Pre production- Evaluation of the opening of shining

The Shining


What type of thriller is it?
The shining is a psychological thriller as it deals with the change of attitudes and mind turning evil. It includes allot of violence and distress.
Outline of the story:
A Family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter holidays. This is an evil and spiritual presences influence the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific things from the past and future.
Opening:
It starts of with a deep sounding music showing us the woodland mountain areas, lakes and roads. The credits were slow paced and had a neutral colour making the audience feel uneasy and unsure.It impacts the audience well as the music causes us to be anxious, scared and apprehensive as to what is going to happen. it follows a car driving through the area which would e the family. It makes the audience wonder what is so evil in this area? What is going to happen to them on there trip? Who lives there? Being able to question it makes it appeal more to the audience as they want to carry on watching out to find out the next bit. Cuts were made to show each area of the mountains making us wonder what significance it has to the story and characters.
Thriller conventions used were?
Dramatic irony is used thought the film as we know when Johnny is going to latch to his next victim. Foreshadowing is an important one used as well as the music makes us know when something may happen e.g. build up of the music becoming louder or quieter or no music at all. Flash forwards were used to show the little boys state of mind thinking into the future and having bad thoughts. There is a twist as you don’t expect Johnny to fall down the stairs in the scene with his victim; you always associate the antagonist to have the control and upper hand over the victim’s actions.
Codes used to add to conventions were?
The Camera used hand held, long shots and close ups. The hand held created a realistic account of the victims feeling and panic when being faced with Johnny e.g. when Johnny is walking towards her up the stairs the cameras angles it low to show it from her perspective as well angle ling it high for his. Close ups of his coming towards them. The most famous scene shows how simple editing can have the biggest effect on the audience appeal for examples cuts from his and her reactions makes the audience feel suspense and scared for the victim. The audience has an insight into Johnny character already by the close-ups of his face. The use of dialogue and setting helped to make it more thrilling for the audience e.g. him putting him self as the bad wolf from a fairytale. The editing had a lot of Long takes sop the audience wouldn’t expect something out of nowhere to happen, making it more interesting. The setting made it realistic and contrasting the situation with an ordinary setting which the audience feel comfortable and aware of in there own lives. The music helped to create constant tension and suspense throughout by increasing the speed and level of volume and tone for the biggest impact on audience’s reaction.
Does it fit into typical thriller conventions?
In my opinion I feel it has all the conventions of a thriller and portrays this well through the codes to create the feeling of panic and horror for the Protagonist and a sense of cat and mouse for the Antagonist.