The Genre of Horror

Horror is an exciting, high interest genre that raise heart beat of fans and audiences around the world. ‘Horror’ is an ancient art form. The human race have tried to petrify one and another with dark tales that trigger the less logical sections of our imaginations for as long as tales have been told. Ancient world ballads to the modern day myths, many listens and viewers will willingly offer them selves to be scared witless by sadistic storytellers and atrocious stories, and the audience would be more then happy to pay for the thrill.  The horror genre on a whole flourish potential theories as to why its such a thriving genre for example ‘Do we derive basic thrills from triggering the rush of adrenalin which the fear factor brings?’ or do the horror stories serve a rather large moral purpose for example ‘Reinforcing the rules and taboos of our society and show the ghastly and ghoulish fate of those who transgress to disobey ?’

From the beging of the very first horror film to the latest films of 2011 they have served both purpose, to deliver thrills and ecstasy, as well as narrating stores of the forbidden dark side of life and even death. Horror films also impart a revealing image of apprehensions and unease of its time. For example both poplar vampire films Nosferatu (1922) and Blade (1998) reflect on the making and release f there time periods. Nosferatu is not a basic tale about vampires, but actually shows distressing and tragic images of a European town faced with constant deaths which were random and premature, which echoes does of the Great War in 1918 and the Great Flu Epidemic. On the other hand Blade (1998) is not just a basic tale of vampires around the America but reflects on the fear of power yet irresponsible elements in society, which echoes on the impunities behaviour of those on the very top end of society and politics.

Different generations tend to differ in the horror genre, therefore through the decades the monster which presents the threat tends to change and mature. In the early 1940s a time where Hitler was seen as half man and half beast as he destroyed those that would go against him. Therefore the horror genre films reflected on monsters that where based on monsters that resembled man or part beast part man animals. In 1990s the beast like monsters begin to diminish and more killers appeared for example Jonathan Doe (Se7en 1994) and Hannibal Lector (Man hunter 1986, Silence of the lambs 1991, Hannibal 2001) were 100% human and performed natural although sadistic killings.  Now in the twenty first century, the zombie and ghost characters are repapering back in the western and eastern superstitions converge and again we are egger to be told stories that are induced by evil way past evil beyond human belief.

Hard Candy Analysis (Part 2)

Trailer
Hard Candy Video Trailer

Brief Analysis

The beginning of the hard candy trailer starts off with non diegetic sound of keyboard clicking with the constant tap and press of buttons and also the sounds of pc when a now alert is apparent. Which then after the institution commissioning the film, an extreme close up of flirtatious online chat is taking place between two individuals, which shows that sexuality maybe a key component to the story line of the film. This can help identify the age period of the film as online chat is a modern turn of the century function that is used in many people’s lives today. Therefore the film may include the advantages and problems which may come with this new age service/technology which people will likely be aware of.                                                                                                                                                                 The next shot is a medium close up of a man with glasses which is Jeff Kohlver. Allowing us to his physical appearance which plays a part to story to let us know that he is a fully frown adult. Who is then seen meeting with a younger female who is actually a teenager who is Hayley Stark. They both meet up in a cafe.  In the cafe they speak about a number of subjects close to each individual for example one subject of conversation is that Jeff Kohlver is a professional photographer therefore connoting that he is a full grown adult who is independent as he works to provide for himself. On the other hand Hayley Stark is in 8^th grade as she talks about some of the books that she studies, this makes her 14 years old and not so independent as there is a good chance she still lives at home with her parents.                                                                                                                                                                 Jeff kolhver does two important things that i think stands out in the scene of the cafe, the first one is that Hayley Stark has a bit of chocolate on her lips from eating a slice of cake, Jeff uses his thumb to wipe it off and then licks his thumb and says “Umm”. This is rather forward sexually and the “Umm” connotes the satisfying taste of the chocolate but also the attraction from Jeff to Hayley. The other point is that he says “You look older then you are, you certainly act older then you are”, therefore showing that he knows that she is a minor but he wants to convince her that he thinks at heart she is a mature adult.

The mood of the trailers begins  to change after Jeff and Hayley walk to the cars and drive back to Jeff’s home, although while they are walking and travailing the edit pace is in slow motion symbolizing the distance is far therefore the speed is represented as pace in time. Inter titles appear just after Hayley is seen slow peering behind a wall. Inter titles  Sundance film festival: Official selection 2005. Best Motion Picture Audience award: Sitges Film Festival 2005 appear, helps with the transition of the edit of mood. After the inter titles a wall is shown with a line up of black and white photos taken by Jeff, i believe this photos play part of the plot as the time spent on the wall with photos with none of the charters is rather long, although there is speech in the background coming from Jeff. Jeff then takes her to his studio, same studio where the black and white photos where shot. ‘Another inter title appears saying “WILL PROVOKE AUDIENCES INTO A DEBATE THAT WILL SET WORD-OF-MOUTH ON FIRE” by mike goodridge .screen international’.  This inter title fully completes the mood transition from a light to dark feel.  Hayley is seen taking some photos out of a safe with a distinctive serious look on her face, which then moves back to Jeff saying “things you do wrong they haunt you”, as Hayley looks at the picture recognize that the young female in the picture looks familiar.  After the edits speed up with sound, mise en scene and camera shots playing a role in strengthen the feel of the story. The fast paced edits slow down to show the last inter title quotes which is  “ ABSOLUTELY,  TERRIFYING ! ONCE IT LANDS ITS HOOKS IN YOU, THERES NO TEARING AWAY” Eric Campos.Film Treat”. Edits begin to flash, and increase highly in speed. Fro example the Jeff trying to get out of the chair he is tied to, while Hayley looks around the house. Close up camera shoots are also used with the fast edit transitions for example the close up of the disgust in Hayley’s face, or the medium close up of Hayley seen getting pushed to the wall possibly showing that Jeff got free. Hayley is heard also aggressively saying “It’s just so easy to blame a kid” showing that he has been connected to young females before. While the last set of shoot sequence which are in a extremely fast pace three main quotes are said first hearing Hayley say “Play time is over” and then Jeff Kohlver saying “Who are you” showing that he is completely unaware of Hayley as she seem not to be the same girl before And the Hayley saying “now it’s time to wake up” showing that Hayley believes he was leaving a dream life and now he may have to pay the penalty. during this set of sequence shoots you can that the director wants you to see that there is a struggle from Jeff but he then fights back to Hayley as it seems. And then the last shot is both of them in Jeff’s studio.

Hard Candy Analysis (Part 1)

Writer: Brian Nelson

Director: David Slade

Main Cast:

Patrick Wilson – Jeff Kohlver

Ellen Page - Hayley Stark

Tagline: “Strangers shouldn’t talk to little girls”

Storyline

After three weeks of chatting with the thirty-two year old photographer Jeff Kohlver over the Internet, fourteen year old Hayley Stark meets him in the Nighthawks coffee shop. Hayley flirts with him in spite of the age difference and proposes to go to his house. Once there, she prepares a screwdriver for them and Jeff passes out. When he awakes, he is tied up to a chair, and Hayley accuses him of paedophilia. Jeff denies the accusation, and Hayley begins to torture him in a cat and mouse game.

The Poster

·         Main Character: Back turned away to the camera, which suggest that this female character maybe be mysterious and has more to her then shes letting on. Also the hooded jumper helps strengthen this point.

·         Large scale bear trap with main character with in it can be perceived as a visual metaphor that the main character is heavily involved with trapping someone, also with a combination of a title hard candy can also show that she will be the bait as candy is often known to be sweet.

·         Colour: Red - which is mainly used for the character the colour used for the characters almost resembles a new age little red riding hood. The secondary colours are very bleak and bland, almost lifeless with different mixes of greys. (little red riding hood)

·         Camera shot: Long shot helps in showing that there is a distance between the characters therefore allowing the potential audience to see the whole character.