoom within this scene and we were unable to use a tripod due as the diary was on the table and it was a close up. Therefore whilst trying to use the rack zoom the camera shook a lot which meant we had to refilm the scene a lot to make sure the end product was still and not shaky. We filmed a few more stills of pictures of the child that he cuts up and then we finished for the day, a bit more than halfway through filming. 

Props

Here are some of the props we used whilst filming. The Mise en Scene of our opening was vital as it is meant to be set in between 1930s. Therefore it was important to get props that did not look modern so that they would not look out of place. Here are a few photos of props we used for our opening.

The diary is the focal point of our opening therefore it was the most important item on the agenda as it had to look realistic within the time period. We bought three of these diaries so that we could edit them and practise with them. We preferred them to the other diaries we looked at as we thought it has interesting pages and an interesting lock to manipulate when we filmed.

Here is the matchbox we used for filming. Our opening starts with a man lighting a candlebox using a matchbox, therefore in order to establish the 1930s tone we needed to use a matchbox that looked suitable for the time period. The Ship matchbox was the best option of out the three matchboxes we had as it looked older than the Swans matchbox and was a better size than the Cook's Matchbox.

This is the candle we used in our opening . We liked this candle because of the arch created an interesting light and it added to the 'deranged' tone of the opening. The candle is used throughout the opening and is moved around the show the antagonists schitzophrenic mind state. 

Unfortunately we were unable to get any papers from the 1930s in time for filming. We ordered one but the seller refused to mention that it was just the front page of the newspaper. Therefore we had to use a newspaper from the late 80s instead. Initially we had just planned on having the newspaper on the table as an extra prop. Instead whilst filming we decided to have it spread over the table so that we could be more creative with the ink and to make the scene more messy and interesting.

Another prop we used within our opening was the use of children's photo. Our opening is about a psychotic pedophile who is framing the suicide of a child to cover up his murder. We thought that having pictures of children scattered over the table would give the audience a clearer indication of the murderers motivation without giving to much of the plot away. We took many different pictures of Ryan and myself and scattered them around the table. This particular picture was covered in red ink whilst filming in order to suggest this child is a target of the killer

Recce Shots

As we are only using one room for the location of our Thriller Opening we had a limited area in which we could take Recce Shots. Here are some shots of the diary we will be using as the focal point of our opening. Whilst taking photos of the diary we also came up with the idea of sweeping the diary and possibly having credits where it formally was. We also took some photos of the possible lighting we will be using for the filming of our opening. We will be using almost no natural light in our opening therefore it was vital to practise lighting so that when we started filming we would know exactly what to do, especially as lighting is vital for creating the eerie tone present within our opening.

Recce Shots of Diary

Shots of Possible Lighting

Production Company Logo

This was the final production company logo we came up with which will introduce our Thriller Opening. However we may eventually change the music so that it is more fitting with the tone of our Thriller Opening.

Animatic for Thriller Opening

In order to gain a better understanding of what our final product would look like we created an animatic. An animatic is when you take photos of the various different storyboard panels you have created and then order and film then so you you have a video of what your thriller with look like only in drawings without movement and proper transitions. This process was especially helpful for the filming of our thriller as it gave us an indication of what order we should film the shots with and helped us with the continuity of our task. It also helped us with the actor we were working with as it showed him what do to and how long he should take whilst doing different actions.

Storyboard

Storyboard for Thriller Opening by spencerjohnston

Preliminary Task

In preparation for the filming of our Thriller Openings we were instructed to create a short movie that consists of a character entering a room and then conversing with another character whom is sitting opposite this character. We did this in order to grasp a better understanding of the type of shots often used in TV Dramas such as the eyeline match, match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. The 180 degree rule is a shot you need to be precise with as it is not effective unless it stays on one side of the characters whilst filming so that the characters both have designated positions that do not change, otherwise the rule is broken and the scene could become unclear. 

In order to prepare for the filming of our preliminary task we had to create a script and storyboard so that we did not have to improvise whilst we were being filmed. The storyboard took a while as we had to try and find a way of incorporating every single shot technique into the film. The script did not take long as it was a very short film and some of the dialogue was improvised whilst we filmed as we thought it made the film flow more.

We filmed our preliminary task in one of the ICT rooms opposite where we have our Media Studies lessons. This was good place to film as the light was fine and did not change whilst we filmed. The room was also completely empty therefore we did not have to worry about people coming in and out interrupting us. 

The filming and editing of our preliminary task was also relatively simple and did not take up a lot of time. We used Canon SLR as well as a tripod in order to keep the camera from shaking whilst we were filming. However for the shot were the male character enters the room we could not find an appropriate angle where the tripod could be used, therefore the camera shakes a bit whilst we are filming. The editing of the film was also very simple as we did not need to change the audio or speed of any of the footage. Therefore it was simply a matter of ordering the different footage and cutting some of it down.

This task was beneficial for me as it gave me a clearer idea of what we needed to work on preparation wise for our Thriller Opening. It showed us how important it is to storyboard what your going to film as it makes the filming process significantly more efficient and faster. It also made me more comfortable with the different equipment we would have to use when we filmed.

Preliminary Task: Cookie Thief Suzie

Setting, Inspiration and Props Moodboards

Setting Moodboard

 

Inspiration for Our Opening

Moodboard for Opening

Production Sheet

Production Company Name Final

Finding Music for Thriller Opening

In order to prepare for the opening of our thriller we looked at different audios that we thought would enhance the tone of our opening. We had to take into consideration that we could only use royalty free music. Initially we thought about using music similiar to that within the opening of Seven that would help create a dark tone. The song 'Closer' is used in the opening of Seven is by Industrial Rock band Nine Inch Nails and helps create a sinister tone within the opening credits which is present throughout the rest of the movie. The 'raised strings' audio within this song also makes the scene more uncomfortable for the audience especially when 'puncturing' is used within the scene.

I visited  http://www.musicmediatracks.com/ a royalty free music website that consists of a number of different tracks from various different genres. I looked through the genres 'dark' and 'rock' in order to find different tracks similar to 'Closer.' There were some tracks that were of interest but none that particularly stood out.

After this I looked through other various genres where I found the 'Classical Orchestra' section. This reminded me of how classical music is used in some thrillers very effectively such as 'Clockwork Orange' and 'Insidious.' Therefore I had a look through the tracks in order to see if they may be fitting for setting the dark tone within are opening. Whilst looking through these tracks I found a few different ones that were generally very effective in creating an uncomfortable tone and could be possibilities for our opening. I also decided to play some of the tracks on top of each other which created an enseble of noise that was exceedingly creepy and uncomfortable.

Treatment of 'Secrets'

After weeks of planning and discussion we were given the objective to within our groups individually write a treatment of our thrillers. This means to write a whole movie plot to go with the idea of our thriller opening.

Opening: The movie will begin with a diary being altered by gloved hands. The music and filming present within the opening scene identify the man to be the movies antagonist and that what he is currently doing is in some way covering up what he has done. Words are changed within the diary in order to make it sound depressing and suicidal. The diary is even soaked with blood at one point in order to make the child look as if he was self harming before his murder.

Act One: An ageing detective (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is shown sitting half naked within an urban apartment . The flat is big and looks expensive but it is very poorly looked after with clothes all over the floor and unwashed dishes overflowing the sink. The man seems to be recovering from a night of heavy drinking and takes a shower whilst his phone rings repeatedly. He gets out of the shower and looks at a picture of a woman whilst smiling, the man is alone and has recently been left by this woman. His phone rings again and he pauses on the phone listening to the other line before saying he will be in right away. The detective arrives at the police station where his name is unveiled as Jack. Amongst his piers he is shown to be a lot older and it is implied that he will perhaps be leaving the force soon due to pressure to retire. He is brought into the office where he is informed about the suicide of an eleven year boy named Henry and presented with the background of the the child's life. The head of the police station believes that it was murder and that the suicide had been framed as suicide is very rare amongst children below 15. Reluctantly Jack agrees to take on the case but claims if they have no inroads in the next days he will quit.

Act Two: Upon leaving the police station Jack is confronted by the stepfather of Henry who is called Sam (Sean Penn.) Sam discusses Henry's problems growing up but states himself that he does not believe that the child committed suicide and that he will do anything he can to help. That night Jack goes to a seedy bar where he excessively drinks, he dances with a younger woman before he begins to harass her. The woman slaps him and he returns home while still under the influence he begins to ponder the case using files given to him at the police station. Still drunk Jack begins to have flashbacks to his youth where it is lightly implied that he subjected to an uncaring father and an alcoholic mother which may be the reason for his drinking. The abuse he suffers at the hands of his mother are not properly shown until later on in the movie. Jack for the first time visits the house of Henry where he meets the mother Karen (Marcia Gay Harden.) Jack acts hostile towards Karen questioning how little she seemed to know about her son and her lack of grievance for his death. Sam, who is also home, tells him of a Recreational centre where Henry spent most of his time.

Act Three: Later that day Jack goes to the recreational centre where he speaks to a few children who offer no meaningful information. He then speaks to the head of the recreational centre a man called James (Jon Voigt) who is a Vietnam veteran. The two talk for a while about Henry and about how James had taken the child under his wing following the death of his father and that the child did not like his stepfather Sam, James speaks about how he had met with Sam three days prior to the death of the child. James leaves the room briefly to go the toilet. As soon as he leaves Jack, suspicious of James's behaviour, frantically looks through James's draws. When he looks through his draw he finds a picture of three naked children that leads Jack to believe that James is a pedophile and is responsible for the death of the eleven year old, however the pictures are in no way malicious. When James returns he is confronted by an angry Jack who accuses him of the murder. James states that the picture had been planted there and that he had never seen it before. Jack does not believe James but knows he has no damming information as the picture was not malicious and that he must keep searching for the truth. Before Jack leaves James tells his of a diary that the child constantly wrote in.

Act Four: The next day following another late night out Jack returns to Henry's home in the evening order to find the diary, Karen is home but Sam is out at work. When questioned about the diary Karen seems sheepish to talk about it lying about its whereabouts. Sam shortly returns home, Jack questions Sam about the diary. Like Karen he seems nervous about Jack finding the diary but helps Jack find the diary which is hidden in Henrys room. The diary is very thick spanning over two hundred pages. Jack states that he will read the diary when he is home. However after leaving the house he is sidetracked and ends up in the bar again, excessively drinking. He returns home again very drunk and begins to read the diary. The diary spans from when the child was 9-11 starting following the death of his father. Within the early stages of the book he talks about how his mother started acting strange following her fathers death and began acting borderline neglectful towards him. The diary goes on to say how he greatly loves his stepfather Sam and how he looked after him very well. The diary goes on to talk about how the mother had become increasingly violent and it is is made evident that the mother was an alcoholic. Jack has flashbacks to his youth where his mother would drink excessively and physically and emotionally abuse him, finishing with a flashback of his mother putting a hot iron rod against young Jack's skin, the mark is still present. Jack reads on about Karen's alcoholism and becomes increasingly upset. The diary goes onto talk about James, the head of the recreational centre, and how much Henry loved him. It then swiftly changes to how James began to hurt him and eventually sexually abuse him. There are bloodstains in the diary where the boy had apparently been selfing harming himself, which is in detail written about in the diary.

Act Five: The next day Jack returns to the recreational centre where he arrests James. At the police station aggressively questions James who remains adamant that he was not responsible for the murder. Jack speaks to both Sam and Karen about the Jon who both have very contrasting views. Karen strongly believes that James has nothing to do with the murder and that he is completely innocent, Jack due to what he read in the diary as well as his previous experiences has no trust for Karen and shouts at her claiming she didn't know her son. He then interviews Sam who believes that James is responsible for the Henry's death furthering Jack's believe that he is correct about James, unusually though Sam denies ever meeting with James. Following the interviews James returns to the recreational centre to search for more clues so that James can be sent to jail. He looks through the draws but is unable to find anything else of use. He spots a surveillance camera in the corner of the room which means he can find out if James and Sam ever actually met. The video he watches clearly shows James and Sam in a long meeting which shows them shouting at each other and arguing, James is shown leaving the room at this point the video shows Sam placing the photo of the naked children in the draw, Sam is also wearing black gloves, like the man shown earlier editing the diary. Jack then realises that all this time Sam had manipulated Jack into finding James and believing he was responsible for it. Jack confused by what he has just discovered visits Henry's body at the morgue. He speaks to the doctor whose examination has discovered that Henrys self harm marks were made Post Mortem. Jack realises that Sam had altered the diary so that Jack would believe James was responsible and that Sam is the murderer of Henry.

Act Six: Jack gets in his car and quickly drives to Henry's home in order to arrest Sam. He gets into the house where it is completely silent, however two cars are parked outside which leads Jack to believe that Sam is home. He heads upstairs into Sam and Karen's room but no one is there, he then goes into Henrys room where Karen is tied up and has her mouth taped closed. Jack goes to her rescue but is attacked by Sam who was hiding behind the door. He torments Jack who is on the floor still wounded and explains to Jack how this is not the first time he has done this and claims Jack's mistrust for woman has led to the loss of his wife, his alcohol problems and ultimately his death. Sam then points the gun at Jack and shoots him in both his legs. The movie then finishes with the Henry's house burning to a huge fire. Sam is shown driving away alone in his car smiling whilst the house burns in the distance. It can be assumed that Jack and Karen have been left to burn alive in the house.

Famous Thriller Openings (Blue Velvet and Jaws)

Before my group and I started working towards writing the beginning of our thriller opening we thought it would be fitting to take a look at some of the great thriller openings and why movie openings are important to setting the tone for the rest of the movie. I decided to look at movie openings from movies that spanned between 1960-2010, looking at a movie each from the various decades.

There were two movie openings that particularly stood out to me. The first was from Auteur David Lynch's Mystery Thriller 'Blue Velvet.' Blue Velvet is my personal favourite movie by David Lynch, it follows a vigilante detective played by Kyle MacLachlan on a strange trail of clues trying to help an exotic torch singer played by Isabella Rossellini get her family back who are being held captive by the perverted criminal Frank Booth, who is brought to life expertly by Dennis Hopper.

The opening depicts a seemingly perfect town in America with flowers present and children safely crossing the road, the song 'Blue Velvet' which is sung in the movie by Isabella Rossellini is present in the background. The song is very calm and pretty and seems to set a very positive tone for the movie. The opening then goes onto show an elderly man watering the garden. The 'heavenly' tone of the opening created by the music and the visuals are suddenly forgotten as the man begins to keel over and have a heart attack whilst his dog and child watch on helplessly. This opening is very successful in setting the tone for the rest of the movie as it prepares us for the surrealism present within the movie as well as the element of suprise which is utilised so effectively throughout the whole of the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDEzzFtrCTs

The next opening that stood out to me was a more famous one. This would be the opening of Steven Speilberg's 'Jaws.' Jaws is a movie that needs no introduction, the original 'blockbuster' shocked viewers all around the world with its frantic yet thrilling opening. The films opens on a beach in an unnamed town where a teenage beach party is taking place. A boy flirtatiously chases a girl across the beach to the sea where they both begin to undress in order to skinny dip, however the boy who appears to be intoxicated falls over and falls asleep before he is able to get into the water. The female, who is called Chrissie, does not notice the absence of the boy until she has swum far into the water. Approaching shots are then shown of Chrissie from below the water until Chrissie is savagely attacked by the shark who is not pictured within the scene. Within the opening of this famous movie it is made easy to see why Jaws won the Oscar for Best Original Score and Best Sound Mixing, as sound is used so effectively within this scene, as well as the rest of the movie, to create tension and suspense. The famous 'Jaws' music is present whilst the shark stalks Chrissie from underwater and it is successful in creating the tense atmosphere present throughout the whole of the movie and create such a stunning opening to the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrEvK-tv5OI

Analysis of Seven Opening Credits

Review of 'A Drowned Man'

PunchDrunk, a company combining dance and drama, presented this production which took place in an abandoned post office. The building is a very old and broken, which sets a scene before we have even entered the studios. The building very much reflects the set, in a way which represents an abandoned, crumbling Hollywood studios. Before even entering the acting space, there is a dark, winding tunnel which immediately creates a ghostly and uneasy atmosphere, this gets us the audience alert and aware of what we are going into. The audience is forced to wear masks throughout the whole production, we are provided with these masks before entering the acting space, this allows us to familiarise ourselves, we find them normal and as a spectator we find that the audience does not disrupt the performance. We feel as though we are part of the production.

The acting space is the furthest thing from a normal proscenium arch (fourth wall) performance. We the audience are in the acting space, we can get as close as we want to actors and we fell included and part of the character’s story, We fell captured by the actors because we are part of their personal space and we see everything from their perspective. Occasionally we felt uneasy and insecure, because we are so close to the action and the actors interact with the audience, and this gives us a sense of responsibility over them and as though we are related to them and their story. Actors would take you by the arm and give you a deeper, personal insight to the play, either by reading to us, speaking to us, or dancing with us. These personal connections give us the chance to develop relationships with certain actors and enhance our understanding of their character.

The flavour of the event changes a lot throughout the production. It starts off quite respectful of the actors, the audience seem to give the actors a lot of space and don’t seem to interact much. However, over the course of the evening, the audience and the actors become more comfortable together, and the event becomes very informal, people are running all over the place and it becomes frantic. As an individual, you are very frightened to explore the studios on your own, but there are stewards which work their hardest to separate you from large groups, and you eventually understand that the experience is more thrilling when you have no one to fall back on. Although the space and atmosphere is quite informal, as an audience member you are expected to respect the actors and their space, even though you have the ability to approach the characters, as you like. The audience starts off very spread out, separated and in little groups, but as if by magic, the whole audience ends up together for the finale.

In the production, there were two different types of set. One is made to resemble a worn down, crumbling Hollywood studio, and the other, a rural area of the outskirts of Los Angeles. The set is very realistic, the 4-storey warehouse in which it was performed included sand and tanbark floors, which really create an outdoor feeling. The Hollywood set had so many details that made the set so much more capturing and made us feel as though we had travelled backwards in time. We roam the studios as if we have literally just entered a new part of the world and we are exploring everything for the first time. Small details such as postcards on the wall, bankcards that were all relevant to the characters and their stories made the whole set feel like a real world.

The lighting was very gloomy and created an edgy atmosphere. It was light enough for the audience to see where they were going, but also dark enough for us to carefully look around and work hard to spot things. We are forced to be more alert and keep up with the actors to fully understand the story we are following. The sound also created a very unique atmosphere. In certain places of the outdoor set, there would be open-air noises such as howls, and wind blowing, this created a great ambience for the scene. Most of the time, sound effects were played to affect the audience depending on which scene they were in, the specific sound would suit the scene and make us feel and hear the mood of the act. This made our feelings change with the sound. The timing of the sound was also very important, in some scenes, the voices of actors could be heard even when actors were not present, then the actor who the voice belongs to would appear and be perfectly synchronized. This technique plays with our brains and creates suspension and curiosity amongst the audience members. The costume was very accurate. I the costume was based upon glamorous Hollywood party dresses, but was also made to look rough and old, very much like the story of the play and the studios in which it is set.

All the actors were very highly skilled in dance, this skill added more depth to the performance and meant that the boundaries of the performance were stretched, and more techniques could be show to the audience. For example, fight scenes were very gripping and realistic because the element of dance in them meant that all the choreographed moves could be pushed further to show more craziness and uncontrolled movements, which were actually very precise and organised.

Overall, the performance was like no other production one will ever see, the style of PunchDrunk is very unique and it uses the audience to add to the play to make it better. The production makes you walk home curious about what you have seen and what you have not seen, because there were many characters who’s stories you might never have come across and you could have missed a lot of the plotline. It is all up to you to make the production better for yourself.

Mise-En-Scene

Mise-en-Scène is visually what is in front of the audience. It is everything that is visually added to the scene. There are five different elements that make up the Mise-en-Scène.

Costume, Hair and Make up: These can be used in order to give the audience an idea of the personality of the character as well his class. For an example Freddie Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street's appearance suggests that his personality is evil, as his face is burnt and disfigured and he has knives coming out of his cloves. They also give us an indication of the time period the film is supposed to be set in. This especially applies to costume. An example of this would be Chinatown which was released 1976, the costume in this film helps the audience identify that the film is set in the 1930s as it is typical of the clothing at the time.

Facial Expressions and Body Language: These provide the audience with a better understanding of the emotional state of the characters. Without sound or context facial expressions can be misleading as a smile does not necessarily suggest happiness. An example of this would be the character of Jack Torrance in 'The Shining' who despite his psychotic thoughts and depression is often depicted smiling. Body Language is also used in order to depict the emotional state of a character. Physicality can also be used in order to express a characters opinion or feelings towards another character.

Settings and Props: The setting of a movie is important in indicating the social, historical and cultural content of the movie. Settings can be used to attract audiences as they are often the most aesthetically pleasing thing about the movie. For an example the set in Avatar which was created by CGI. Props can also be used in order to make settings more realistic.

Positioning of Objects or Characters within a frame: Directors often specifically place certain objects or characters in order to either draw or take away attention from a character or object. It can also be used in order to show the peoples feelings towards each other.

Colour: Colour is very vital towards to add meaning and texture to the scenes. It is can also be used for resemblance. An example of this would be Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men who is show wearing a lot of red, the colour that best resembles sex, passion and violence.

How Auteurs would direct Christmas Day

http://www.fastcocreate.com/3024141/how-your-favorite-movie-directors-would-film-christmas-morning

My Top ten films of 2013

As the road to the Oscars begins to hot up, I shall name my top ten films of 2013. Some of these films may have been released in England in 2014 but they have all been released in America in 2013 making them all in contention for the oscars.

10. Blue Jasmine

Cate Blanchett gives one of the strongest performances of her career, making her the front runner for Best Actress at the Oscars. However the movie lacks some of the usual charm of Woody Allen and will not remembered as a great.

7.7/10

9. The Conjuring

Very refreshing. The makers of Insidious deliver a suspenseful creep fest that goes back to some of the oldest tricks in the book. Patrick Wilson continues his reign as the Scream King in the scariest movie to come out since REC. 

7.8/10

8. 12 Years A Slave

Critics lauded the movie one of the best of all time. I was left thoroughly dissapointed. 12 Years was by no means a bad film with Ejiofor and Fassbender giving sparkling performance. But there was nothing about this one paced film that stood out to me and I do not understand all the hype surrounding it. However I have no doubts that it will win Best Picture on the 2nd of March.

8.1/10

7. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

A huge improvement from 'The Unexpected Journey.' Tolkien fans have complained about Jackson's many variations from the novel but I was highly impressed by the acting as well as the visuals in one of the most rousing films of 2013. Martin Freeman continues to endear himself to worldwide audiences.

8.1/10

6. American Hustle

American Hustle definitely had it's faults. The plot was questionable, but the cast gave a very strong performance with Christian Bale especially stealing the show. David O.Russell continues to distinguish himself as one of Hollywood's finest directors in one of the funnest movies of the year.

8.2/10

5.  Captain Phillips

Extremely intense, a film that kept the audience on the edge of their scenes due to superb acting and camerawork. Exquisite cinematic debut from Barkhad Abdi who outshone Hollywood veteran Tom Hanks in this action thriller.

8.3/10

4. Rush

Emotional biographical sports drama focusing on the relationship between Formula One drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt. A rivalry turned friendship between two contrasting characters in a story that reels the audience in. This coming from someone who despises Formula One.

8.3/10

3. Gravity

Probably the most visually stunning film of all time. Gravity centres around an astronaut played by Sandra Bullock stuck in space following a botched NASA mission. The film deals with the loneliness of space as well the resilience of man. Certainly a game changer. 

8.5/10

2. Dallas Buyers Club

Just wonderful. An emotional roller coaster driven by sensational performances from Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. A story of friendship and redemption that brought me to tears. McConaughey and Leto, who both lost 50 pounds, both gave the performances of a lifetime and have been rewarded with Golden Globes and Oscar nominations respectively. A stunning picture beautifully filmed and scored all on a budget of $5 million.

8.7/10

1. The Wolf of Wall Street 

Crude, controversial, excessive but wonderfully entertaining The Wolf of Wall Street has divided opinions amongst critics and audiences. I can completely understand why people would not like The Wolf of Wall Street and I do not condemn those who were appalled by the films greed infested nature. However I have to say I loved the film. It's an accomplishment in itselfs when a movie is able to keep the audience entertained for three hours, but it is an achievement of the highest magnitude to keep the audience utterly enthralled for three hours. The story follows corrupt stockbroker Jordan Belfort and his excessive lifestyle and his rise to wealth and power. The film was fast paced, intelligent and comedic consisting of strong performances from Leonardo Dicaprio and Jonah Hill as well as one if the most memorable soundtracks in years. Whether you end up enjoying it or not The Wolf of Wall Street is certainly a must see. 

8.8/10

Review of Insomnia

Insomnia is Christopher Nolan’s third feature film and probably one of his weakest. However definitely worth seeing especially for the brilliant cast including Oscar winners Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. Famous detective Will Dormer (Pacino) is brought down to Alaska to investigate the murder of a seventeen year old girl. During a mix up whilst trying to capture a murder suspect he shoots a fellow officer Martin Donovan (Eckhart). Knowing that he is under pressure due to accusations of providing false evidence in a former case, Dormer blames the accident on the murder suspect. A combination of guilt and inability to adjust to the 24 hour light Alaskan summer leads Dormer to develop insomnia whilst on the case, disorientating his mindset which becomes increasingly twisted. He is taunted by murder suspect Walter Finch (Williams) who has evidence of his crime, whilst fellow detective Ellie Burr (Swank) becomes increasingly skeptical about the death of Donovan.

Pacino is brilliant – in one of his best performances of the 21st century. He demanded the screen with his presence and had the perfect look for the part. Williams was also impressive in a role that allowed the comedian to show his versatility as an actor and prove he can operate effectively playing a darker role. Swank in my opinion is a wonderful actress. Most famous for her Oscar winning roles in Boys Don’t Cry (1999) and Best Picture winner Million Dollar Baby (2004), Swank plays the role of a hard working detective that uncovers the truth surrounding Donovan’s murder. What was particularly impressive about this performance was the evolution of the character throughout the film, who at the end came across as a seasoned cop who fully understood the psychological demands of the job. The direction of the movie was interesting with Nolan applying the use of silent flashbacks effectively in order to represent Dormer’s guilt. The scenery was also picturesque but chilling and helped the create the gloomy atmosphere present within Insomnia.

Insomnia is very intelligent and is an enjoyable watch. However it does not do anything new or exciting to challenge the conventions of the thriller genre. A good thriller but not a classic.

Thriller's Best Villains

Within the opening of the thriller we are filming, the main character of the scene will be the antagonist of movie Sam. Villains in thrillers often define movies just as much as the heroes. Therefore I will be naming my top five Thriller Villains and stating I find them so interesting and terrifying in order to grasp a better understanding of how to create a fearsome villain.

Sam Mendes Presentation

Matthew McConaughey, The Best Actor of 2013?

Matthew McConaughey first grabbed the limelight when he was twenty-four after starring in the cult classic 'Dazed and Confused.' Following his attention grabbing performance McConaughey started to make a name for himself and it wasn't long before he was working in movies directed by Hollywood's best including Stephen Spielberg and Ron Howard. However as the 2000's crept along McConaughey seemed to become a fixture in the Romantic Comedy genre, starring in hits 'The Wedding Planner' as well as 'How to lose a Guy in 10 days.' McConaughey's celebrity status to increase, however people started to question him as an actor.

In 2013 McConaughey seems to be out to prove a point with leading roles in dramas 'Mud' and 'Dallas Buyers Club,' as well as an entertaining cameo in Scorsese's new film, 'The Wolf of Wall Street.' In all three films McConaughey has throughily impressed me, but none more than in Dallas Buyers Club which I watched for the first time today.

Dallas Buyers Club is a biographical drama about a man called Ron Woodruff (McConaughey) who is an AIDS patient. Within the movie Woodruff deals unapproved but seemingly helpful drugs to fellow patients. Woodruff, who begins the film as a strong homophobe, befriends a transgender AIDS patient called Rayon who helps him run the pharmaceutical business. Overall I thought the film was very good, a solid 8/10 that is emotive and thought provoking, but it leans heavily on the fantastic performance of McConaughey. McConaughey, who shed an amazing 47 pounds for the role, gave a deeply moving performance that took a lot of bravery. The part was extremely difficult especially with all the physicality needed in order to perform the scenes when McConaughey is suffering from the symptoms of his cancer. He delivered his lines with passion and precision and was able to produce a very convincing Dallas accent, that never left him throughout the whole film. 

The performance was definitely one of the best I've seen all year and I would be very surprised if McConaughey does not receive an Oscar Nomination on the 16th January.

Presentation on Gender Stereotypes

'There is no such thing as Bad Publicity'

An argument that Kermode discussed was that of whether or not bad reviews actually generate bad box office takings and the strange tangent between badly reviewed movies grossing a lot at the box office. There are many examples of these types of movies. An example that comes to mind would be Spiderman 3 directed by Sam Raimi which brought home a staggering 890,871,626 million dollars at the box office. This followed poor reviews which called the movie 'out of sorts' as well as having a 'lack of humour.' Another example would be Grown Ups which realed in over 270 million dollars in the box office despite woeful reviews that claimed the movie had 'poor direction as well as a stunted script.' Grown Ups received a 10% rating on Rotten Tomato and a 5.9/10 IMDb rating. So why is that these movies seem to do well? It seems that people read these reviews and want to find out if the movies were actually as bad as the critics made them out to be. It seems that bad reviews actually create a buzz about movies as they are conversed more and therefore and marketed more heavily than perhaps even movies that have received very good reviews.

On Monday 2nd of December my class and I went to the Phoenix Theatre in order to view a talk from Mark Kermode on his new book 'Hatchet Job.' This was especially exciting to me as I've been listening to the Mark Kermode show for over four years. Kermode spoke about the content of his book explaining it was about his opposition to modern critics and the need for more professional more knowledgable critics. Kermode claimed that due to increasing amateur critics and bloggers his profession was being undermined and that critics no longer have the same influence that they used to have. 

David Fincher, Modern Master of the Thriller?

Since his 1995 breakthrough success 'Seven' David Fincher has become one of Hollywood's household names achieving great commercial success for dramas such as 'The Social Network' and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.' But thrillers such Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac, The Game and Panic Room are why Fincher become such an important modern director.

For his debut feature film Fincher was given the improbable task of continuing the legacy of the 'Alien' movies following the great success of 'Alien' and 'Aliens.' Despite success at the box office Alien 3 was  considered a failure and was poorly received amongst critics. However he bounced back with stunning psychological thriller 'Seven' which massively exceeded box office expectations. Following his success with Seven, Fincher went on to direct 'The Game,' starring Micheal Douglas, which was well received and was another box office success. Fincher's masterpiece came in 1999 when he directed 'Fight Club.' Despite underwhelming box office success the release of Fight Club on DVD propelled its commercial success, Fight Club is now considered to be one of the greatest films of all time and was rated 10th on Empire's 'Top 500 Movies' and IMDb's 'Top 250 Movies.' Fincher has continued to make successful thrillers in the 21st century with movies like the suspense ridden 'Panic Room' and the crime mystery 'Zodiac.' 

Fincher has gone on to make movies more fitted to the drama genre, but has still had success with thrillers such as his remake of 'The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo.' However the question is how does Fincher compare to other modern masters of the thriller as well as the classic thriller directors. The thrillers that Fincher make can in some ways be likened very closely to Scorsese movies. Like Scorsese, Fincher likes to focus on the isolation of characters and their struggle with right and wrong. Tarantino personally says that Fincher is one of his favourite modern directors. Their are similarities between the directors in there attention to detail as well as both directors specialising in creating tension. 

Fincher's work was also been likened to the great Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock is considered to be the pioneer of the thriller as well as the use of suspense within his movies. Fincher was been known for using many Hitchcock techniques within his movies such as linear simplicity as well as leaving questions unanswered within his films.

I personally believe that from 1995 onwards Fincher has been the World's best thriller director with his films consistently keeping their shock factor and suspense. However in terms of all time greats He definitely falls short of Scorsese, Tarantino and Hitchcock. I also believe that if Christopher Nolan continues to make films like Inception and the Dark Knight, Fincher could have some serious competition for Master of the Modern Thriller.

Reservoir Dogs Opening Remake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBVkA1_tkI4

Finally its here! Our remake of Tarantino's classic 'Reservoir Dog's' intro.

Scorsese's Over the Shoulder/ Steadicam Shot

In preparation for our thriller I have been looking at many different directors and there unique techniques of filming. Martin Scorsese who is one of my favourite directors uses the over the shoulder shot to immense effect in various different movie of his.

The earliest Scorsese movie I could trace this use of camera angle to was his 1973 classic 'Mean Streets.' It is used in the scene following the opening credits when Charlie (Kietel) is shown entering a bar whilst 'Tell Me' by the Rolling Stones plays in the background. The camera follows Charlie over the shoulder whilst frequently switching to shots all around the bar. This scene is very effective as an opening scene as it creates a slick and cool atmosphere which remains present throughout the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srphI34omF4

The next movie I could find in which Scorsese uses this shot is was in 1990's classic 'Goodfellas.' It is used in the scene where Henry (Liotta) takes Karen (Bracco) on their first one on one date to the Copacabana night club. This scene is one of the greatest in Goodfellas as it is a perfect showcase of the kind of life the gangsters were living and the luxuries they had. Henry walks Karen through the back of the club through the restaurant where he is recognised by everyone. As a scene it is superior the the 'steadicam' used in Mean Streets. It is longer and more detailed as a scene and is filmed in much better light then the lighting used within Mean Streets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sr-vxVaY_M

Review of American Hustle

With the Oscar Nominations set to be announced on the 16th of January the race is starting to hot up for Films biggest prize. 2013 has been a great year for cinema with many different movies in the race for Best Picture, the favourites being Gravity, 12 Years a Slave, Nebraska, Wolf of Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club, Captain Phillips and American Hustle. On January 2nd I went to the Coronet to watch American Hustle.

American Hustle is a crime comedy-drama directed by David O. Russell. David O. Russell, best known for the Oscar winning 'The Fighter' and 'Silver Linings Playbook,' within this movie collaborates with Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence for the second time. The movie centres around con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Adams) who are made to work for the FBI in a complex scheme to catch congressmen receiving bribes.

As a movie I have to say that I found American Hustle slightly disappointing. I was definitely not a bad movie but I had to say I expected a bit more from such a talented director as well as such an impressive cast. There were still definitely many positives from the movie, particularly Christian Bale's performance. I personally thought that Christian Bale's performance was outstanding and that he did not lose character for one second. Bale has established himself as a serious method actor following his drastic weight loss and gain for films such as American Psycho, The Machinist and Batman Begins. For American Hustle Bale put on 40 pounds in order to create a more realistic representation of Melvin Weinberg. Within the movie Bale, who was raised in Dorset, is able to effectively represent a 'Bronx' accent, Bale's physicality within the movie is also central to his performance. The other main positives of the play included the use of music as well as David O. Russell unique directing style which included fast and intelligent dialogue.

However there was a lot to the movie that was questionable. I thought the way that the movie was sequenced was a bit off point, but at times I was almost left perplexed about how obvious some of the movie actually was. An example of this would be the scene in which the fake 'Sheikh' meets with mafia lord Victor Tellegio (De Niro) where the fake Sheikh who is an actually a mexican is spoken to in Arabic by Tellegio. This whole scene was a bit of a calamity as the Sheikh is supposed to Emirates Arabic but he is spoken to by Tellegio in normal Arabic. I have to say that I was also disappointed by Amy Adams performance as Sydney Prosser. Adam's English accent faltered throughout the movie and some of her lines where very blandly delivered.

American Hustle has generally been very well received by critics receiving an average of 8/10 on IMDb. American Hustle has also been nominated for 7 Golden Globes. Personally I do not believe that American Hustle will be successful in the Oscars. It may be competitive for the Film Editing and Best Original Score Oscars but I do not believe it is in serious contentions for any of the Big prizes, as I expect Christian Bale's performance to be snubbed of even a nominations.

The Opening of Our Thriller

For homework we decided that each member of our group would come up with three ideas for opening of our thriller so that we could discuss the ideas as a group and decide on an idea we were all comfortable with. The three ideas that I came up for where as follows.

1. 'Amnesia.' This story would follow the captivity of a man suffering from increasingly drastic amnesia. The man is being held against his will and his been given an ultimatum of time he has to escape. His capturer willing to let him go if he is able to work with a trail of clues that will grant him to a realisation of how he is living his life incorrectly, with the acceptance of his sins being his ticket to escaping captivity. 

We discussed this idea thoroughly but eventually decided against it to do to main reasons. The first reason was that we thought people might think that the story line is to similar to that of Memento, a Christopher Nolan film in which an Amnesiac follows a trail of clues in order to find the man that killed his wife. We also likened to the plot to that of the Saw movie in which the antagonist 'Jigsaw' holds prisoners against there will and plays games on them that judge how sacred their lives are to them and help them realise the importance of life.

2. 'Inhumanity.' The second idea that I came up with was about the rejuvenation of twisted but intelligent convict in jail whom has frequent meetings with a woman visitor, he is passive aggressive towards the woman and she at times is hostile towards him. However they built up a friendship upon trust and both eventually confide in one each other sharing secrets that haunt both of them. It is revealed later in the story that the convict is in jail for the murder of the woman's brother who was only 18.

We went against this idea for the pure reason of it leaning towards more of a drama than a thriller. We also thought that it would be very hard to represent the relationship between the convict of the woman successfully in such a small period of time, when the relationship is the most vital factor of the movie. We also thought that the movie could perhaps be to similar to that of Tim Robbin's 'Dead Man Walking.'

3. 'Secrets.' The third idea that I came up with was a detective movie following the harrowing death of an eight year old boy. The movie centres around a detective haunted by a troubled past following a case that reminds his of his own past. The stepfather of the child who is portrayed to look like a protagonist throughout is eventually unveiled as the murderer.

This is the idea that as a group we finally decided on. We believed that out of all the ideas it was the most original and that was best suited for the thriller genre. We came up with an idea of an opening for this movie that we are going to stick to. It is that of a diary being altered by a the stepfather in order to to try and frame the child for suicide. Inspirations for my idea were Clint Eastwood's 'Mystic River' as well as Roman Polanski's 'Chinatown.'

Review of Funny Games (2007)

Funny games (2007) is a shot for shot remake of Funny Games (1997). It is written and directed by Michael Haneke, the only differences being that the film is set in America with a difference cast speaking in English opposed to Austrian. The film is a psychological horror film about the mental and physical deterioration of a seemingly 'perfect American family.' The two serial killers, who change their names throughout the process, play a number of different twisted games with the family.

Haneke meticulously avoids all of the cliques of a horror with unpredictable scenes of violence and horror that occur in what appears to be the less tense of times. Micheal Pitt and Brady Corbet are impressive and are perfectly cast as the creepy, manipulative killers who are constantly change personas. Micheal Pitt was particularly menacing as the more confident killer who initiates the games. A similar character to Clockwork Orange's Alex, he is clever and well spoken but sadistic and ruthless.What I thought made Micheal Pitt's character perhaps ever more strange than Alex was how he is shown as being asexual and achieves pleasure through the torture of the family, which made the character seem even more inhumane. Naomi Watts gives the strongest performance out of the family and seems to excel in roles where she can portray a range of emotions. I admire her ability to refrain from just doing the big holiday blockbusters despite her beauty and fame and how she still remains a familiar face in the independent film scene.

Funny Games (2007) is considered by most critics to be inferior to the original. I personally prefer the remake, but perhaps that is because I saw it before the original. However I do agree there are parts of the remake that are inferior to the original. Tim Roth's performance as George is definitely one as the weakest member of the family. He was to overly submissive that it made me plainly dislike his character. I also thought he over performed a few of the films more frantic moments, which took tension away from the scene.

It is by no means an easy watch, but it is certainly an enthralling one. It is gruesome and upsetting but it's hard to look away, which is huge credit to Haneke for creating such an unpredictable film. I can understand opposition to it, but in my opinion it is one the best and most unique horrors of the 21st century.

 

Red Dragon Review

Red Dragon is a prequel to Academy Best Picture winner Silence of the Lambs. Francis Dolarhyde (Fiennes) brutally murders two families and leaves evidence to suggest their will be a third. Down on their luck the FBI decide to summon retired detective Will Graham (Norton) to work the case, the man who caught Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins). Graham is forced to try and pick Lecter’s brain in order to try and solve the case, before Dolarhyde finds his next victims.

Red Dragon is not a masterpiece like Silence of the Lambs, but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable thriller that is extremely scary. One of the most significant differences between two movies is that Dolarhyde is the most terrifying character in the movie, opposed to Lecter. This is down to a brilliant performances from Ralph Fiennes who seems to be at his best when playing villainous characters. Dolarhyde is a conflicted character who suffered at the hand of an extremely abusive grandmother. He is not a killing machine as he feels remorse and emotion, especially towards blind co-worker Reba McClane who he appears to be falling in love with. However when angered, best represented in a scene with sleazy newspaper writer Freddy Lounds (Seymour-Hoffman), Dolarhyde is a fearsome killer capable of horrific atrocities. Emily Watson, who plays the part of Reba McClane, also gave a notable performance and shone amongst an impressive cast. Her portrayal of Dolarhyde’s love interest was especially impressive considering the character is blind, which is kept up throughout by Watson.

I was less impressed with Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Hannibal Lecter, formerly the role for which he won the Best Actor Academy Award in. Hopkins lacked the edge and intensity of his usual work and became slightly comic at times, constantly over dramatising lines. I do believe that he wasn’t helped by the script which was probably the most inferior aspect of the film in comparison to Silence of The Lambs, famed for it’s quotability. Another weakness of the film was it’s direction from Brett Rattner, which fell short of Jonathan Demme’s work in Silence of the Lambs. This was especially evident in the scenes were Graham investigated Dolarhyde’s murder crime scene. Rattner’s insistence to overuse extreme close up stills were predictable and ineffective in setting the tone of the scenes.
The makers of Red Dragon can be proud of what is a drastic improvement from Hannibal (2001) and cannot be blamed for not matching the success of Silence of the Lambs. The film has a great plot with interesting characters, elevated by some very good performances. If your a fan of the Horror/Thriller genre than this is definitely worth a watch.

The Shining Review

The Shining is in my opinion the best Horror movie ever, narrowly ahead of Silence of the Lambs and The Exorcist. The Shining is about recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance (Nicholson) and his stay as the caretaker of the secluded Overlook Hotel, with his wife Wendy (Shelley DuVall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd). A supernatural force within the hotel known to be ‘the shining’ begins to affect Jack and Danny who encounter former inhabitants of the hotel. Danny is attacked by an inhabitant leading Wendy to believe Jack, who formerly broke Danny’s arm, had started drinking again and abused Danny. This, along with suggestions from Lloyd an apparition of the hotel’s bartender, leads Jack to turn on his family.

I have seen this movie twice, once when I was twelve and then again when I was seventeen and surprisingly I found it a lot scarier upon second viewing. What makes Stephen King’s stories so terrifying are his ability to turn men into monsters and his ability to create such claustrophobic situations. Jack Nicholson is impeccable in what is an extremely difficult role, that to be honest I can’t imagine any other actor embodying so perfectly. What makes Jack Torrance so terrifying is that he is such a believable character. His conflicted character is often shown at the beginning to be a loving, yet slightly erratic, father concerned for the wellbeing of his family. While his opposite side is a cold blooded psychopath determined to kill his family. However under the circumstances it is perfectly imaginable that this could happen to many men, which is terrifying to me. As a character he is extremely unpredictable and eerie, shown all to perfectly in the scene where he sits with Danny and strokes his head as well as the scene in which he first attacks his wife. The casting of the much maligned Shelley DuVall as Wendy Torrance is often debated to be a massive mistake and flaw within the movie. However I disagree as I think that DuVall does a pretty good job of representing the frailty of the character. Wendy is not entirely a likeable character and is generally considered to be very irritating but I think in some ways this works well for the movie, as it makes you in a sense relate more with Jack as a character and feel his frustrations towards his family on a larger scale. In a very difficult role for such a young child, Danny Lloyd does a great job portraying the role of Danny the son of Jack Torrance who suffers from a split personality disorder. Danny has telekinetic powers which allow him to interact with the hotel’s cook as well as predict some of the future’s events, such as the murder Jack is planning for the family. The actor does a good job of evoking sympathy for the character and is able to steer away from making the unusual character absurd and unrealistic.
Kubrick provides another masterclass with his unique style of direction, including iconic scenes such as the bloody elevator and his three minute long Steadishot of Danny driving a toy car through the hotel. Kubrick creates an eerie isolated tone within the hotel through his constant use of low level sound and striking long distance shots. If their is one fault it is perhaps the lack of fluidity present from some shots to others.

This film is masterclass and is one of my favourites of Kubrick’s work. The Shining divides opinions even amongst the most well respected critics I can understand why people do not like it. But not many movies have made me feel so uncomfortable and truly terrified which is a testament to the masterclass that is The Shining.