The Shining scene analysis

In this essay I will be analysing two scenes from the 1980 Stanley Kubrick adaption of the psychological horror film, The Shining. I will be commenting on the camera, lighting, mise-en-scene, sound, editing and performance. I will also comment on how the specific techniques are related to the horror genre conventions. Also discussing possible meanings, whilst giving a personal response.

"Here's Johnny" scene

In this scene, Jack is breaking through the door with an axe, and there are many different features, typical of the horror genre. For example, the non-diegetic sound which creates tension for the viewer, in ways which foreshadows what is about to happen, as the viewer is aware that the drama is reaching its climax.
The lighting inside of the hotel is high key, however common lighting of the horror genre is low key. Which is challenging the convention. Showing that the inside is warm and the outside is cold, supported by the fact that the inside is in colour, with warm lighting, and the outside is cold, with low key lighting and a blue tint, with connotations of coldness. This challenges the convention, as high key lighting locations are often seen as a safe place to be. Wendy clearly knows her attacker, however in most horror films, the lighting is low key and the victims do not know their killer, retaining a sense of mystery.
The camera shots are mainly eye level, showing a sense of realism, allowing the viewer to feel like they are there in the situation. The speed of the editing is neither fast nor slow, with straight cuts, showing that the scene is happening at the same time.
The sound within the scene, contains non-diegetic instrumental sound, to build suspense, which increases in momentum when Jack smashes through the door with the axe. The noise is also diegetic, with Wendy's screams being heard for the majority of the scene. However, there is not much speech, making it more effective when there is, for example, when Jack says the iconic line "Here's Johnny".  These aspects of sound made me curious as what was going to happen next.
Jack is wearing a red jacket, which he had been wearing for the majority of the film, in addition to his young son, Danny, wearing red clothes, with connotations of blood and violence. The clothing that he wears, resembles that of a lumberjack, as he is wearing a checkered shirt, and is carrying an axe. Jack's facial hair (stubble) and unkept hair shows signs of cabin fever, proving his mental stability is decreasing. The axe that he is holding at the beginning of the scene and throughout the scene, is a common convention of the horror genre, associating with blood and violence. Wendy's wedding ring on her left hand is apparent for the majority of the scene, for example when she it attempting to escape out of the window, symbolising her marriage to Jack, but he has obviously turned corrupt. Also, when she is holding the knife, her left hand is infront of her right, showing off the ring. Jack's wedding ring is not shown in the scene, proving that his commitment to her is not apparent anymore. The facial expression of Jack is also a contributing factor, showing his mental state has declined, as when he knocks on the door, his tongue is partly out of his mouth, with jittery eye movements. He makes reference to the a childrens story, "Come out, come out, wherever you are" and "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in". Suggesting that he is making a game out of the situation. This personally gave me more information that the film is part of the horror genre. This is a convention of the horror genre, as murders in horror films often turn killing into some sort of game of play. Wendy helps Danny to escape, sacrificing herself, telling Danny to run away and save himself, showing that she has elements of a hero, according to Propp's theory.
The part where Wendy helps Danny to escape from the window, then attempts to escape herself, is emulated in the 2009 adaption of My Bloody Valentine. Where the characters are trapped in a similar situation. This shows that this scene has become iconic throughout the years, and is still influencing modern day cinema. However, the outcome is different and more violent, showing that the tolerance of violence in people has increased.

Hallway scene

In this scene, Danny is riding his tricycle through the hotels corridors. The beginning is an establishing shot, of the hotel, proving the isolation. He then continues to ride along the corridors of the hotel, until reaching room 237. This scene does not contain many conventions of the horror genre, but does have aspects. After watching this scene, I did not feel scared, but more curious.

Danny riding through the corridors on his tricycle, has only parts of non-diegetic noise, when he is approaching and attempts to open the door to room 237. Creating a suspense, telling the viewer that room 237 has a part to play in the rest of the film. The music at this part, increases in volume and tenseness, as he grows closer to the room, with a more eerie feel to it, which made me feel suspenseful and unsure as to what would happen next. There is no diegetic speech in the scene, only the noise of the tricycle wheels riding along on the carpet/wooden floor. Proving the loneliness of the hotel.

The lighting is natural, via artificial light. It is neither high key nor low key, showing a sense of realism. Comparing the warmness of inside the hotel to the outdoors, which is cold and low key lighting, as shown at the start of the scene. The usual lighting convention of horror is low key lighting, however this particular scene challenges this theory, in fact, the majority of the film does. The opening section of the scene shows a mountain in the background with snow around, proving the location and its isolation from the outside world. I personally did not feel scared, as the lighting is high key, however the non-diegetic music did create tension.

Danny is wearing red, which is typical of him throughout the whole film, as he is often wearing red clothing, very similar to his Father, who both have hallucinations, testing the mental state of the both of them. This is foreshadowing the future events, with connotations of violence, even though he is only a child. The fact that Danny is riding a tricycle, shows that he still has his innocence as a child.  Danny's facial expressions show that he is scared, as when he stops outside of the room, he begins to breath heavier, as he knows that there is something strange about the room, which is followed by his curiosity when he attempts to enter. His movements towards the door are slow and nervous, with him cautiously looking up each end of the corridor. Even after failing to open the door, he feels a greater presence (convention of the horror genre) simply by touching the door handle, and his actions increase in speed, as he cycles down the hallway faster than before.
The camera angle is a tracking shot, with The Shining being the first film to use handheld camera stabilization so extensively and effectively, especially in this particular scene. The low angle that it is filmed from is at Danny's eye level, and makes the viewer feel that they are almost chasing Danny through the corridors, suggesting a greater presence, which is involved later on in the film. The symmetry of the hallways is typical of director Stanley Kubrick's work, with everything in perfect placing, for example, the pattern on the carpet is symmetrical. When Danny is outside of room 237, he is looking up at the door number, showing that the door has a power over him and is important in the future of the film, as the camera is a low angle, almost from Danny's point of view.

In conclusion, The Shining has many conventions of the horror genre, but also challenges the genre in aspects such as lighting. There are iconographies which are very common in horror films, such as the axe/knife, and the tense suspenseful music. The editing for both scenes are very natural, giving the film a sense of realism, even when reaching its climax. Overall, these two scenes did not make me feel scared, as the editing was not fast, but the music did contribute towards me being nervous and anxious to see what happens next. In addition to the performance of the characters, which in my opinion were played very well, with their personalities being clearly shown through diegetic sound and actions. The Shining has many common genre conventions, but in my personal opinion, there could have been more common conventions of the horror genre added into the film, to emphasise that the film is in fact a horror, as after first watching the film and these particular scenes, I personally would not class the film as a horror.

1, 523 words
Sarah Davis

The Untouchables scene analysis

The Untouchables:

1.      First part of shoot out scene.

·         Camera – Long shot. Establishing shot, showing the location. Framing of the large clock and characters, showing the importance. Main character is high up with a low camera angle, showing his power over everybody else. Woman and baby are shown from a high camera angle, showing their defencelessness and vulnerability.

·         Lighting – High key lighting.

·         Editing – Normal length cuts, showing realism.

·         Mise-en-scene – Clothing establishes the era, suits and hats. Main character is wearing a grey suit, showing that he is not all evil and has a sense of morality. Woman character is wearing a red coat, showing the danger, which is about to come, she also stands out of the crowd.

·         Sound – Diegetic sound of a baby crying. Diegetic speech. Diegetic tannoy and footsteps. Non diegetic sound, creating suspense. Non diegetic music has a childlike feel to it, suggesting the innocence of the child.

2.      Tension mounts.

·         Camera – Close up of the clock, indicating that he is running out of time and something is about to happen.

·         Lighting – High key lighting.

·         Editing – Normal length, showing realism.

·         Mise-en-scene – Baby begins to cry as the villains walk in. Bandage over mans nose and bruised face indicates that he is a villain, in addition to a close up/extreme close up of him and tense music.

·         Sound – Non diegetic sound of the childlike music and other instrumental music building tension.

3.      Shooting begins.

·         Camera – Low angle of the main character to show that he has power of the fight and will he heroic in saving the baby. When the main character has a gun pointed at another character, the camera angle is high, showing his lack of power.

·         Lighting – High key lighting.

·         Editing – Slow motion when the shooting begins and the baby’s pram rolls down the stairs. Parallel shots.

·         Mise-en-scene – Close up on the handle of the child’s pram as the main character lets go, building tension and foreshadows what is going to happen. The bookkeeper is wearing circular glasses, a bowler hat, a grey suit and has a moustache, showing his wealth. Villain is sweating, showing the pressure that he is under and that her is perhaps scared. Villainous characters are wearing black clothes, leather gloves and have cigarettes, with connotations of crime and gangs.

·         Sound – Woman is muted when shouting “my baby” and is in slow motion, showing her pleas are being ignored as the other characters are occupied fighting. Not much speech whilst fighting.