Film Analysis: Jawbreaker (1999)

 FILM ANALYSIS: Jawbreaker (1999)

dir. Darren Stein

BBFC 15 , MPAA R 

Opening Length: 4 minutes

Budget: $3.5 million 

Box Office: $3.1 million 

Theatrical Distribution: international, 19 territories

Production Company: TriStar Pictures, Kramer-Tornell Productions, Crossroad Films

Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing

Synopsis: Three of the most popular girls at Reagan High accidentally kill the prom queen with a jawbreaker when a kidnapping goes wrong. (IMDB)

LINKS: wikipedia , imdb, art of the title, boxofficemojo

Trailer: 

............................

Possible Influences For My Film: The use of a clique, the killing method, the outfits and locker decor, the school setting, the stepping over books.                              

Companies/Idents: 

This was the only ident shown, which is conventional as it is the production company. The ident only lasted 5 seconds, which is unconventional and very short for the main ident in a film. 

Opening Shot: 

The first shot is an Extreme Long Shot (ELS) of a school corridor. This framing is conventional as films often open with an ELS or establishing shot, to set the scene. There is a voiceover detailing exposition of the scene and the characters that are going to appear. 

Titles:

The production, distribution, and director titles appear before the main title, and the linking words are in cursive, which the names are capitalised and in a sans-serif font. The cursive is a typical denotation of femininity, which works well as the primary target audience for the film is teenage girls. The titles appear and disappear with a s swirling effect, which matches the swirling of the sugar being mixed for the jawbreakers. 

The main title of the film is seen 4 minutes in, to transition to the main film. The colouring and effect on the title is similar to that of a jawbreaker, and the cursive font is used again, and connotes femininity. The black background and effect of jawbreakers matches the title well, and separates the title sequence from the opening, showing a clear transition.

Mise-En-Scene/ First Five Shots: 

This shot immediately reveals exposition about the characters. There is a voice-over describing them, which also gives exposition about them. They have a similar appearance and clothing style, but are distinct in the colours and varied, giving them the sense of a "clique", while also revealing their individual personalities. The school corridor is a relatable location for the primarily targeted teen audience. 

The stereotypical nerd is seen appearing. She is dressed in muted colours and is more modest, creating binary opposition within the characters in the scene. 

The characters personalities are revealed as they do not help the nerd and step over her. This denotes them as the popular "prom queen" archetype.

However, one of the girls stops and helps her, and this is emphasised as the shot tightens into a MLS. There is still binary opposition within the two characters (conservative vs exposed, muted brown vs bright pink, long loose hair vs short ponytail). This shot signifies that the pink member of the clique is different to the others and is kind and caring. This is a counter-typical representation of a popular girl in a clique. 

There is an ELS of the exterior of a house. This house is large, detached, has a big garden, many windows, and multiple floors. This reveals exposition about the characters and signifies them as wealthy.  

Sound: 

There is no audio-bridge over the idents, but there is a black screen with an initial voice-over that then transitions into the opening shot. Once the girls appear they are named as the "fabulous four" and described individually, revealing exposition to the audience immediately. It also accompanies the shots as when the pink girls is seen helping the nerd, the voice-over calls her "special", anchoring the preferred reading (Hall). For the main titles, a rock soundtrack with female vocals plays, conventional of teen films of the time, but once again appealing to the primary target of a teen female audience. 

FILM ANALYSIS: Halloween (1978)

 FILM ANALYSIS: Halloween (1978)

dir. John Carpenter 

BBFC X (1978), 18 (1986), 15 (2018) , MPAA R 

Opening Length: 4 minutes

Budget: $325k 

Box Office: $70 million

Theatrical Distribution: internationally

Production Company: Compass International Pictures, Falcon International Productions

Distributor: Compass International Pictures, Aquarius Releasing

Synopsis: Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Micheal Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again. (IMDB)

LINKS: wikipedia , imdb, boxoffciemojo, artofthetitle

Trailer: 

............

Possible Influences for my film: The slasher genre, the pov shots, the voyeurism aspect, the knife, a masked killer, the final girl. 

Companies/Idents: 

As it is a small budget horror film of the 1970s, there is only 1 ident lasting 5 seconds of the production company. There is a black screen and the audio-bridge of the title is heard, then the ident appears as red first and then turns orange. 

Opening Shot: 

This famous opening shot, is from the pov of the killer, or Micheal Myers. There is an audio-bridge of children singing a Halloween song, and exposition is given as the text "Halloween Night, 1963" appears on the screen before the shot. A suburban, detached house is shown, with a dark background. The house itself is lit through the windows and the outdoor light, giving it an eerie effect. The camera moves shakily towards the house, and it gets closer.

Titles: 

The titles are unconventional now as they appear before the opening shot, however this is seen often in older films. The titles play over a dark background and the Halloween theme, and are all orange and then turn red. 

The main title is in the first few to appear, and a pumpkin appears that gradually is zoomed into, until only the eye is seen. The name of the director is seen twice, which is conventional, but the names of the unknown actors are followed by "as (character name)", something unconventional, and more typically seen in TV. 

Mise-En-Scene/First Five Shots:

The shaky shot moves towards the porch and house, and a lit up Halloween pumpkin is seen, anchoring the time period in which the opening is set. It is also similar to the title credits. The use of light here and connotations of the lantern create an eerie effect. 

Through the window, the killers sister and her boyfriend are seen kissing. A sense of voyeurism is created here, and the horror conventions of sexual activity being negative are also seen. They are wearing clothes popular of the 1970s, further anchoring the setting. The shadows of the leaves onto the walls also add creepiness. 

There is a dutch angle of the window, and the lights are seen going off, with eerie synth music similar to an alarm is heard, denoting something is wrong or something bad will happen. The looking through the window also creates a sense of voyeurism, and the camera shakily pans up, as it is a pov shot. 

The dark interior is seen, still looking gloomy, mysterious and shadowy. The inside of the house is spacious and modern of the time, denoting middle class or wealth. 

The low angle here reinforces the pov of the child, representing its height. The shot is also at a dutch angle signifying something is wrong. 

Sound:

Throughout the opening, the Halloween theme made up of repeated synths is heard. There is some speech between the sister and her boyfriend, as well as ambient sound such as the leaves and wind. As the scene progresses, the theme transforms into a shrill whistling sound, and the notes are drawn out, forcing the viewer to hold their breath, creating tension. 

FILM ANALYSIS: All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)

FILM ANALYSIS: ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE (2006)

dir. Jonathan Levine

BBFC 18 , MPAA R 

Opening Length: 8 minutes

Budget: $750k

Box Office: $1.9 million

Theatrical Distribution: 20 territories

Production Company: Occupant Films

Distributor: The Weinstein Company, StudioCanal UK, Dimension Films 

Synopsis: A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, an innocent, desirable girl, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop mysteriously. (IMDB)

LINKS: wikipedia, IMDB, Box Office Mojo 

Trailer: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possible Influences For My Film: The slasher archetypes used, inspiration for character of Mandy, blurring of scream queen/final girl trope, using a party setting.                       

Companies/Idents: 

This was the only ident used in the opening, and 

it lasted for 10 seconds. This is conventional as it is a small budget film and there isn't as much risk involved for the companies. 

Opening Shot: 

The opening shot is a close up on an exit sign, a possible sign of foreshadowing as well as being a slasher convention of signalling danger to the audience (privileged pov).  The sign is in the central third of the screen denoting its importance. The camera then pans down and tracks through a school corridor. This is counter typical for an opening shot, as they tend to be ELS to reveal as much exposition as possible. 

Titles:

The only company title shown is the name of the producers, which is in the centre of the screen in a serif font. This denotes a serious film, and the red background connotes blood and danger. 

The main title is against a black background, and is all white to denote Mandy's innocence and role as the hero. There are red animated splatters that appear connoting blood. The name Mandy Lane is capitalised, showing its importance. 

 

Mise-En-Scene/ First Five Shots: 

The shot pans down from the sign into a school corridor. Teenagers are seen on the left and right thirds of the frame and the focus is blurred. 

There is a close up of a blonde girl's chest, catering to Mulvey's theory of the male gaze. The low cut flowery shirt is stereotypically feminine, as well as the long blonde hair. Her position in the central third of the frame denotes her as the protagonist. 

There are close-up shots of students turning to look at her, and the camera tracks their glances, and creates a sense of voyeurism. This focus on the girl further anchors her as the protagonist. Narrative enigma is also built up as the shots are tightly framed.

This medium close up reveals the protagonist's face, providing exposition. She is conventionally attractive and her blonde hair and appearance denotes a stereotypical scream queen. Verisimilitude is created of a school, with the crowded corridor and lockers in the background. 

This medium close up shows a female character staring at the protagonist, placing her as on object of desire for both the genders, denoting a scream queen. The next shots showing a variety of teenagers also allows for personal identification with the target audience of the film.

Sound: The titles are accompanied by sharp, drawn out notes, that force the viewer to hold their breath and create tension. This music is also distorted and creates an uneasy feeling. There are sounds of slashing and splattering when the blood appears on the title. A scream is heard, and then a bell, which transitions to the first shot. A soft pop music soundtrack is playing, and contrasts the tension of the title sequence. 

Film Analysis: The Cabin In The Woods (2011)

FILM ANALYSIS: the cabin in the woods (2011)

Drew Goddard (2011)

BBFC 15 , MPAA R 

Opening Length: 6 minutes

Budget: $30 million 

Box Office: $70 million

Theatrical Distribution: internationally, 40 territories

Production Company: Mutant Enemy Productions

Distributor: Lionsgate

Synopsis: Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods. (IMDB) 

LINKS: wikipedia , IMDB , Box Office Mojo, art of the title

Trailer: 

.......

Possible Influences For My Film: The character archetypes and isolated location.               

Companies/Idents: 

This was the only ident shown, as the distributor. The ident lasted 20 seconds, which is conventional for a main ident in a film. The ident was animated, and then faded to black, and was adapted to the style of the film. 

The use of a single ident is unusual, but not for a larger budget production. 

Titles:

The titles before the opening shot show the distribution and production companies first. The font is serif to denote a serious film, and elongated to denote horror. The company names are shown through a larger sized font.

The dark red colour connotes danger or blood and is conventional for a horror film. 

The first name shown is Drew Goddard, the director. It is conventional to highlight the director in the opening, and is repeated twice in the opening. 

The first title that appears is of the actress playing the protagonist, in a thinner but similar font, and in the bottom left hand corner. The rest of the titles appear in the corners of the screen, and highlight the cast before the rest of the production crew. 

The main title of the film, is in uppercase, and appears suddenly 3 minutes into the opening. The title takes up the entire screen and is a jump scare for the audience. The red denotes horror as it connotes blood and danger. 

Opening Shot: 

The first shot is a close-up of blood pouring over a page, and showing ancient Egyptian images. This creates narrative enigma of their meaning, and directly denotes the horror genre. This continues for another 40 seconds. 

Mise-En-Scene/ First Five Shots: 

The previous sequence is sharply interrupted and rapidly pans to a slogan. This contrasts the previous dark and cryptic images. The use of a close-up maintains narrative enigma. 

A hand is seen putting money into the vending machine. This creates a binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) of the ancient opening images, and the modern day ones. 

The camera pulls away, and two men are seen talking by the vending machine, wearing suits and appearing to be in an office. Narrative enigma remains as the faces are not well seen. 

There is a shot-reverse-shot sequence, tightening the focus onto the men and allowing the audience to see their faces. 

There is a cut to an extreme long shot of an office corridor, establishing the setting, but still withholding exposition, as the corridor doesn't have any signifiers that could anchor  the setting.

Sound: 

The beginning ident plays with long-drawn out notes, and an organ and strings playing. There is further sounds of clanking or doors opening, that accompany the animation. This fades and becomes an audio-bridge, adding the sound of strings, and a gradual increase of percussion, creating tension. When the men are introduced, they have a conversation that is heard over elevator music.