DREAM HOUSE –

ANALYSIS

HOW IS GENRE ESTABLISHED? • THE TRAILER STARTS FOR THE SOUND OF SOMEONE PLAYING THE PIANO POORLY FOR EXAMPLE A CHILD. THIS

SUGGESTS A LACK OF PERFECTION IN THE PIANO PIECE SHOWS SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN. ALSO IT ADDS TO THE SENSE OF EERINESS AND THE THREATENING ATMOSPHERE. ALSO THE FACT THAT THE INSTRUMENT USE IS A PIANO WHICH IS A SOLO INSTRUMENT EMPHASISES THE FACT THAT THE AUDIENCE AND THE CHARACTERS WITHIN THE FILM ARE ISOLATED. THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAILER GOES ON TO DANIEL CRAIG SAYING "ONCE UPON A TIME" RESEMBLING CHILDHOOD NURSERY RHYMES AND FILMS. THIS GIVES THE EFFECT OF DARK HUMOUR AS THOUGH "ONCE UPON A TIME" SHOULD MAKE YOU THINK OF SOMETHING COMFORTING E.G. BEDTIME STORIES. HOWEVER THE CREEPINESS OVERALLS IT AND TAKE THE OUTSET OF COMFORT. THE FIRST SHOT IS OF A CHILD THIS GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF HORROR, AS THE DARK LIGHT IS USED WHICH HAS CONNOTATIONS OF DEATH AND NIGHTMARES. FURTHERMORE AS WE SEE THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE FILM, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MEANT TO BE INNOCENT AND VULNERABLE MAKES THE AUDIENCE CONFUSED. THIS IS BECAUSE THIS CERTAIN STEREOTYPE IS NOW SUBVERTED AND IS TWISTED MAKING IT MORE CREEPY AND UNSETTLING.

WHAT ARE THE KEY SELLING

POINTS ?

DANIEL CRAIG IS A USP AS HE IS AN UNUSUAL CHOICE FOR THE MAIN LEAD. THIS IS BECAUSE HORROR MOVIES CONVENTIONALLY PIG NOT WELL-KNOWN ACTORS FOR PARTS, THIS IS BECAUSE THEN AUDIENCES DON'T HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN E.G. JENNIFER ANDERSON IS STEREOTYPICALLY KNOWN FOR ROMANTIC COMEDIES, MEANING WE WILL HAVE AS AN AUDIENCE AN IDEA TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE END. THEREFORE IN HORROR AS THERE IS NO TELLING YOU COULD DIE, BE THE VICTIM OR THE VILLAIN ETC. ADDING TO THE SUSPENSE OF HORROR. THEREFORE AS DANIEL CRAIG IS USED THERE IS NO CERTAINTY TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO HIM IN THE FILM MAKING THE AUDIENCE MORE ANXIOUS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. ANOTHER KEY SELLING POINT IS THE SUPERNATURAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR. THIS IS INTRIGUING TO THE AUDIENCE AS THERE IS THAT SENSE OF CONFUSION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHO IS THE VICTIM/VILLAIN. DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS HUMAN NATURE FOR US TO FIND OUT THE ANSWER, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ELEMENT MAKES IT HARDER FOR US TO DO THAT THEREFORE IN THE END WE ARE ENTICED. ALSO DANIEL CRAIG'S VOICE OVER STARTING WITH "ONCE UPON A TIME". THIS ACCOMPANIED BY THE SINGLE NIGHT PIANO, WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY THE CUTS OF THE SHOTS. THIS SUGGESTS THE FAMILY IS NOT IN CONTROL OVER ANY OF THE SITUATION, NEITHER IS THE AUDIENCE WHICH IS THREATENING.

HOW DOES IT ESTABLISH MOOD? • THE USE OF THE VOICE-OVER STARTING WITH THE NURSERY

RHYME, IMMEDIATELY MAKES THE AUDIENCE THINK OF CHILDREN. ALSO AS IT INVOLVES TWO LITTLE GIRLS THE AUDIENCE ARE IN SHOCK, AS GIRL STEREOTYPICALLY ARE MORE VULNERABLE DUE TO WESTERN IDEOLOGIES WHICH ARE BEING REPEATED OVER YEARS AND YEARS OF MEDIA, THEREFORE ENHANCING THIS IDEA. THE TWO GIRLS MAKE THE AUDIENCE WANT TO SYMPATHISE WITH THEM, AS WE IMMEDIATELY ASSUME THAT THEY ARE IN DANGER AND NEED HELP. ALSO THE TONE IN THE VOICE OVER IS SLOW AND QUIET. THIS IMMEDIATELY DOES NOT SCARE THE AUDIENCE BUT MAKES THEM FEEL DEPRESSED. HOWEVER AS THE TRAILER CONTINUES THE MOOD CHANGES AS MORE INFORMATION IS GIVEN E.G. THE MURDERS. THIS GIVES THE AUDIENCE MORE UNDERSTANDING HOWEVER THE KNOWLEDGE EMITS FEAR TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE.

HOW DOES IT USE GENERIC CODES? • THE USE OF THE DARK LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TRAILER IS A GENETIC CODE WITHIN ITSELF. DARKNESS

HAS CONNOTATIONS OF DEATH AND EVIL, THEREFORE ARE MISSING A MOOD OF FEAR, WHICH IS THREATENING TO THE AUDIENCE. ALSO AS THE LIGHTING IS DARK IT IS UNCLEAR FOR THE AUDIENCE WHAT THEY ARE WATCHING, WHICH IS MORE CONFUSING, WHEN EDITING TECHNIQUES SUCH AS JUMP CUTS ARE USED IT IS MORE DRAMATIZING AND SHOCKING. ALSO THE DARKNESS COULD BE A SYMBOL WITH IN THE TRADE UP. A SYMBOL OF A FEATURE OR CHARACTERISTIC OF ONE OF THE CHARACTERS, FOR EXAMPLE AS A TRAILER GOES ON WE GET A SENSE THAT DANIEL CRAIG HAS A DARK SIDE TO HIS CHARACTER. MOREOVER THE SYMBOL COULD BE A SIGN OF DESTRUCTION THAT WILL UNFOLD WITHIN THE TRAILER. FURTHERMORE THE NON- DIABETIC MUSIC IS ANOTHER MAIN GENERIC CODE. THE SUDDEN SOUNDS ARE SOUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN EMPHASISED E.G. CHILDREN LAUGHING, DOOR SLAMMING. THIS IS DONE TO FIRST FRIGHTEN THE AUDIENCE BUT ALSO THE PIANO MUSIC AND THE NURSERY RHYME MUSIC, RELATE TO THE CHILDREN THIS SUGGEST THEY COULD HAVE A MAJOR PART WITHIN THE FILM. ALSO THE USE OF CHILDREN LAUGHING IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF DARK HUMOUR. FOR EXAMPLE LAUGHTER HAS CONNOTATIONS OF HAPPINESS AND FAMILY HOWEVER WHEN USED IN THIS SITUATION IT EMPHASISES ON THE FACT THAT THIS FAMILY IS NOT HAPPY.

WHAT IS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE

FILM?

DUE TO THE BEGINNING START WITH THE NURSERY RHYME, FIRSTLY IT SUGGESTS THAT THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE ON THE CHILDREN THIS

HIGHLIGHTS THEIR VULNERABILITY AND ISOLATION FROM THE REST OF THE CHARACTERS. SECONDLY THE IRONY IS EMPHASISED AS THE CONVENTIONS

OF A NURSERY RHYME IS A HAPPY ENDING. HOWEVER DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS IS A HORROR THIS SUGGESTS THAT IT WILL BE FAR FROM HAPPY

ENDING. ALSO RELATING TO AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS, HORRORS HAVE CODES AND CONVENTIONS THAT AUDIENCES EXPECT AND WILL SEE WHEN

WATCHING A HORROR. FOR EXAMPLE, BLOOD, GORE, MURDERS, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES ETC.

WHAT IDEOLOGIES DOES THE TRAILER ESTABLISH?

• IDEOLOGIES OF CHILDREN WHICH ARE TESTED AND MEASURING THEIR VULNERABILITY. BY HAVING CHILDREN IN THIS TRAILER IT PLAYS WITH AUDIENCES FEARS ESPECIALLY TARGETING PARENTS. THIS IS A WAY TO SCARE AUDIENCES BUT AT THE SAME TIME RELATE TO THEM FOR INSTANCE HAVING THE CHILDREN BEING MURDERED IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS TO REGULAR PARENTS EVERY DAY, HOWEVER LOTS OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE AUDIENCE WILL HAVE CHILDREN WHICH IS A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM. ALSO HOME AND SAFE TO USE CHALLENGE WITHIN THIS TRAILER. THIS IS PLAYING WITH FEARS AS YOUR HOME IS MEANT TO REPRESENT A SAFE PLACE HOWEVER WHEN THIS IS THE SUBVERTED AND TWISTED IT CHALLENGES CERTAIN IDEOLOGIES. THIS SHOWS THE BEAUTY OF IDEOLOGIES AND HOW THEY LINK IN WITH GENRES FOR EXAMPLE HORRORS ARE DESIGNED TO CHALLENGE IDEOLOGIES THIS THEREFORE IS THE REASON WHY WHEN WATCHING A HORROR YOU FEEL UNSAFE BECAUSE ALL IDEOLOGIES ARE CHALLENGED AND SUBVERTED.

SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL ELEMENTS OF THE FILM: SUCCESSFUL

• THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NON-DIETETIC SOUND AND MUSIC COMPARE TO THE USE OF EDITING. FOR EXAMPLE THE BEAT OF THE PIANO NOTE IS ADJUSTED TO THE CUTS. THIS IS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IT ADDS TO THE SENSE OF CREEPINESS AND THAT SENSE OF A LACK OF CONTROL TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE, MAKING THEM FEEL UNSAFE AND NOT AT EASE. ALSO THE NARRATIVE IS SUCCESSFUL, FOR INSTANCE THE FAMILY WHICH CAN BE GENERALISED TO EVERYBODY BUT ADDING MURDERS IN WHICH THEREFORE IS PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S FEARS AND IDEOLOGIES. WHEN LOOKING AT TRAILERS AND THE PURPOSE OF TRAILER IT IS TO ENTICE AND SCARE AUDIENCES BUT ALSO MAKE IT LOOK ATTRACTIVE SO THAT THEY WILL COME AND WATCH. THEREFORE WHEN LOOKING AT THIS TRAILER IT HAS IN MOST SENSES COMPLETED THAT, THIS IS BECAUSE IT HAS STAR APPEAL E.G. DANIEL CRAIG THE EDITING IS DONE VERY WELL E.G. DISSOLVES AND FAST CUTS AND THE USE OF CHARACTERS E.G. CHILDREN.

UNSUCCESSFUL

• I FOUND THAT THE PART THAT WAS LEAST SUCCESSFUL WAS IN THE TRAILER WAS THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH OF THE NARRATIVE WHICH WAS SHOWN. WHICH MADE THE TRAILER LESS OF AFFECTIVE AS IT WAS NOT AS SCARY AS IT COULD'VE BEEN. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY COULD INVENTION OF A HORROR IS THE UNKNOWN AND ADDING TO THAT SENSE OF MYSTERY. THIS WAS THEREFORE DIMINISHED THROUGH THE NARRATIVE BEING SHOWN IN THE TRAILER.

DOES THE TRAILER MEET EXPECTATIONS TO THE TARGET AUDIENCE? AND HOW ARE THEY EXPLICITLY TARGETED?

• THE TARGET AUDIENCE OF THIS FILM IS FAMILY E.G. PARENTS OR YOUNG ADULTS. THEREFORE I THINK THAT THEY DID TARGET THEM. THIS HAS BEEN DONE THROUGH TESTING AND CHALLENGING IDEOLOGIES E.G. CHILDREN IN DANGER AND SAFETY OF THE HOME. THEREFORE AS HORRORS ARE MEANT TO SCARE AND THREATEN AUDIENCES THEY MANAGE TO COMPLETE THIS. ALSO IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT ANOTHER TARGET AUDIENCE IS TEENAGERS, STRICTLY SPEAKING AND TECHNICALLY THEY ARE THE CLOSEST TO CHILDREN, THEREFORE WHEN SUCH TECHNIQUES ARE USED AS NURSERY RHYMES IT TRIGGERS AND EMOTION WITHIN THEM AS THEY REMEMBER THE COMFORT THEY FELT WHEN HEARING BEDTIME STORIES. BY THIS THEN BEING TAINTED WITH MURDERS AND HORROR CONVENTION IS IT THEN RUINS THEIR CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND BECOMES MORE SHOCKING AND SCARY WHEN WATCHING THE TRAILER.

NARRATIVE STRUCTURES: • NARRATIVE STRUCTURES

• TODOROV WITH HIS THEORY OF EQUILIBRIUM AND DISEQUILIBRIUM WORKS WELL WITH THIS TRAILER. IT STARTS WITH EQUILIBRIUM WITH VISUAL IMAGES OF A FAMILY E.G. CHILDREN RUNNING AROUND PARENTS LAUGHING. THIS IMMEDIATELY WILL MAKE THE AUDIENCE FEEL CALM AND SAFE AND ALSO LOOK AT THEIR OWN FAMILIES AND RELATE TO THEIR OWN MEMORIES. HOWEVER THE STATE OF EQUILIBRIUM IS CHANGED WHEN THE REPETITIVE SOUND OF THE CONSTANT PIANO NOTE PLAYS, GIVING THE IMPRESSION OF A CLOCK TICKING AS IF TIME IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT FOR THE FAMILY. THIS IMMEDIATE WHEN WE AS THE AUDIENCE FIND OUT THAT THE CHILDREN AND FAMILY WERE MURDERED AND FROM THEN ON IT IS A STAR OF DISEQUILIBRIUM AND UNBALANCE WITH IN THE TRAILER.