JH : Zombie Horror - Reading Source 3

Why are we so afraid of Zombies?

The horror-film appeal of zombies is rooted in an instinctive disquiet at faces that are almost human, says a psychologist. A research project by the Open University's Stephanie Lay found a particular fear of "near-human" faces. The zombie face is lifeless, with empty cold eyes. There was a study by a psychologist tested on 3000 people where results showed that there was ‘widespread’ repulsion at near human faces.

Zombie Apocalypse!!
Key points from the Pop mythology blog -

People think they love the idea of a zombie apocalypse but that is just because of the way it is presented to us.

People love the idea as they believe they can survive it themselves.

Films and TV shows present the zombie apocalypse as being beatable with a bit of common sense and a weapon.

Free stuff. The people in films and TV shows always end up with nice cars and weapons as they are free. This is really attractive to people and almost makes them wish they could be in that situation.

Why do we love zombies?

• Zombie films have been around a long time and date back as far as 1968 with the film "Night of the living dead".
• Zombies seem to be everywhere right now for example AMC's series "The Walking Dead".
• Vampire phase is coming to an end (Thanks to Twilight) and fans of the vampire based films are moving over to similar zombie films.
• People like the different possibilities that zombies can bring as they are unaffected by pain and losing limbs etc.
• Zombie films can even be comedic for example "Shaun of the Dead"  which is a very funny zombie based film featuring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

HB: Slasher Themed Moodboard

This mood board presents various images taken from a variety of slasher themed horror films. It is clear that pro-filmic effects e.g. fake blood play a large role in these films to create verisimilitude. This also accentuates the importance of colour, as the red of the blood stands out becoming a focal point. The use of props for brutal weapons is also very common, this is seen in the use of the chainsaws and knives, this demonstrates a binary opposition between the antagonist and the victim and is also a typical visual symbol used within the horror genre.

Iconography:

• Fake blood
• Mask
• Brutal weapon: Chainsaw, Knife 
• Woods
• Colour: dark and red
• Screaming victim 

JH : Zombie Themed Moodboard

This Moodboard shows a compilation of zombie themed pictures. 

From this I can ascertain-

•  that fake blood is used to add a scare factor to the pictures. 
• As well as fake blood there are also lots of fake cuts and pale faces. 
• The realistic pro-filmic effects add a very scary element to the pictures.
• Half decayed faces also seem to be a common trend. 
• Angry lifeless faces add a scare factor.

CK : Supernatural Themed Moodboard

• This is a mood board for supernatural horror.
• From this I can ascertain that key iconography is:
• Black and white images.
• Dark and dimly lit scenes.
• Ghosts and demons.
• Possession.
• The symbolism shown (pentangle etc).

CK : Title Sequence Analysis - The Mist (Darabont, 2007)

 

• Mise-en-scene is used in this clip to give an eerie and unsettling tone to the beginning of the film.
• The clip is set at night, and there is a storm going on outside the house in which the scene is set. The night, and the aural motif of the storm are typical conventions of horror and so it already creates a feeling of unease within the audience.
• There are paintings of monsters on the wall of the house, which appear to be coming through doorways. The idea of monsters coming through doors is very relevant to the film because this is what the plot is based around.
• In the last few seconds of the sequence we see the family descend into what appears to be a basement or cellar, which are commonly associated with cold, darkness and horror films in general.

• Sound is also used in this clip. At the start of the sequence there is diegetic old fashioned Jazz music in the background, which actually has a very unsettling effect because it is quite upbeat and happy and so it contrasts and is asynchronous with the creepy atmosphere of the scene.
• As well as this when there is a power cut and the music stops the silence is all the more ominous and effective.
• There is also no dialogue in this sequence, which helps to add an eerie tone.
•  When the family are walking into the basement the sound their footsteps can be heard on the creaky floor boards, this is also a typical convention of horror.

• Camerawork is used to slowly reveal the set at two points in this sequence.
• Firstly when the camera crabs across a room to reveal the painter and secondly when the camera tracks out from the outside to reveal the family looking out of the window.
• The way that the scene is revealed so slowly creates suspense and tension within the audience.

HB: Title Sequence Analysis - The Woman In Black (Watkins, 2012)

The Woman In Black, horror film opening

• There are many close ups on the dolls which both emphasises the youth of the girls and makes the scene more creepy as old dolls typically connote fear
• The representation of youth is also clearly presented through the long shot showing the 3 girls playing surrounded by toys (props)
• The use of costume presents the time period to the audience immediately as all 3 girls have old fashioned dresses on. This is accentuates the creepy atmosphere of the scene as old houses are commonly seen as scary
• This is further highlighted by the setting, an attic is a setting often used in horror films as they give a sense of claustrophobia and therefore holds a connotation of fear
• Sound has an important role in this clip, there is no speech which makes the eerie music more focused 
• This backing music changes when the girls notice the presence of the woman in black, this informs the audience they should be afraid of this character, presenting her as the antagonist immediately
• There is also use of ambient sound, when the girls crush the mugs and dolls there is a close up on their feet and you can hear them break/smash
• The worm's-eye view on the girls feet causes the audience to feel smaller creating a sense of oppression 
• The POV shot from the woman in blacks position allows the audience to witness the scene from her perspective and also increases the fear because the awareness that she is there remains yet she still hasn't been shown by the camera 
• There is then a zoom on the windows showing that there is 3 of them matching the number of girls. This causes the audience to know what is going to happen before it does increasing the suspense 
• The use of tracking shot to follow the girls to the window also creates fear as the audience know what they have to witness but there's nothing they are able to do to control it reflecting how the 3 girls are also unable to
• Following the girls jumping out the windows simultaneously there is an aural signifier of a woman screaming which is commonly linked with horror
• Finally the scene ends with a zoom out on the whole room to present the woman standing in the corner, this use of character blocking causes the audience's attention to be drawn to the woman

JH : Title Sequence Analysis - The Ring (Verbinski, 2002)

The Ring Opening Scene

A young journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it.

• When the TV static turns on there is a close up of her face as she turns around.
• The camera does a lot of panning and tracking. It follows panning, tracking the main actresses around the house. There is a low shot and crabbing level shot that shows the character walking up the stairs and then towards the camera along the passage.
• Zooming is used to help us as the audience focus on what the character is looking at, e.g. the television when it is static.
• Low level shots are used to create suspense by only showing the actresses feet e.g. when the girl is walking along the upstairs passage.
• There is a high level shot looking down on the girl as she walks up the stairs.
• All of the lighting is very dark and gloomy which is very scary as it is set in a big house at night.
• There is a lot of red as this connotes danger and blood.
• It uses the sound of rain at the beginning and then the television static.