Horror titles tend to be in block capital letters, in a minimalist design, which makes a stark contrast to the red it’s usually in – signifying the blood that’s to come in the slasher film. Old style titles are often in gothic fonts, and/or with thick scarlet letters that drip on the screen and resemble severed limbs. However more contemporary titles, although they mostly stick to the red and black theme, are used more creatively e.g. many blur out the title of the film or have it shaking, like blinking through blood and having your vision fade (see Researched Film Openings: Scream).
Our film opening uses the conventions of horror film titling – the title of The Steps is in all capitals and in red, dripping down the screen like blood on a glass surface like a window pane or a camera screen. This brings the horror closer to the viewer, uncomfortably close so that it feels only inches away from them just on the other side of the camera.
The product also flashes between black and red for the background colour and font colour, like the New Line Cinema introduction logo in A Nightmare on Elm Street and then ends with an off-white colour for the background similar to American Psycho.
CAMERA MOVEMENT
Tracking shots are popular for use when victims, particularly in groups, are running from danger. A tracking shot is used of Kelly as she walks from the tent and her group of friends away from them, in front of the camera and past it away into the woods.
A similar shot is used of the first blonde girl in Scream’s opening, when she puts down the phone and walks past the camera out of sight and the audience watches her reflection in the window of the door but she doesn’t notice that she can be seen from outside – she is unaware, and the audience has picked up on more than she has and feels voyeuristic because of it.
FRAMING A SHOT
Extreme long shots are used, especially when a victim is running from the killer, to emphasise their isolation and helplessness.
Extreme close up shots, which aren’t normally used in other genre films, are used in slashers to get detailed visuals on the gore and actors’ terrified facial expressions to make the audience even more uncomfortable. An ECU is used of Kelly when she walks off into the distance further into the forest, and it is emphasised how she has now become separate from the group – she is alone, and walking right into the lion’s den although she may not know it.
An extreme long shot is used to see Nancy in A Nightmare On Elm Street as we see her backlit silhouette far away, isolated and vulnerable as she is running towards the camera – making her look very much alone with all the space around her and emphasising how she is all alone.
Another example of ECU is in Psycho, the famous shot of Marion Crane’s dead eye while she lies on the floor after being stabbed in the shower and not only is it a horrifying sight we are as an audience unusually and uncomfortably so put right up close to the action.
CAMERA ANGLE
The perpetrator of the killings is usually shown from a low angle to emphasise their power and superiority over others, whereas victims are seen from a high angle – making them look small, weak, vulnerable. Low level angles add a sense of being watched, of voyeurism particularly when the characters do not look down and are vulnerable as they are completely ignorant and unaware that they are being watched – which puts the observer in a position of power in them as they hold more knowledge.
In The Steps a medium long shot from a low angle is taken with foliage obscuring the viewfinder as the killer watches the group from a hidden point. None of them look in the camera’s direction and are all completely unaware that they are being watched – in addition to this, the foliage is covering them, creeping and looming over them almost as if it is entrapping them just as the killer is preparing to do.
In Psycho, the final time that Norman Bates dresses up as mother and rushes forward to kill Marion Crane’s sister we see him from a low angle – he is at a higher level hanging over her, putting him at a psychological advantage and making him superior over her his intended victim.
MISE-EN-SCENE
The set is or appears to be in a remote location, to show that the victim/s will not be able to receive outside help and are alone in fending off the killer. Sometimes the identity of the killer is not revealed straightaway, concealed identity being a common theme. We used this in The Steps as the girls on a camping trip are far out in the woods, away from any adult help. The use of the second camera in the shaky handheld view with all the foliage gave a very voyeuristic feel, and as it is a POV shot we cannot see who the killer is but only see what he sees – which makes us feel what he feels, quite disturbed.
Freddy’s glove and crazed laugh is the first we see of him but not his face in A Nightmare On Elm Street. Ghostface in Scream wears a mask and we do not find out who he is until the end of the film.
EDITING
When a kill or something else bad is about to happen, the cutting rhythm becomes faster with erratic jump cuts – then slow downs dramatically when it is revealed to be a fake scare.
A motivated cut is often used, where the scene is cut just before you see what is about to happen and focuses on the actor’s reaction, heightening anticipation and the build up of tension for when the audience is finally allowed to see what has them so scared.
These conventions have been used after Kelly’s scream when the girls run into the clearing to find her, when instead of immediately focusing on the action we make a motivated cut and switch perspectives to the POV of the killer.
A motivated cut is used just as Patrick Bateman swings down the axe on Paul Allen in American Psycho so we are left to imagine in suspense from the insane expression on Bateman’s face, the hacking sounds and sounds of Allan dying what his body must look like as it’s being cut at for long moments – and because you don’t know, it’s more frightening as all humans by nature tend to be afraid of the unknown and the sight is left to the audience’s own imaginations. When they do show the body, they don't show the face - suggesting perhaps it has been mutilated now beyond recognition, further playing on the fear of the unknown.
SOUND
The music has been planned, timed and slotted into place as befits the moment in the film. It’s discordant, erratic and disturbing as is conventional horror film music and helps give a frightening feel when the film begins to build up to something about to happen e.g. when Kelly walks off.
(Quinn's Song: First Night plays when Kelly senses that something is watching her. It's brought in subtle and quiet and then slowly begins to get louder and escalate until she starts to walk away)
(Redletter plays in conjunction with Quinn's song, heightening the sense that something is off and about to happen)
Typical horror music style is used; when Kelly stares off to one side and begins to feel that something is watching her, the music changes – more drawn out, disturbed. When she walks off into a corner of the trees to call her boyfriend, the music changes again and escalates and becomes yet more unsettling, hinting to the audience that something is going to happen to her.
This happens with the music building up as Nancy is running away from the killer Freddy, escalating as she only manages to run ever nearer towards him in the beginning of the film in A Nightmare On Elm Street.
NARRATIVE THEORY
Horror movies often use concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code to keep the audience guessing until the end who the killer could be.
Todorov: The story begins in a state of equilibrium, which is then disrupted and then the film is resolved by finding a new or a different kind of equilibrium.
Strauss’ binary oppositions shows how in films thematic opposites are explored with their impact on each other, and seeing which one will triumph over the other e.g. good versus evil, rich versus poor and so on.
How narrative theory is used to convey meaning in the opening two minutes of The Steps
Concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code is used in The Steps to keep the audience interested in the film so they’ll get answers to their question – just who exactly is targeting these girls? Why? What just cut Kelly? Who is going to be next to get hurt?
Todorov: The girls began in a state of equilibrium, normally just having a camping trip all together in the woods. This is disrupted by Kelly getting cut, then the first death and the bloody game which they are all forced to play.
1) They’re all camping more or less peacefully
2) Something or someone starts killing them off when they fail the steps of a dangerous game
3) The killer is dealt with in a fight to the death, and everyone who has survived is now safe and able to go back to life as best as they can.
Strauss: the innocent peaceful schoolgirls versus the depraved vengeful killer, the vulnerable young women versus the strong and predatory murderer – we see whether the innocent shall manage to persevere and win out over the evil of Johnny Angel, or whether his game will defeat them showing and vice is stronger.
Comparisons to other existing products
Barthes’ enigma code: In Scream the killer always appears in a ghost face mask, and part of what keeps the story going apart from trying not to be the next one to die is the police investigation in trying to catch and find out who Ghostface really is.
Todorov: in Final Destination, the equilibrium is disturbed when Alex has a precognitive vision of the plane crashing and going up in flames, and he stops his classmates getting on the ship thereby saving their lives. But now death is chasing them, and picking them off one by one instead. The visions, and death hunting the classmates have disrupted equilibrium. The film is resolved by their finding or at least believing that they have found a way to cheat death at its own game.
Strauss: similar to The Steps, in Black Christmas a killer is stalking a sorority house full of a group of girls on Christmas Eve. The binary oppositions here depends on how the film is interpreted by the viewer: male power versus women’s, strength vs. vulnerability, innocence vs. immorality etc.
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