Friday, 29 March 2013
Monday, 25 March 2013
'Creep Van' Movie Review
Film Title: Creep Van
Year Of Production: 2012
Director: Scott W. McKinlay
Genre/Genres: Horror/Comedy
Brief Plot Outline:
A loner moves to L.A. with no job, as a general 'out of options' outsider. He looks to buy a car after being recently employed by a car washing company to make travel easier and to impress his new crush. He contacts and owner of a van being advertised, who's owner enjoys going around killing people for fun. He then finds himself in a race to save his own, as well as his new girlfriend's life.
Which two scenes impressed you the most? Why?
1) Creep Van in his house - parallel music combined with low-key lighting created a successful sinister feeling, working very well together.
2) The young victim being cut in-half by Creep Van's window. The body horror used here is very effective in giving a sudden scare, and quickly getting across the narrative of the film, about the pointless killings by this van on random people.
How has watching this film helped you understand this genre of film making? Which features on the genre checklist did you spot in the film? When? How?
-It's helped me by demonstrating what & when to use certain aspects to suit the genre (music and acting especially)
-Body horror - throughout each killing scene - blood splatter and use of effects (fake bodies) plus add some sound effects for an added scare tactic.
-Creepy locations - the woodlands at the start present a perfect location to set the mood of a horror trailer/film immediately
-Use of parallel music in killing scenes help connote suspense
-Kuleshov effects - scenes between the kills and the main character shows they will be linked in some way, helping create a storyline.
-Psycho killer - male hero - female victim (blonde-haired girl in the van) all feature on the genre checklist. They all fit the stereotype, particularly the female victim, as she has blonder hair, teasing looks and a body that's too unnaturally in-shape.
-Unhappy ending - main character ends up unfairly going to jail after the death of his girlfriend and the antagonist, showing almost a circle of life as he's ended up back as a loner and outsider.
-Sex & taboo - in the main characters house, his housemate and his girlfriend are having sex in the living room, as well as the sexualised blonde woman who is killed in the van, as her 'assets' are presented clear to the camera, which ultimately become targeted as the seat-belt squeezes her to the chair.
Which aspects of the film would you like to include in your own trailer? Why?
-Build of suspense formed by parallel music and slow montage - this works effectively to get you to grip the edge of your seat in suspense.
-Use of creepy locations helps build atmosphere e.g. a long deserted highway.
Which aspects of the film would you like to avoid in your own trailer? Why?
-Comedy side of the film - some contrapuntal music can be too comical, as well as some costumes are designed to look far too silly, detracting from the 'horror' feeling the film should have. This can also make the film seem very cheap.
-A boring narrative - without a decent narrative for the audience to follow, the film fails to be remembered.
-Bad acting and overly stereotypical characters.
What was the best aspect/more enjoyable moment in the film? Why? Can you recreate this in your own film? How?
-Suspense in the kill of the motorcyclist, getting you to wait for the kill helping build tension.
-Collision cutting - go from more relaxed - to a sudden kill, making you jump, building the 'scare' factor about the film.
Year Of Production: 2012
Director: Scott W. McKinlay
Genre/Genres: Horror/Comedy
Brief Plot Outline:
A loner moves to L.A. with no job, as a general 'out of options' outsider. He looks to buy a car after being recently employed by a car washing company to make travel easier and to impress his new crush. He contacts and owner of a van being advertised, who's owner enjoys going around killing people for fun. He then finds himself in a race to save his own, as well as his new girlfriend's life.
Which two scenes impressed you the most? Why?
1) Creep Van in his house - parallel music combined with low-key lighting created a successful sinister feeling, working very well together.
2) The young victim being cut in-half by Creep Van's window. The body horror used here is very effective in giving a sudden scare, and quickly getting across the narrative of the film, about the pointless killings by this van on random people.
How has watching this film helped you understand this genre of film making? Which features on the genre checklist did you spot in the film? When? How?
-It's helped me by demonstrating what & when to use certain aspects to suit the genre (music and acting especially)
-Body horror - throughout each killing scene - blood splatter and use of effects (fake bodies) plus add some sound effects for an added scare tactic.
-Creepy locations - the woodlands at the start present a perfect location to set the mood of a horror trailer/film immediately
-Use of parallel music in killing scenes help connote suspense
-Kuleshov effects - scenes between the kills and the main character shows they will be linked in some way, helping create a storyline.
-Psycho killer - male hero - female victim (blonde-haired girl in the van) all feature on the genre checklist. They all fit the stereotype, particularly the female victim, as she has blonder hair, teasing looks and a body that's too unnaturally in-shape.
-Unhappy ending - main character ends up unfairly going to jail after the death of his girlfriend and the antagonist, showing almost a circle of life as he's ended up back as a loner and outsider.
-Sex & taboo - in the main characters house, his housemate and his girlfriend are having sex in the living room, as well as the sexualised blonde woman who is killed in the van, as her 'assets' are presented clear to the camera, which ultimately become targeted as the seat-belt squeezes her to the chair.
Which aspects of the film would you like to include in your own trailer? Why?
-Build of suspense formed by parallel music and slow montage - this works effectively to get you to grip the edge of your seat in suspense.
-Use of creepy locations helps build atmosphere e.g. a long deserted highway.
Which aspects of the film would you like to avoid in your own trailer? Why?
-Comedy side of the film - some contrapuntal music can be too comical, as well as some costumes are designed to look far too silly, detracting from the 'horror' feeling the film should have. This can also make the film seem very cheap.
-A boring narrative - without a decent narrative for the audience to follow, the film fails to be remembered.
-Bad acting and overly stereotypical characters.
What was the best aspect/more enjoyable moment in the film? Why? Can you recreate this in your own film? How?
-Suspense in the kill of the motorcyclist, getting you to wait for the kill helping build tension.
-Collision cutting - go from more relaxed - to a sudden kill, making you jump, building the 'scare' factor about the film.
Friday, 22 March 2013
'Rear Window' Movie Review
Film Title: Rear Window
Year Of Production: 1954
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre/Genres: Mystery/ Romance/ Thriller
Brief Plot Outline:
A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his window, in the hope of relieving boredom. After spying on his neighbours for a while and learning their routines, he eventually becomes convinced one of them has committed a murder after seeing 'suspicious' activity.
Which two scenes impressed you the most? Why?
1) As Lisa is breaking into the apartment, the music in the background from the other room adds a suspenseful and unusual feel to the scene - this gets the viewer on edge as they watch. The reasoning behind this may because the music is contrapuntal to the scene, as it is fairly happy, contradictory to the suspenseful and potentially frightening prospect of her actions she is undertaking.
2) The slow montage of sound at the door as the antagonist nears L.B Jefferies apartment. This builds a lot of suspense, using close-ups and low-key lighting to give a more sinister effect.
How has watching this film helped you understand this genre of film making? Which features on the genre checklist did you spot in the film? When? How?
-Contrapuntal music when 'J.B.' sees the mysterious man in a black coat for the first time - fairground style music, funny for the couple moving their bed, but uncomfortably strange - suiting the sinister man in black.
-Point of view shots of 'J.B' looking out at his neighbourhood - this puts us in his shoes, making us feel the suspense far more, and gets us thinking the same thing as he may be thinking. Ultimately, putting us into the diegesis, helping us connect emotionally to the main character better.
-Sex & taboo - The girl dancing in her underwear as 'J.B' spies on her. This scene, and in fact the whole movie explores the idea of voyeurism a great deal, reflecting Hitchcock's auteur influence.
-Clever use of montage's, particular to Hitchcock's film style. This can be accurately represented by his slow build up to the killer entering the room, and the editing becomes progressively quicker and quicker as the drama unfolds.
Which aspects of the film would you like to include in your own trailer? Why?
-Point of view shots - I feel this adds an immersive feel to the viewing, messing with the audiences emotions far more.
-Slow fades - this adds a very nice effect, showing a good transition of time and helps maximise the effect of a slow montage of shots creating tension.
Which aspects of the film would you like to avoid in your own trailer? Why?
-Romance & relationships - I feel this can detract horror from being the main focal point of the movie, making it slow moving and boring for a horror/thriller, which is meant to be fast-paced and full of action.
Therefor, in my own trailer I would like to include quicker montages - especially at the end of my trailer, to get the audiences heart pounding.
What was the best aspect / more enjoyable moment in the film? Why? Can you recreate this in your own film? How?
-Flashes from the light bulb in the camera, adding a disorienting effect - this gives the viewer a quick 'shock'.
-Combination of low-key lighting and flashes, and increasing the speed of shots to maximise the sense of panic.
How does the film show the influence of its "auteur" director? How does it show the director's film making style and soul? Give examples of three scenes from the movie that show their auteur style.
-J.B.'s possible future wife is a beautiful, blonde-haired woman, much like the girl dancing in the window - This was one of Hitchcock's obsessions.
-The killing and supposed 'cutting' up of the antagonists's wife. Hitchcock's 'torture' of women, which will be explored in the 2013 film, "Hitchcock and Me".
-Rapid use / variation of montages and editing to build tension. Hitchcock was obsessed with using editing to create suspense / different emotions in his films.
Year Of Production: 1954
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre/Genres: Mystery/ Romance/ Thriller
Brief Plot Outline:
A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his window, in the hope of relieving boredom. After spying on his neighbours for a while and learning their routines, he eventually becomes convinced one of them has committed a murder after seeing 'suspicious' activity.
Which two scenes impressed you the most? Why?
1) As Lisa is breaking into the apartment, the music in the background from the other room adds a suspenseful and unusual feel to the scene - this gets the viewer on edge as they watch. The reasoning behind this may because the music is contrapuntal to the scene, as it is fairly happy, contradictory to the suspenseful and potentially frightening prospect of her actions she is undertaking.
2) The slow montage of sound at the door as the antagonist nears L.B Jefferies apartment. This builds a lot of suspense, using close-ups and low-key lighting to give a more sinister effect.
How has watching this film helped you understand this genre of film making? Which features on the genre checklist did you spot in the film? When? How?
-Contrapuntal music when 'J.B.' sees the mysterious man in a black coat for the first time - fairground style music, funny for the couple moving their bed, but uncomfortably strange - suiting the sinister man in black.
-Point of view shots of 'J.B' looking out at his neighbourhood - this puts us in his shoes, making us feel the suspense far more, and gets us thinking the same thing as he may be thinking. Ultimately, putting us into the diegesis, helping us connect emotionally to the main character better.
-Sex & taboo - The girl dancing in her underwear as 'J.B' spies on her. This scene, and in fact the whole movie explores the idea of voyeurism a great deal, reflecting Hitchcock's auteur influence.
-Clever use of montage's, particular to Hitchcock's film style. This can be accurately represented by his slow build up to the killer entering the room, and the editing becomes progressively quicker and quicker as the drama unfolds.
Which aspects of the film would you like to include in your own trailer? Why?
-Point of view shots - I feel this adds an immersive feel to the viewing, messing with the audiences emotions far more.
-Slow fades - this adds a very nice effect, showing a good transition of time and helps maximise the effect of a slow montage of shots creating tension.
Which aspects of the film would you like to avoid in your own trailer? Why?
-Romance & relationships - I feel this can detract horror from being the main focal point of the movie, making it slow moving and boring for a horror/thriller, which is meant to be fast-paced and full of action.
Therefor, in my own trailer I would like to include quicker montages - especially at the end of my trailer, to get the audiences heart pounding.
What was the best aspect / more enjoyable moment in the film? Why? Can you recreate this in your own film? How?
-Flashes from the light bulb in the camera, adding a disorienting effect - this gives the viewer a quick 'shock'.
-Combination of low-key lighting and flashes, and increasing the speed of shots to maximise the sense of panic.
How does the film show the influence of its "auteur" director? How does it show the director's film making style and soul? Give examples of three scenes from the movie that show their auteur style.
-J.B.'s possible future wife is a beautiful, blonde-haired woman, much like the girl dancing in the window - This was one of Hitchcock's obsessions.
-The killing and supposed 'cutting' up of the antagonists's wife. Hitchcock's 'torture' of women, which will be explored in the 2013 film, "Hitchcock and Me".
-Rapid use / variation of montages and editing to build tension. Hitchcock was obsessed with using editing to create suspense / different emotions in his films.
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