Trailer Analysis 2

-Trailer analysis-

Friday the 13th

The trailer starts with non-diegetic sounds of the forest. These sounds indicates to the audience that peace is about to be broken. It also shows where the movie will be set (Crystal Lake). The long shot of the woods shows how immense the location is and if they were to get lost there, no one would ever find them, it also targets the audience’s fear of the unknown.

 Instead establishing the equilibrium with playful happy music a voice over is used, we hear a feeble weak whisper of a woman’s voice who is describing a boy named Jason, who should have been looked after properly. We can hear a hint of resentment in her voice as why there is we do not know yet. The flashes of scenes from the woods act as though they are pulling the audience and the characters deeper and deeper into the woods as though there is something or someone waiting for them. This is a ghostly feeling that whoever the character is they are about to meet their fate. The calmness of the woman’s voice and the subtle noises of the tress add a creepy, chilling, feeling that not all will be calm in the coming future. This soon cuts to a girl who is running through the dark woods who is sounding distressed and is crying. The camera takes us into an abandoned cabin that is filled with old toys and children’s bunk beds, proceeding to show that the narrative is about a child, a dead child as the voice over is speaking in the past tense. Here where the editing is now speeding up with more scenes of characters in distress, most of which are female, which made lead to the final girl which is an iconic feature in horror movies. In between theses shots we see the same girl running, crying and screaming through the forest, we can assume now that she is either the first victim or could even be the final girl??? of the movie. The trailer features a stabbing at the end with a girl crawling backwards away from the masked figure that is about to kill her. We then see the iconic Jason mask and this overpowering figure of which the antagonist forms from, again an iconic horror movie trait, of an almost ‘superhuman’ villain that no one can defeat. The mask of the villain hides his entire face which plays upon the basic fears of us all, the unknown.

Sound:

‘Did you know a young boy died here?’

Instantly we as an audience know that the narrative of the story will be retrospective.

‘The councillors weren’t paying attention’

The tone of blame amongst the woman’s voice can show us that this film will be about revenge in its most brutal and savage way.

‘You see he was my son and his name was Jason’

Here a link is seen as to who the antagonist might be. As we have guessed/established the narrative may be about revenge. His mother who has lost a son through carelessness may be looking for revenge or justice in a cruel sadistic matter.          

The only sound to come from the film is the voice over that is being used to narrate the trailer. There is no additional dialogue from the film, the only thing we hear from the characters are their screams and cries as they are being tormented and running through the forest.

The non-diegetic sound is different than most other horror trailers. This is because there isn’t any eerie music playing over the shots and scenes that are unfolding before us. However there is diegetic sound which comes from the scenes as we can hear the thumping of the feet from the characters running through the forest (the cracking of branches). These sounds reinforce the seclusion these characters are facing from the real world; they truly are alone in theses woods with this monster. The non-diegetic sound that can be heard over the shots is also a high pitch chime to create the feeling of high anxiety and something that pierces through you so you can understand the intensity that the characters are facing. 

Meise en scene

The still, clear ‘crystal’ like lake, is seen in the opening shot which shows peace and tranquillity that can be found here. The woods show the hidden depths that are here can show a deeper insight to the narrative of the film. Also, the immensity of the woods that is show can make the characters feel secluded and alone and unprotected.

The use of the torches throughout the trailer indicates to the audience that the ‘action’ will be mostly set in the dark. This creates the mood that the audience’s main fear of the unknown within the darkness will be met.

The old cabin we can see as it acts as a teleport which shows the amount of time it’s been since someone has been residing there. Old toys and dolls have been left behind by children who once stayed there. The broken toys can show us the loss of innocence that once occurred here at this camp due to a tragedy that must have unfolded years ago.

The sign ‘Camp Crystal Lake’ is shown so we, as an audience are immediately aware of the setting. The name ‘Crystal Lake’ is ironic in more ways than one. First of all the word crystal meaning clear and see through can be seen as though we know the fate of these characters. Also crystal lake could be seen as a sign of purity and again innocence which we know has been lost here due to the death of a young boy. Thus leading to dramatic irony; the audience are aware what is going to happen.

The costumes of the victims seem very feeble and weak. The shorts and vest tops warn by the girls gives them no protection, and thus gives them the stereotype of ditsy blonde who always dies first.  The costume of who appears to be the final girl seems more sensible as she sports a hoodie and a pair of jeans, the more down to earth intelligent one than the other characters. The costume of the antagonist is dark and heavy clothing keeping his identity very well hidden along with his hockey mask. This daunting image that he leaves in the heads of his victims makes him even more sinister, as they have no idea who it is and why he is killing everyone.

The weapon used by the antagonist is a long blade which gives him even more power over his victims, as opposed to just his physical appearance; it leaves no room for escapism leaving the victims powerless and doomed.