Film Analysis: Eden Lake (2008)

FILM ANALYSIS: Eden lake (2008)

dir. James Watkins

BBFC 18 , MPAA R 

Opening Length: 4 minutes

Budget: $2 million 

Box Office: $4 million

Theatrical Distribution: International

Production Company: Rollercoaster Films, Aramid Entertainment Fund

Distributor: Optimum Releasing (now Studio Canal UK)

Synopsis: Refusing to let anything spoil their romantic weekend break, a young couple confront a gang of loutish youths with terrifyingly brutal consequences. (IMDB)

LINKS: wikipedia , imdb , boxofficemojo

Trailer: 

Possible Influences For My Film: The use of jump scares and signals as warnings, the forest location. The cross cutting/images of the opening. 

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Opening sequence: 

I have categorised my notes in certain aspects I am specifically focused on, as well as some general notes on the opening at the end. 

Idents/Titles: 

There are no company idents and the film opens directly on the titles. The red connotes violence, blood, and horror. The titles are zoomed into, and then fill the screen with red. The shaking effect placed on the titles accompanies the shaky shots between them. 

The main title of the film appears 50s into the opening, and before many shots are seen. Being capitalised and having the title in the centre signifies it's importance.  The sharp lettering connotes seriousness, signifying a thriller. 

Opening shot: 

The first shots seen are flickering images of the film, with an overexposed yellow tint. This colour scheme is unsettling, and the fast moving, flickering images confuse and hook the viewer. The images are gruesome and bloody, including a woman screaming which is also heard. 

These flickering images are also known as subliminal messages, a technique often used in horror that affects the viewer's subconscious thoughts, creating fear and anxiety. 

Mise-En-Scene/ First Five Shots:

Before seeing this CU shot, there is an audio-bridge of children playing peekaboo. This creates a sense of eeriness as well as foreshadowing. 

The protagonist is almost immediately introduced, with little narrative enigma built up. She is a young, conventionally attractive woman wearing pink, juxtaposed with her short hair. She is heard shushing the children, positioning her in a hegemonic motherly or caring profession. 

The long pink dress worn connotes femininity, and her role as a nursery teacher is anchored through the mise-en-scene, and the shot of her dismissing the class. 

This ELS shows the exterior of the school. Verisimilitude is created through the use of a lollipop lady. The car shown is also nicknamed a "Chelsea tractor", revealing the area to be wealthy or upper middle class. 

The second protagonist is shown, it is unconventional, (especially in horror), to have a hero's journey (Campbell) with both genders, but this helps in gaining larger marketing or commercial appeal. Horror is often classed as "pop-culture", and older, wealthy protagonists turn the film into a highbrow thriller, and have more potential for theatrical distribution. He is wearing a suit and tie and sitting in his expensive car. He is also seen holding a small red box, indicating a possible proposal. 

Sound: 

The first sounds heard are the screams, accompanied by the gruesome images. There are also sounds of static or slashing, and long-drawn out notes which makes the audience hold their breath. These sounds all clearly anchor horror. The audio-bridge of children playing peekaboo provides exposition of the protagonists job, as well as foreshadowing and having an eerie tone. Exposition is also provided by the radio in the car.

General notes: 

- The conversation in the car and what is heard through the radio exaggerates the exposition needed. 

- The couple are presented as sexually active, and would be immediately killed in a slasher, it is unconventional that they are expected to survive. 

- The gender roles are hegemonic (Gramsci), and clearly defined; driving (control) given to man, female protagonist has no underarm hair, "man or a mouse"...

- Surrounded by working class children and parents, while commenting on their rowdiness. 

- Binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) is created; smoking, violence, separate sides of the lake, drill music, colourful hair, strong language. 

- The beer Stella Artois is seen, also known as "wife-beater", choice reflects Hall's reception theory. 

- Unconventional narrative; teenagers seen as villains and adults as heroes, this is typically flipped in slasher films. 

- Use of a privileged POV and signals; GPS saying turn back, text behind sign saying "yuppies".

- Boy trapping insects foreshadowing what will happen to couple. 

- Music subtly transitions from ominous to peaceful. 

- Rule of thirds used; couple on the beach at the side of he frame, leaves them vulnerable.