Thriller Task- Textual Analysis

Representation

In the other part of the media course we do an extract of representation in our exam in practices we have looked at dramas. The waking of the dead essay I did was very dark and sinister and showed some aspects of a thriller.

The opening scene of waking the dead begins with a tight close up shot of a chain swinging, the background is out of focus as the camera shot had a shallow field of focus. This creates a scary, dark atmosphere, you get a sense of torture. The only sound you can hear is the sound of a moving chain which has been heavily enhanced in the editing process.

The next shot is a crane shot down the chain, the chin is swinging with a man a man swinging. The chain then turns out to be a swing with a middle age man on it, the dark ominous tone is still apparent.

A woman in a blurred shot which cross faded from the park with the man on the swing, unfocused high key lighting are visible in both shots but the high key lighting is set in the park scene.

Next there is a very slow pan from the park to a forensic scientist in the background behind a transparent evidence board which is swinging like the chains. All there time there is a sense that something is about to happen and that’s what we are waiting for.

Next is a pan to the hotel room you only see the feet of a man with him undressing himself by taking off his trousers. We (the viewer) are placed under the bed, next the camera cranes up as if into the bed which leaves us with a black screen. All the viewer can hear now is the rocking of the bed and panting.

By the where and the way the camera is placed the viewer is aware of what is happening and that there is a young man tied down and gagged against his will and is being anally raped. The camera does a tight shot of the ropes holding down his hands, then camera pans to the wall where you see the silhouette and the man being raped and strangled.

Next there is a tracking shot of a cleaner going down a corridor to a room, a reverse angle and fish eye lens makes it looks as if someone is watching her from the other side of the door. The tension hasn’t subsided despite what has happened in the last frame.

There is a cut and the viewer is in the room with two detectives at the crime scene and the murder the viewers witnessed. The man who has been strangled had “sorry” engraved in his back. The detectives are working class and the way in which they talk sucks all of the tension built out of the frame.

They leave the room and there is a tracking shot of the man on the swing, who is also a detective. The tracking shot is now following him down to meet the two working class detective. Their conversation contains over the shoulder shots and reverse over the shoulder shots.


For my Textual Analysis's i looked at two trailers in two different types of thrillers, i thought along with all of my other research this might further my knowledge and initiate more ideas for our thriller piece.





The trailer itself is gripping and to me the representation on culture in the city establishes that it is New York even without the voice over informing the viewer of that. I think this trailer is so effective because of the mix of diagetic and non-diagetic music, and also the way in which in the editing process the fist few shots are sped up to show the fast moving city.

The establishment of the phones and the city has been established in the first 22 seconds of the trailer, it then turns to the main plot and the main character Stu. They show him as having a big profile; he seems very in control compared to who we assume to be his assistant who’s with him who seems nervous and slightly uncomfortable, perhaps because he is in the presence of his boss Stu.

Cuts to the phone ringing in a phone booth, from the name of the film and the emphasis on phones in the first 22 seconds we know this will be where the film begins to intensify. When Stu shuts the phone booth door behind him this is him isolating himself from the fast moving city and being closed in to the situation.

Stu even when getting threatened tries to stay calm and call his the gunman’s bluff, but Stu quickly fins out he is not in control when he shoots a pedestrian walking past. The viewer quickly sees the breakdown of the character Stu.

The police arrive and assume Stu is the person with the gun, and they don’t understand the position he is in. It is quickly revealed that he is having an affair with a young girl. The gunman seems to want him to understand the error of his arrogant ways. The gunman tries to get Stu to decide between his wife or his mistress, this isn’t seen in the trailer who he chooses.

The use of close up’s of Stu’s face while the intensity and plot thickens makes the viewer feel uncomfortable. The gunman’s voice is a very calm older man, this makes the viewer speculate who it is.

I see this trailer as such a success as it tells the viewer enough about the plot to be intrigued but not to much because the viewer still has questions. Phone Booth is a thriller but doesn’t conform to the normal conventions of a thriller as it is set outside in high key lighting. There is little violence throughout the film only the shooting from the rifle from a unknown location. The gunman not being caught at the end subverts the usual forms of a thriller and there is no “hero” in this film.




Personally the best psychological thrillers are when the antagonist has no emotions and is unfazed by the thought of murdering someone. Taking Lives, Psycho, No country for old men and Silence of the Lambs have taken this idea and made it into a theme for psychological-thrillers.

This trailer begins with flashes of Hannibal Lecter’s face, this is a chilling site as the low key lighting creates shadows and his facial expression adds to the anxiety that the viewer feels. Clarice Starling a woman who turns into the protagonist of the film going to interview the renowned Dr. Lecter. The location conforms to the usual thriller setting with its low key lighting; this creates a dark atmosphere with her first meeting of Hannibal.

The reason why she is interviewing Lecter is next revealed as Buffalo Bill with a new commentary in the background with flashes of newspaper clippings a necklace and a tattoo, the establishment of the plot is complete. Starling is described as a “rookie” FBI agent, which makes her seem more vulnerable when approaching Lecter’s confinement.

The quick cuts of Hannibal Lecturer and him always being in the shadows emphasizes the mystery and suspense around him. The music makes the viewer feel uneasy as it builds tension. Hannibal Lecter is the antagonist of this film and fits the stereotype perfectly as he is scheming and intelligent.