Genre Textual Analysis

Kiss The Girls Analysis.

Meaning: The man comes across as mentally unstable. He stalked and killed at least one girl one summer. However, the audience is not told this directly but are left to figure it out.

A fast cutting rhythm creates the impression that the deaths were quick and that a lot has gone on in a short space of time. The fast flashes of film and images could also reflect the killer’s mental state as being confused, disorientated, panicked or just abnormal. It creates tension and makes the audience feel lost and disorientated as they are trying to make sense of images and narrative at the same time.

Flash Frames are used to show newspaper headlines and images. This shows that the killer is well known and what happened was bad enough to make the front page news. It also saves film time while still telling the story and creating a history for the character, making him seem more realistic so that the audience can relate to the situation. Negative images are used to indicate memories. They also show harm and pain – what happened was a negative event – and can also portray the killer himself as other worldly or ghostly.

Voiceover – The story is narrated by the killer himself. His voice is slow, deep, almost calming, and sounds normal yet he is talking about murders he has committed. This contrast is both shocking and scary to the audience. Once again, it also reflects his state of mind as it clearly shows he does not regret what he's done or that he doesn't see why it is wrong, something that is also shocking and frightening to the film's audience.

Camera angles – Close-up and extreme close-ups are used on the victim’s faces to show the pain and fear while at the same time hiding what the killer is doing to cause that, creating mystery and tension. The use of close ups also represents how close the killer always was to the girls while he stalked them as well as how personal the attacks were. The camera is also always moving to represent the way the killer stalked the girls, creeping about and watching them. This makes the film even creepier.

Mise-en-scene – Most scenes are set in a bedroom, showing the killer is a sexual predator. It also makes it more intimate and frightening as it shows an invasion of privacy. It also shows vulnerability of the victim as she was being watched without knowing it. This relates to the reader as they feel as though it could easily happen to them. The candles show he was trying to establish romance, which is both shocking and slightly disgusting to the audience. It contrasts with events to make it more frightening and shocking.

Lighting – Lighting is usually kept dark to contrast with the white used, the fire and the shot of the bright outdoors. Darkness reflects the tone of the film, the events, the state of the killer’s mind and that the attacks happened at night. Darkness is also a thing people are typicaly frightened of or associate with fear. The fire represents passion, pain, danger and desire – his feelings for the women and what he does to them.

Sound – All music is stringed (a Thriller convention) and slow and melodious which is unusual for the genre. It could reflect the calmness that the killer feels. It also creates more tension at the sharper, contrasting sounds such as the screech to represent pain as the camera is showing the woman’s face. The women make noises that could be taken as noises of either pain or passion. This shows the audience both sides of the story – how the woman sees it (pain) and how the killer does (passion). It also shows what type of killer he is and why he does it.

SFX – Black and white and negative shots show that the shot on screen is a memory or flashback. Photos showing the bodies tell the audience that the women are dead without showing blood and gore (Thriller convention). These effects help the audience understand the narrative better.


Psycho Shower Scene Analysis.

Camera Angles – The scene uses an Over-The-Shoulder shot to build tension and suspense as the audience can see the killer coming before Marion can, creating dramatic irony. It also creates tension as the audience are just waiting for it to happen.

An extreme close-up of Marion’s eye and the plughole after the murder is used as it reflects life being washed away and also represents that half of the story being over. The camera then pans up from eye, representing the soul rising. The action is much slower, giving the time audience to think and reflect over what has happened.

A low angle mid-shot of the killer is also used just after Marion realises he is there. This shows who has the power in that situation. This then switches to a high angle shot of Marion, who is in the bottom of the screen. Again, this shows the power the killer has over her as well as how vulnerable Marion is.

A birds eye view shot is used to show the position that Marion and the killer are in. It allows the audience to get a clearer picture of what is happening while, as it is quite a close shot, still keeping them near to the action which reflects the intimate nature of the attack (it was done in the shower).

Setting - Shower – This represents Marion washing away her sin. Her murder is like a punishment for her crime. The shower curtains hides the killers identity to create suspension, tension and mystery as the audience don't know who is killing Marion, keeping them guessing. Marion checks the bathroom door is shut to emphasise her safety, she’s on her own and unprotected. This also lulls the audience into a false sense of security - the door is locked so no one can get in - and the fact that the killer could open the locked door is also a clue as to who is the murderer.

Sound - Stringed, fast music is used to put audience on edge. The speed of the music shows panic, fear and violence. The exaggerated shower noise is used to muffle the noise of the door opening and show the audience that something is wrong. After the murder, it represents the cleansing Marion tried to do and the cleansing the killer thinks they have done. The high string switching to low bass drags out her death.

Camera angles and editing in the shower - Medium shots of the knife going down are used but they then switch to Close Ups to show Marion’s reaction and expression and her struggling. Shot reverse shot, low angle shots are also used to show the relationship between Marion and the killer, representing that the killer has all the power in the situation while Marion is helpless. Also uses subjective shots to put the audience in both Marion and the killer’s place. It uses very quick editing to disorientate the audience and to put across how quickly the murder happened as well as portraying emotions such as panic or fear. When Marion is dead the camera crabs to show how the world is wrong and something’s not right. Marion is not the centre of the shot any more and this shows that the story is not all about her anymore.

Analysis of the opening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.

Titles.
The writing is white with a red outline. These contrasting colours make it stand out. However, the colours can also represent innocence (white) and blood, danger, and/or passion (red). This could suggest a loss of innocence and purity within the film.The writing fades slowly in and out. This could be representative of stealth or sneaking around as the change, like someone stealthy, is barely noticeable.Behind the titles is a long shot of a neighbourhood of flats and small houses through a window. At the beginning the window is completely covered by three, slightly see through, wooden blinds. As the titles progress the blinds slowly lift, one by one. This could be representative of opening your eyes and seeing things clearly, being more aware of what is going on around you.

Camera Angles.
Establishing Shot – This is a long shot and perspective shot through a window. This makes the audience feel as though they are a part of the story and the one actually looking through that window. It also signifies that looking out of a window may play an important part in the film.The camera then zooms forward into the setting, as though the audience is stepping out into the neighbourhood.
There are then a few shots of what is happening inside some of the homes. This shows how, although so many people live in such a small amount of space, they all live different lives. These shots are mostly long shots to keep the audience detached from these characters and to show that they are of no real importance. These shots also serve as a “tour” of the neighbourhood to establish a setting for the film and to hint to the audience what sort of characters the film may feature. They also show how easy it is to watch and be watched.
The camera then pans in through the original window by turning to the left, as though the audience has been the one looking through the window the whole time and has merely turned around.
Extreme Close Up of a man’s face. He is asleep and sweating. The audience immediately want to know who he is. There is then a close up of a thermometer and, again, this helps establish the setting.
The camera then pans back to watching people through the window. This time the shots are closer then before, more personal and involved – glimpses of other people’s lives. This could show that these characters are more important to the story or that the watcher is just becoming more and more involved and interested in what the other people in their area are doing and is therefore watching more closely and carefully.
There is then a mid-shot of the man. This shows he is obviously an important character and it is his window the audience has been looking through. The camera pans down to his wheelchair and the cast on his leg. This instantly tells the audience something about his character. There is a close up of the writing on the cast – “Here lie the broken bones of L.B.Jeffries.” This not only tells the audience the character’s name and what is wrong with him but could also be foreshadowing of a death.
The camera then pans to close-ups of a broken camera and photo’s of accidents, crashes and fires. This suggests to the audience that he is a photographer and that he was in an accident, which is how he broke his leg.

Lighting.
Natural (Ambient) lighting is used throughout to add realism. Realism is important in thrillers as it tells the audience that the plot isn’t impossible and could happen, making it seem much more frightening.

Sound.
The music is fast-paced, high pitched and stringed. This immediately puts the audience on edge. The speed could also suggest a fast-paced style of life. The lower pitched instruments within the music sound like a heartbeat, representing panic and fear and, again, this creates tension.There is no real dialogue, only snatches of sound from the lives of the people being watched – alarm clocks, radios, etc – and from outside – children playing, cars, dogs. This shows that the neighbourhood is quite a busy place as well as making the watching more personal and, as the people are unaware of being watched, creepier.

Setting.
The neighbourhood the film is set in seems quite cramped, with a lot of people living in a small amount of space. It also looks quite rundown and not like an area with a lot of money. It is obviously a hot place and the audience can see that many different types of people live. This tells the audience about the type of place the film is set in and, therefore, what type of characters to expect.

Mise-En-Scene.
The street seems quite busy – cars going up and down in the background, people moving about, dogs barking – and this could reflect the type of life the people lead. The colours used are typically quite bright – green, pink, blue – and the weather is hot and sunny. This is not usual in thriller films and could be to lull the audience into a false sense of security.Props are also used to show something about character. E.g. Jeffries’ cameras show he is a photographer and a woman’s pink underwear and blonde hair suggest she is quite bubbly, flirty and girly.

Editing.
Not many cuts are used during the opening. The camera mainly pans or zooms from one shot to another. It is all also done as though the audience themselves are in the film and just turning to look around them. This immediately involves the audience, capturing their interest.