Wednesday 19 January 2011

J.I - Horror, The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Derrickson, 2005)

This film is an American Horror film which is based on the story of Anneliese Michel, and follows a self-proclaimed agnostic defensive lawyer who is defending a priest, on the charge of negligent homicide after he recently performed an exorcism.

The opening of the sequence begins with just a black out screen with the use of digetic sounds in the background to add suspense from the start. The loud noices of crows immidiately add an eerieness to the clip, with them having a screaming like sound. The scream of "Emily" connotes something bad has happened, along with the desperation in the voice.

The title sequence in red connotes blood, and horror which is emphasised with the use of barbed wire surrounding the words, suggesting a feeling of entrapment within the storyline of the film.

The use of location is also an iconic recognizable feature within a horror film, an old looking house with no surroundings, giving a situation which anything could happen, with no one knowing. The use of lighting also backs this up with real dull, dark lighting, suggesting there is no joy what so ever. The low key tone of music goes along with the setting adding a sense of mystery.

The sound of digetic footsteps used in the opening blocks out all over sound, making the audience focused on this persons movement, who however we still don't know who is. Also the movement of the camera following the character, is a common technique used within horror films, to put the audience in this characters point of view, and experience the tension.

The camera shot from a low angle up at the window of the house, revealing the eerie character from behind the curtain, gives the audience the impression that something isn't quite right, and that he has something to hide, which they will discover through watching the film. This sets up the audience to be on the edge of their seat for the remainder of the film, which is crucial in a successful horror.

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