In order to evoke fear in a person merely by portrayals on a screen – a director must keep it close to home. What are the main aspects of everyday living that evoke feelings of anxiety in people in instances as simple as being home alone?
Association with the victim. Isolation. The knowledge that there is absolutely no way out. This relates to the Saw films – in which victims are attached to sadistic traps and forced to escape under gruesome circumstances. In the theme of dramatic irony, the audience has already established that the people in the traps are either going to earn their freedom or die. This subject relates to the modern day portrayal of dilemmas. The audience are subjected to situations where they have no options but the unpleasant one constantly in everyday life - hence their empathy and association with the victims on screen, causing them to in turn experience their fear as their own (enhanced by the abundance of quality suspense directing). Other examples include ‘The Wickerman’ and ‘The Shining’.
Sound in film is paramount in creating suspense, whether it is a full blown orchestra or utter silence. An obvious example of the use of music is that of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ in which the helpless woman is stabbed to death, accompanied by loud, high pitched shrieks on violins. Mammals are instinctively cautious and alert around high pitched noises due to the primitive need to hear their child screaming for help – this emphasises the effect it has on the viewer. The use of these sharp sounds contrast with the piercing silence prior to the stabbing. Very simple frames are used throughout, and the simplistic nature prevents the viewer from forming any predictions about the scene, which emphasises the obscurity, and allows the scene to be utterly startling by giving away nothing, unlike other horrors. The shower scene for me was especially impressive because there were 78 separate pieces of film in 45 seconds. The rush and panic evoked from the close-up shots and the ‘split second knife’ shots were enough to cause seizures in a cinematic era as docile as the 60’s. After the string orchestra finished the ‘commentary’ of the murder scene, the tone immediately drops, and low, continuous cellos are heard – signifying a conclusion to the scene, and narrating the grim fate of the female victim.
Fear of the unknown has tortured humanity for years. The common fear of the dark is in fact based off of this – not knowing what’s around you. This effect is used in every single horror film. There’s the example in the literal sense: ‘The Fog’ whereby coastal inhabitants are tormented and slaughtered by an omnipresent being emerged in mist. Not being able to see or understand the villain leaves the audience disoriented and on edge which emphasises the fear factor hugely. Then there’s the plot side of the unknowing: ‘Paper House’. This film is thrilling in the sense that you do not know what’s going to happen next. An incredibly madcap yet stable plot surrounding the lucid dreams of a girl who creates an alternate universe follows a strange and unexplainable story with confusing coincidences and an overall melancholy vibe.
Reading between the lines, and noticing unspoken metaphors in a film connects to the audience. Noticing something hidden in a film that’s put there specifically to attract the attention of the more observant is nothing short of eerie. It’s almost like the film is whispering to you, showing you alone something many others cannot see. Metaphors are abundant in any fantasy-based horror film. A prime example is Pans Labyrinth. Set in 1944 Spain, a young girl (Ofelia) enduring her sadistic stepfather is introduced into a fantasy world where she is supposedly destined to be princess. This is the overall gist of the film, but large aspects are left unexplained for the audience to conclude. The fact that Pan refers to the young girl in the story is a common misconception. The truth is in fact much darker. Pan, or in Spanish – Fauno, refers to the faun-like creature that resides within the labyrinth. Pan is also a widely used and incredibly old term for the Devil; The twisted horns, the monstrous posture and the sinister luring he presents towards Ofelia. The whole film presents grotesque creatures that Ofelia perceives to be beautiful and fairytale-like, The faun is an angry ruthless being, and the whole colour contrast of the movie is bleak and has a greenish hue. Is this some kind of devil worshipping film? Is it something to do with mental health? The many conclusions drawn by the audience just add to the horror. People will project their fears onto anything when provoked.
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