The Happening Analysis

Film Institutions

Universal

Universal Studios was founded on April 30th 1912 in New York City as the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. It is the longest running American film company and one of the "big six" Hollywood production studios. Since 2013 it has been owned by the mass-media conglomerate Comcast. Universal both produces and distributes films. 

The first film made at Universal was Damon and Pythias (1914), a silent film based upon the Greek myth. Two of the earliest horror films Universal created were the Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), their highest grossing silent film, and the Phantom of the Opera (1925). Universal were responsible for the first "cycle" of mainstream horror films, inspired by characters from Gothic horror literature. During the 1930's and 1940's, this included; Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932),  Werewolf of London (1935), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Dracula's Daughter (1936), House of Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula (1945). By the 1950's, the audience began finding the plot-lines repetitive and production eventually ceased. Universal still produced many well received and high grossing films in other genres, as opposed to primarily horror. This has continued until present day.

Some of the most popular Universal films of all time are E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982), Jaws (1975), Jurassic Park (1993), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Despicable Me (2010), Back to the Future (1985) and Mamma Mia! (2008). A lot of the highest grossing films are family and comedy films, which tend to be the genres the studio invest in most. 

The studio has produced some successful horror films in more recent years, for example; Psycho (1998), Hannibal (2001), Dawn of the Dead (2004), The Skeleton Key (2005), Slither (2006), Dead Silence (2007), Devil (2010),and The Purge (2013).

Twisted Pictures

Twisted Pictures is an independent production company based in America. After the commercial success of Saw (2004), the three co-producers (Hoffman, Burg and Koules) founded the company in the same year. Twisted Pictures mainly concerns itself with horror films, although it does have interests in television, co-producing Fox's Anger Management (2012-present). 

Twisted Pictures is most well known for the Saw Franchise, consisting of seven films and two video games. The Saw films have collectively grossed over $873 million. Being an independent and newer company, the number of films they have released is select, but nearly all well received. Some of these films include; Dead Silence (2007), Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), Chain Letter (2010) and Texas Chainsaw 3D (2010). 

Universal naturally has the advantage of being a much larger, international media conglomerate and is wealthier than the independent Twisted Pictures, so the film would be released on a wider scale. On the other hand, it does not primarily produce horror films, and Twisted Pictures specialise in producing and distributing films that the target audience and fans of the horror genre would probably enjoy more. Therefore, in my opinion, Twisted Pictures would be the better company to produce a horror film.

Key Conventions of Film Openings

Film	Genre	Conventions	Style of Opening	Narrative/ Storyline
Pretty Woman	Romantic Comedy	Name, music and logo of the institution Introduction of main character Establishing the genre Establishing context; rich, American mansion Introduction to plot Cliffhanger- where will Lewis find himself Music- King of Wishful Thinking by Go West, hit from the year of the film, helps give context Name of male and female lead Title of film Names of other main cast	Titles show over narrative, jump cut to pan of Hollywood landscape	Successful businessman Edward Lewis is supposedly hosting a party, but as his guests enjoy themselves he is upstairs on the phone to his girlfriend. She breaks up with him, claiming she spoke more with his secretary than with him. His character, a hard, dedicated office worker is stereotypical of a romantic comedy; the female lead normally shows his 'softer side'. He leaves the party and consequently finds himself in Hollywood. The iconic district is shown in a series of pan shots whilst the main titles roll.
Skyfall	Spy	Name and logo of institution  Establishing shots give context and genre Introduction of main characters Music builds tension of the chase, sounds effects (motorbike, gun, train) heighten danger Equilibrium- danger is normal for the agents, Bond's death is a key event and changes things Cliffhanger Names of main cast Name of film Names of main production team	Title sequence with elements of a fight or shoot out scene	Bond is on a mission to retrieve a hard drive containing information that could be of use to multiple terrorist organisations if it fell in the wrong hands. A chase commences and Bond is accidentally shot by a fellow agent before falling in a river, presumed dead. This fades in to the title sequence, with the famous theme "Skyfall" by Adele playing. The images used foreshadow events in the film and many have connotations of death and danger (guns, skulls, graveyards).
West Side Story	Musical/ Drama	Music and later sound effects layered (clicking) Establish genre Name of film Establishing shots/ setting Protagonists introduced Shows the equilibrium-things will soon change Unusual in that no institutions, cast are crew are credited at the start- it was later justified, there were too many names to fit in a short opening sequence	Overture into pan of landscape	Fade in to a series of abstract lines on a changing background while an overture plays, stereotypical of the musical genre. When this finishes the lines fade to reveal they were imitating the Manhattan skyline, giving context. The audience is introduced to two rival gangs, the Jets and Sharks in the opening number. The singing and dancing of groups of people unlikely to take these actions in real life again suggest the film is a musical.
Pulp Fiction	Crime/ Thriller	Introduction to plot Introduction of main characters Establish context Establish genre Cliffhanger Music (has become iconic as the status of the film has grown) Name of film company/ institution  Name of film Name of cast and crew	Narrative, establishing shots of scene in diner into title sequence	The definition of 'pulp' is shown before an adult couple are sitting in a diner, discussing robberies (establishing the crime genre) before deciding to rob the place themselves. As they hold up their guns, there is a jump cut to the main title sequence. The references and language suggest this is an adult film. There is the iconic theme music that cuts into "Jungle Boogie", again giving the film cultural context.
Reservoir Dogs	Thriller/ Crime	Institution name and logo  Establishing context Introduction of main characters Music Names of the main cast Title of the film Names of production team Establishing genre Introduction to plot	Narrative, jump cut to title sequence and then back to the plot	A group of eight men make conversation in a diner, with no clue as to what they are about to do (a planned diamond heist). This mystery keeps the audience intrigued. As they leave there is a title sequence/ montage to the song "Little Green Bag", which is very upbeat and positive, contrasting to the events of the film. As this ends, we hear a voice screaming "I'm going to die" and a jump cut to the next scene where one of the men has been shot.
The Number 23	Thriller	Name of institution Name of protagonist (Jim Carey) Film title Names of supporting actors Names of significant members of the film crew Music is haunting, riffs echo, minor key create negative effect Genre possibly established through style of sequence and connotations	Title sequence	The title sequence is told on a plain, paper background with typography in the style of retro typewriters. This is no longer used and would only be found in old documents kept because of importance, suggesting the significance of the number twenty three.The number is used to make abstract patterns in the background, highlighting this. Between credits, there are also facts displayed that are linked to the number twenty three suggesting that it has to do with these brutal events and does not have positive connotations. This could give away the plot of the film. The red splatters mimic blood, with connotations of violence and possibly foreshadow danger or death in the film. No characters or context are revealed in this sequence.
Scream	Slasher	Institution name, logo and music Sound effects- screaming, sets the mood and implies fear which foreshadows the events of the film Name of the film Establishing shots of house, sets the scene for the film (small American town) Introduction to plot Key event- Ghostface's first victims, disturbs equilibrium  Establishes genre Introduction to characters Cliffhanger No credits of cast and crew- straight to the plot.	Narrative	A teenage girl is at home alone, preparing to watch a horror film when the phone rings. She presumes the caller has the wrong number and hangs up but he calls back, growing progressively threatening, eventually revealing he is watching her. She tries to run and hide, but the killer is too quick and stabs her as her parents arrive home.
Halloween	Horror	Music, in a minor key, haunting riffs make audience uncomfortable Establishing genre Name and logo of institution Name of film Names of main cast Names of the crew in increasing significance Captions Non-digetic sound of chanting children Establishing shot of house, gives context	Title sequence, fades into shot of a house at "Halloween, 1963"	Title sequence uses dark colours, with bright orange text- normally happy colours but when put with the gradual zoom in of the Halloween pumpkin, links with the celebration and has connotations of fear. The music, in a minor key and layering instruments to build suspense adds to this. As the caption "Haddonfield, Illinois, Halloween 1963" appear, we hear children chanting a song. They represent innocence and life, which we can infer is lost throughout the film because of the juxtaposition with the music.
Final Destination 3	Horror	Name and logo of institution Dark music, prolonged notes create suspense Film title Main cast credited Sound effects; wind and screaming heard in the background Credits of the crew Establish setting/ context Establish genre	Title sequence	The credits roll on a dark background with light images of a fairground fading in and out. The typography matches the classical style used on fair rides and signs. This would normally connote fun and excitement however the dark lighting and the haunting music create the opposite effect, heightened when the sounds of whistling wind and screaming are layered. Some of the images used of the moving puppets and the fortune teller are a sinister style. This establishes both the setting (the fair) and the fact something there will go wrong (hence the music and screaming).
The Woman in Black	Horror	Institution music, logo and name Music, sounds like a child's musical box but the tune is minor and has a haunting effect, foreshadowing the fate of the girls Introduction of plot and characters Establishing shot of house infers context- Victorian era Sound effects as their toys are destroyed represent loss of innocence and suggest something is wrong.  Non-digetic sound of mother screaming is upsetting and unsettling. Name of film No mention of the cast or crew (despite well known lead)	Narrative fades into title sequence	Three young Victorian girls are playing dolls until they simultaneously look to the door, causing them to enter a trance-like state. They walk towards the windows and calmly walk out, falling to their deaths. This symbolises the loss of hope and gives the film context. This fades into a title sequence, where woven into the credits are clips of a bride at her wedding, and that she falls pregnant. The positive idea of a wedding, symbolising love and a new start, and pregnancy, suggesting innocence and joy. This contrasts with the atmospheric music and the deaths of the girls beforehand, which could foreshadow events in the film.

Editing Techniques, Camera Angles and Shot Types

Editing Techniques

• Straight cut 

The most common transition. No special effects are used so it is as discreet as possible and does not disrupt the flow of the narrative.

• Jump cut 

Two similar shots with a slight variation in the angle, they look too alike to be obviously different scenes and look choppy so are not used as often. When they are used it is often to disorientate the viewer. 

• When there is a clear change of scene:

-Fade in/ fade out
-Fade in/ out to/ from black or white
-Dissolve
-Wipe

Shot Types

• Match on Action

Different camera angles focus on the same subject, and are edited to show how the action is finished from the previous shot, connecting the movement. Match on action shots act as a "visual bridge".

• 180 Degree Rule

Visual demonstration of the 180 Degree Rule, Source

The 180° Rule is a guideline to avoid the shot changing the perspective and looking as if the characters have moved. This looks unrealistic and causes confusion from the viewer. The idea is that there is an imaginary "line of action" across the set  that should not be crossed throughout the scene. The camera can be placed anywhere around the 180° arc surrounding the line of action, however if it is crossed, the camera angle will make the subject appear reversed.

• Shot reverse shot

The 180° rule can be applied to shoot reverse shots, a technique used when two characters are talking to each other. Instead of using a two shot, which can often make it harder to see details, one character will look at the other off screen, and when the other responds the camera focuses on them, looking off screen. They are facing opposite directions, giving the effect that they are looking at each other as they have the conversation. 

Camera Angles

Created with Padlet

What is suspense?

Suspense is the fear, anxiety and/ or excitement that an audience experiences watching a film. There is tense anticipation as the audience expects something (usually bad) to happen but are uncertain as to what or when. Suspense in film is usually associated with the horror/ thriller genre which aim to provoke fear from its audience. Cinematic devices are used to gradually build up this feeling until it reaches a climax. These could include: 

• Dramatic irony is often used to heighten the feeling of suspense- the audience knows that the characters are in danger but powerless to change the plot. 
• Music in a minor key, normally uses 'haunting' riffs, crescendo builds up to the climax, increasing tempo and increasing the pace
• Obscure camera angles from extreme high or low angles create the sense that a character is being watched or is vulnerable/ threatening. This put the audience at unease because they know the character is being watch therefore expect something to happen however have no idea what it is. 
• Lighting is often very dim to create shadows and darkness which heightens the fear of the unknown.

Below are some examples of how these have been used:

History of Horror

Adaption of Edgar Allen Poe's
The Fall of the House of Usher

Bram Stoker's famous
Gothic novel, Dracula

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

The horror genre is inspired by speculative fiction, specifically Gothic horror. This genre was made popular in the late 18^th century, through novels such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) and the works of Edgar Allen Poe (early 19th Century). The term Gothic refers to the medieval style of buildings the stories were set in, for example Dracula's castle. Gothic horror was popular in literature and theatre so naturally early filmmakers took inspiration from these.

'Le Manoir du Diable' or Manor of the Devil (1896) by the French early filmmaker Georges Méliès is considered the first horror film ever made. It shows two cavaliers who kill a reincarnation of the devil. 

Frankenstein (1910), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913), The Avenging Conscience (1914), The Crimson Stain Mystery (1916) and The Golem Trilogy are examples of silent films from the 1910s that began to establish the conventions of the horror genre, shocking the audience. The films of this era all draw from the supernatural elements touched upon by Gothic horror literature such as monsters in Frankenstein and The Crimson Stain Mystery and ghosts and spirits in The Avenging Conscience. 

The German expressionism movement during the post war years affected cinema and produced many famous early horror films. Favouring expressionism over a realistic view of the world  was effective in films such as Nosferatu (1922) and the Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920). Electricity quotas in the Weimar Republic meant filmmakers painted shadows onto the set instead of wasting electricity on necessary lighting. This became characteristic of the expressionist films. German filmmakers moved to Hollywood during the rise of the Nazis, where their cinematography influenced the horror and film noir genres.

The Jazz Singer, released in October 1927, was the first feature film to use synchronized sound, marking the decline of silent cinema and the beginning of "talkies". This meant that horror films could now feature the sound effects and music that would made them even more sinister. The first "talking" horror film was The Terror (1928). 

In the 1930's, Gothic horror was still popular. The stories of Frankenstein Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Dracula were retold in sound in 1931 and are iconic performances even today. They were so popular they produced numerous spin offs throughout the decade, such as Bride of Frankenstein (1934), Dracula's Daughter (1936) and Son of Frankenstein (1939). In the early 1940's there were even crossovers such as House of Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula (1945). Other notable horror films from the 1930's include Werewolf of London (1935), The Invisible Man (1933) and The Black Cat (1934). Many horror films from this era were produced by Universal Studios, and are consequently called Universal Monsters. 

Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi, three of the most famous
Universal Monsters Actors

Universal continued this cycle of films into the 1940's with films like The Wolf Man (1940). By the middle of the decade audiences were bored with seeing the same Gothic horror figures, however a new sub-genre had emerged; thrillers. The outbreak of the Second World War led to a decline in the film industry, and with less money available thrillers proved easier to produce for less without the extravagant costumes and special effects of the Universal Monsters. Some examples of psychological thrillers are early Hitchcock films like Rebecca (1940) and Shadow of a Doubt (1943). Cat People (1942) is a famous supernatural thriller of the period. 

Horror films of the 1950's influenced by fear of communism and the ongoing Cold War. Films such as Godzilla (1954), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959) used the contemporary audience's fear of invasion and, occasionally, nuclear weaponry to frighten them. The genre also became increasingly popular among teenagers during this time, who wanted a thrill despite the plot line. One of the most famous horror films from the 1950's is the monster film Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).

Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), arguably one of the most iconic horror films, was produced in the 1960's. It did not feature or a supernatural element but realistic characters, which was frightening for the audience because it made them feel more vulnerable. Many films throughout the era would copy this idea.

The late 1960's notably saw the end of the Production Code, which had restrictions regarding sex, violence, death and costume. This meant horror films could now show more frightening scenes (in terms of how graphic they were).  

In 1968, Rosemary's Baby was released. It was highly controversial at the scene, with satanist themes and the protagonist being raped by the devil. It did inspire a series of occult horror films over the next decade. Famous satanic films include The Exorcist (1973), The Devil's Rain (1975) and The Omen (1976). Even presently satanic films prove popular- for example Constantine (2005) and The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005). 

During the 1970's, lots of iconic horror films were produced, which some critics suggest reflected the mood of the time. There were also many new sub-genres that became popular, instead of the set cycles found in the early 20th century. Carrie (1976), a teen horror film, was a massive commercial success. The slasher genre was considered to be at its peak from the mid 1970's-1980's due to the reception of films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Halloween (1978) and Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Another creditable horror film from this time is Stanley Kubrick's psychological thriller The Shining (1980).

The slasher cycle had run cause by the early 1990's. Films like Scream (1996) and the Final Destination series (2000-Present) revived the teen horror genre. Teenagers are currently one of the primary target market groups for horror films. 

Thanks to technological advances, many horror films can create realistic looking monsters with CGI, instead of the traditional costume and make up. Many violent scenes look more authentic, and have the desired effect of scaring the audience. Gore is not always needed for this, as modern psychological thrillers prove that the unknown is just as frightening. 

The first violent scene in cinema history is considered to be the "eyeball scene" from Un Chien Andalou (1929)

A much more graphic scene from the Saw franchise, achieved using modern special effects

Horror presently encompasses a variety of sub-genres, influenced by the films produced over the last century. Many of the highest grossing films since the 1990's feature elements of the genre. Some famous films include: 

• Silence of the Lambs (1991)
• The Blair Witch Project (1999), sparked interest in 'found footage' style horror films
• The Sixth Sense (1999), highest grossing horror film of all time
• What Lies Beneath (2000)
• The Ring (2002)
• 28 Days Later (2002), a modern take on the apocalyptic/ zombie genre
• Shaun of the Dead (2004), one of the most critically well-received comedy-horror films
• Paranormal Activity (2007)
• The Conjuring (2010)
• Insidious (2010)
• Black Swan (2010)
• The Woman in Black (2012)