The Uninvited - Trailer analysis 1

The Uninvited

The trailer begins with a shot of the back of the actress' head and pans around as the conversation continues, this is the equilibrium stage. The clip then cuts to a candle in a glass lantern falling onto the ground and smashing the glass, then the shot cuts to a flashback of the main character looking in horror at the smashed lantern. Candles and fire are associated with horror movies, as the two objects are linked to religion, some horror movies employ religious artifacts or iconography to make the movie more frightening. Religion is traditionally what people turn to when in need or are fearful of a situation. However when religion is portrayed as the disequilibrium people become even more afraid as they have nothing to turn to.  Profile lighting is employed, the audience can only see half of her face. Leaving the other half to the imagination. The use of profile lighting also creates an eerie, unsettling feel from the off-set.

The audience later discover that the house has exploded and a sense of panic is instilled, and this panic is heightened when the screen cuts to a blackout. The audience will want to know what happened. It is assumed that the trailer will continue and reveal what has happened to the main character after the explosion/fire, however the clip fades back to the original setting of the girl talking to the man (psychologist/doctor). The camera shot is now over the shoulder of the patient, while she is speaking to the doctor; not seeing her face maintains the intrigue. Slight panic is created again when the scene is cut to the girl running down a corridor and bursting out of the doors. This moment is captured by a bird’s eye shot, which introduces the idea of her being free as she is now leaving the institution. This scene fades to an establishing shot of a car travelling on a road near a forest, this may reflect the idea of freedom and peace that the main character feels. However the bird's eye shot and surrounding forest is a classic and technical convention found in horrors. It is used to show that the character is entering into an environment that is isolated and in the middle of nowhere and therefore potentially dangerous. The main character is re-united with her sister and they embrace each other. Their close relationship is shown when they link fingers and jump into a lake together. This cheerful and freeing moment is captured again with a bird’s eye view shot- this could possibly be perceived as God watching over them and protecting them from evil, but also makes them seem small in relation to the environment surrounding them and therefore vulnerable. When the two girls land in the water, the screen fades to black which suddenly implies that a bad event will occur, however this is not the case as soon after we see the two girls shortly afterwards.

However the mood changes when a point of view shot is employed and we see the two sisters looking at their new step mother, the audience get the impression that she is the antagonist. The step mother appears to be applying lotion onto her legs and is dressed very revealingly- as a lot of female characters in horror movies usually are. The screen fades to a black screen again, which might suggest that something negative or disequilibrium is going to occur soon. It fades back to an establishing shot of a house next to a river, then cuts to the main character and the step mother having a conversation. The location is ideal for a peaceful scene and an over the shoulder shot is used again to try and give the audience an insight into their relationship and provide a sense of normality. The older woman is dressed similarly to the two teenage sisters and the elder sister gives (her sister) the main character a look of complete annoyance and disrespect towards their step mother. The screen fades to black one again, but quickly fades back to a shot of the main character sitting on the grass. The fast editing allows the audience to presume that the main character hasn’t been affected or dwelled on the conversation with her step mother. She is surrounded by long grass and various foliage, birds are also seen flying in the distance this scene appears to be calm and peaceful. The audience assume that she is trying to get away from the step mother and once again have a sense of freedom. Having the main character Anna, sitting in this  environment helps us see her as less of a threat and a peaceful character. Her father standing next to her tries to comfort her, but a close up of her playing with a piece of grass, shows her disinterest in him and what he has to say.

A blackout fades to the step mother and father on a couch together, with the father suggestively stroking the woman’s shoulder, the couple look content, however the step mother glances over to the camera and gives an assertive and confident look- which the audience would assume a victorious scowl to her step daughters. This action supports the earlier prediction that she would be the antagonist.

The sisters are found talking on a pier, with their feet in the water, which we would assume to be a peaceful and tranquil situation once again. This theory is proved wrong as after a quick cut the camera is in a dark passage and zooming towards a door, which shadows can be seen moving around on the floor, the camera rolls upwards and reveals a close up of the girls face. Profile lighting is employed again which adds a sense of mystery and highlights that she is hiding and doesn’t want to be seen. Darkness surrounding the main character could act as a symbol or represent all the darkness and evil that is surrounding her in her everyday life. Her left eye is lit up by the light coming through the key hole and the scene cuts to the step mother and who we presume to be the father being affectionate to each other. A glass ball or bead falls and a piece of it chips off- this may be representative of a part of the goodness in her life- her father- being unimportant to her after the incident she has witnessed. A graphic match is made use of and we see a close up of the girl’s eye. The light fades away to the centre of her eye, so only the black part and colour can been seen.

The black screen fades to an over the shoulder shot of the step mother and main character at a café or restaurant. The step mother is well dressed, wearing pearls, and manicured hair, which implies that she is the perfect house wife or trophy wife. The camera cuts to the main character, whose hair is messier, barely wearing any make-up and dressed much more conservatively. Her youthfulness is highlighted as she is drinking a large glass of coke compared to her step-mother who appears more sophisticated and is drinking tea or coffee from a porcelain cup/mug. The sophistication and apparent maturity of the step mother may aid her in her role as the antagonist as she is likely to be highly skillful and manipulating.

The next significant moment is when the camera uses shallow focused and zoomed in on the main characters face, and then it cuts to the step mothers face that is glaring at the main character. As the step mother leans forward to put a rose down on the coffin, the image is distorted and the screen is tinted green. The audience then see a little girl dressed in an old fashioned dress and shirt, staring accusingly at the main character. A close up of the little girl frightens the main character as we see a close up of her face, and eyes widening. The little girl walks in-between various people at the funeral and no-one else seems to notice her, it’s as if she is a ghost which adds to the mystery and suspense.

The odd event or experience soon ends as we see the main character awake from a dream, sit up and visibly sigh from relief. The camera hastily zooms away from her face to reveal more of her bedroom- which has a lot of shadows around it- making the room seem older and scarier. The audience assume that there may be something hiding within the shadows and sense danger. The screen fades to black , and then cuts to a strap stating ‘from the producers of ‘The Ring’ and ‘Disturbia’’. This allows the audience to have knowledge of previous films that the producers worked on and higher their expectations, making them want to see the film. Referring to 'The Ring' etc. gives an indication of the type of film it is, which will help to draw in the correct audience. The background is of moving fog or clouds, the edges of the screen are darker and appear to be storm clouds. Storm clouds possibly foreshadow a negative event occurring in the future and the centre of the screen is bright white which makes the strap more eye catching. The idea of not being able to see through the fog or clouds is a convention in horror movies, as many people are afraid of what they cannot see. The use of fog is common among many older horror movies and fog is associated with cold and fear- the audience of horror movies should be fearful.

A high angle camera shot is employed and is as if God or a higher power is looking over the main character, who is looking at a grave, with her hands placed gently either side of a headstone. The scene is tinted to a grey/green colour which is common convention and found in many horror movies. This tint to the clip makes the clip more realistic but aged and more believable. The graveyard itself is a frightening setting, but as the large headstone flashes, it adds even more terror to the scene. The little girl from the funeral earlier appears and looks over her shoulder towards the main character, who in turn just stares back at her in wonder and hopelessness, the camera pans around her and uses shallow focus, focusing on her face, the trees in the background seem to blend together and imply that the character is lost in her thoughts and possibly lost at the location she is at. The camera cuts to a low angle shot, it looks as if the camera is capturing this footage secretly and trying to blend in with the grass. A headstone is in the frame as well as trees surrounding the area, the ‘ghostly girl’, still dressed in the same costume is facing away from the camera, while two boys dressed in similar old clothing stand either side of her facing the camera. Their faces seem ghostly even though we do not get a close up shot of them. The two boys standing silently waiting for the ‘ghostly girl’ to reach them is a contrasting occurrence to what young two boys in today’s normal society would do- they would be expected to be running around playing and a mess- not smartly dressed and waiting obediently. The forest setting is also ‘spooky’ as light is only reaching the middle section, where the characters are standing, which would usually suggest that they are good characters that they are pure or holy and God is protecting them.

The scene fades to black and then to two men having a conversation- as if the previous scene with the little girl and two boys was just a dream. The camera cuts to a close up of the word ‘murders’ being typed on a computer screen and then zooms out to allow the audience to recognise the two sisters sitting at a computer. The setting is an office, which is dark implying that they are not meant to be in there. The blinds let through small slits of light but can also be interpreted as bars, and that the sisters are possibly trapped. A close up of the main characters face is used and her facial expressions notify the audience that she is indeed worried. The camera then focuses onto the computer screen and we see the ‘ghostly’ girl from the funeral and forest along with the two little boys- in a family photograph with their parents. The camera cuts to a syringe, which looks rusted and archaic and is possibly part of a crime scene or investigation. The camera is zoomed in on the little girl in the photograph, but the suddenly cuts to an image of the little girl in what appears to be prison uniform, and cuts quickly to the head line of a news paper ‘Murdered’, then to a knife in the same condition as the syringe. The audience had previously assumed that the little girl and her two brothers got murdered but a clip of the girl leading the two brothers away in a grave yard and the image of her in what we assume is a prison uniform- make the audience think she killed her two brothers.

The next scene is of the step mother of the main character, standing outside looking into the dark. The camera is at a low angle again looking upwards to her, making her seem more dominant and powerful. The assumed powerfulness and authority of the step-mother is proved by a shot of the two sisters looking out of a window at her in fear. A black screen is employed which suggests that something bad happened to the two sisters, however the audience are not sure if it is the step mother who has done or will do something bad and evil, or if it will be the ‘ghostly’ girl.

The fear seems to disappear when a man talks to the main character, but arises again after the screen goes black again. The audience then witness what would be a loving gesture to most- the step mother putting a necklace on the main character- however the facial expression of the main character Anna, tells the audience that she is not happy to be in this situation. The screen fades to black and the camera then cuts to the pearl necklace being placed around the Anna's neck, and the step mother pulling them unnecessarily tight and warning her step daughter to be on her best behaviour. The action of pulling the necklace around the neck suggests violence and allows the audience to see the stepmother as murderous. The screen fades to black once again adding further suspense and then a long shot of the main character is used. A plastic bin bag moves and the audience fear for the worst, that something is in the bag and will attack her, she seems to fear the same thing and a close up of her worried face is used. She goes over to the bag showing her braveness, and then looks under a table, a sequence of black screen then action, black screen then action is employed and frightens the audience as they want to know what is happening but can’t see anything. Before a hand full of mud and dirt grabs her arm there is a black screen which adds an element of surprise as most people would predict another small action then a black screen etc.

The girl fights off the being and rushes towards a table, knocking food off, in the actual film we see the stepmother coming in shortly after and complaining that she ruined the food on purpose. However next in the trailer sequence is a shallow focus on bruises and ‘battle’ scars on the girls arms. The screen flashes a white colour to make the bruises more stand out more. Shortly after we see a knife being pulled out of a knife ‘container’ and then a close up of a syringe, and a sudden flash of light, this sequence is similar to the sequence of the report of the little ‘ghostly’ girls murders. The cuts are fast which might mimic the audience’s heart beat as they are becoming increasingly more frightened. A woman jumps out in front of a car, and then a sort of graphic match is used and the main character then appears on screen also screaming. A close up of a tap fills the screen, with one drop coming out of the tap slowly the screen fades to black making the audience wonder what is going to happen, it then fades back to the main character in a bath, almost fully submerged. The water is almost grey which relates back to the strap with the clouds or fog- which could be representing the ambiguity that the main character has. The idea of being lost and not knowing what to do can be mentioned, as the main character no longer feels safe in her environment. The relation to fog is reinforced as a strap reading ‘SOME SECRETS’ with the foggy or cloudy background, this is almost an insight into what the main characters mind is like, unclear and foggy, lost and feeling hopeless. After the strap the audience see the step mother knowingly looking into a mirror which implies she has a secret, this is confirmed as the clip cuts to a close up of a person’s feet and a knife full of blood falling to the ground. This may suggest that the step mother is going to kill her step daughters and hints that she might’ve been the cause of her new husband’s death.

Another notion of what the ‘secret’ is, is introduced shortly after where we see the main character in a room and creature or what seems to be a disfigured human slowly approach her. The fast pace and panic is reinforced again by the strap ‘JUST WON’T DIE’, the text itself is large and then goes smaller to a normal size, this odd feature of the strap appearing to have a mind of its own and moving to its own accord is not a usual convention in horror movies. The creature or human from before presented again, crawling or hunched over and standing when the lightning effect takes place the human stands up, as if it has been given some power from the burst of light, and ‘just won’t die’ as the strap suggests. The audience can see that it is more human than creature, however being surrounded by darkness implies it is a human type creature who will not do any good, and will probably terrorise the main character.

The shot with the glass of  milk dropping before the milk turns into something thick and black is interesting, as it suggests purity and innocence being transformed into something sinister, dark, ugly and  un-defeatable. Milk is seen as a beverage for young children as it is nutritious and comforting. Anna the main character appears to have had a difficult transition from childhood to her teenage years. It appears as if she's been protected most of her life, whether it be by her father, or in the mental institution- and now she has realised she is not a child. However after watching the film the audience realise that she is mentally  ill. 

A cut shows the main character sitting on the floor enclosed with darkness, apart from a faint pattern on the wall created by a small source of light. This pattern closely resembles bars, connoting that the main character is trapped in her own prison. She is screaming, while the camera is at a high angle suggesting the thing approaching her is bigger and stronger and therefore more intimidating. The scene is cut and a graphic shape match of the main characters face and then a hand appears in place of it, the lighting flashes as if there is a lighting storm- which would relate to the darker sections of the foggy clouds. The hand seems to be reaching for help but is still engulfed in darkness, implying that evil will prevail good. However for a short period of time it seems as if light is being emitted from the hand, that the last source of ‘good’ is leaving the person. Another cut shows the main character turning around, still in a dark setting, with a source of light on her eyes- this could be representative of her searching for any good within the character attacking her or anyone to help her. The graphic match at the end is achieved with quick successive shots of the eye and then Anna's face.

The screen tauntingly fades to black, as the audience are on the edge of their seats wanting to know what happened.