GP: Opening Analysis 2 - The Conjuring (2013, James Wan)

Opening Scene Analysis - The Conjuring

Genre

The Conjuring is an example of supernatural horror and audience expectations are reached as the characteristics of supernatural horrors match this film. In supernatural horror, the audience expect there to be 'jump' moments and this clip delivers.

Form and style of opening

This opening sequence is continuously tense throughout and foreboding is created by the non-verbal language of the woman with the slow walking to look around the door and the silence which, in itself, builds up towards something bad happening. The characters present are shown as the victims of the film due to the scratching of their photos; they are seen as weaker, more vulnerable and out of control of the situation.

Film Language

Mise-en-scene, sound and camera all influence this clip and add a characteristic that is deemed conventional of the film's genre. An aspect of this clip which is emphasised is the doll. There are a few close-ups of the doll's face and shots where it is just the doll (1:20). 

This doll is not exactly the most modern or clean doll; antiques and oldness are conventionally deemed as creepy as a lot of gothic and Victorian era movies are horrors (The Woman In Black and The Others). Children's toys also add to the 'scare factor' because of the blank, emotionless faces and eyes which have the unnerving effect of 'watching you'. The lighting is dark which connotes evil; the opposite would be white which reflects a more pure and lighter ambiance. The idea of not being able to see also makes the characters look more vulnerable and out of control. Sound anchors the visuals by the use of silence which connote tension and holds it; there is a sense of foreboding and a 'jump' about to happen. As soon as there is a noise (the banging of the door), there is a large contrast (0:28); the noise seems louder and is emphasised more. Also, the continuous repetitive messages (1:33) insinuates that they are not safe and there is something there with the protagonists that they do not understand (supernatural element) and this is also conventional of the genre. The red-blood colour (1:33)

 also reminds the audience of the horror genre as it is associated with death and violence. The scratching of the photos (2:05) centres the focus of the evil force on the protagonists which suggests they are in danger. Additionally, there is a shot where the woman is in the corridor and the shot is held as the audience see her reaction so the audience knows something shocking is about to happen and anticipation increases (foreboding). The storyline is revealed as scary things are happening whilst the doll keeps appearing in shots and is present in the establishing shot (0:28); the doll is implied to be the cause. The terrified facial expressions of the protagonists also enhances the tense atmosphere. Also, the location is realisitic so the audience finds the scenario more relatable; more scary.

Narrative

As the dialogue is from the protagonists, the audience is seeing their perspective (the victim's perspective). The cross-cutting aids the storyline of this clip as the description seems more real; the acting of the description aids it. Tension is maintained by the lighting being continuously dark, the silence and the constant referring back to the doll to imply supernatural activity.

Representation and Ideology

The majority of the victims who are targeted by the evil force are women in this clip; this constructs a residual ideology as the women are then suggested to be weak and vulnerable. There is also an ideological construction of era because of the iconography used with the doll (which is old). There is a regressive ideology that items of the past are creepy, and this ideology is supported by multiple other horror movies where children's toys are also included.

Media Audiences

The target audience would be 15-25 male and female as the rating is 15 and over. 

By Georgia P