The Shinning
Year: 1980
Genre: Horror
Personal Mark: 8
The Shinning utilizes
several of the horror genres key conventions in order to establish the film and
intrigue their target audience. They first do this through cinematography.
Throughout the trailer they use a wide array of establishing shots of a
mountain/wooded isolated area. The exploration of this isolation is both key to
establishing the motive to the narrative, but also to add a looming sense of
threat commonly found within the genre. Another key convention the use is the
mise-en-scene. Everything from symbolic coloured clothing to strong, bold body
language is used to establish dominance and the antagonist/protagonist. They
also make use of phallic symbols and iconography. This is evident in the husband’s
use of a large axe in comparison to the wife’s small knife. This helps to
establish the power within the relationship, alongside establishing him as the
antagonist. They also make use of sound
and lighting well. The mix of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound is used to
build pace and add potency to reveal scenes in which we see scenes of
aggression. Lighting is used well throughout acting as a signifier for the
scenes; mood lighting for serious scenes key to the narrative alongside dark
colours for moments of passion/ aggression.
While all of this adds
up to an acceptable trailer there are still several things that I believe in
hind-sight could be improved. While the narrative is established it seems
slightly on the nose. I believe they reveal too much, and make it too apparent
and inferred that the husband will become the antagonist. While it adds to the
narrative it takes away from the general mystery, giving away the end to their
audience. The use of the child is done well. It adds another layer of
creepiness. However he features for only a small proportion as does the wife.
The lack of character development for either characters means the audience does
not connect with them and may irritate more than intrigue.
Overall I have given
the piece an 8. It is a well put together trailer that flaunts its budget with
grand establishing shots but could do with not revealing so much of the
narrative and some more character development.
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