"It" is an american horror film adaptation of the novel, by the same name, written by Stephen King. The film has been adapted 3 times in total. This excerpt is the opening from the 1990 version, directed by Tommy Lee Wallace.
Mise-en-scène:
> The opening scene is set in a town in the north-east of the USA. We do not learn the name of this town form the opening scene.
> A photo is shown of the town in the 1960's, we learn this by seeing that the film being shown is "I was a Teenage Werewolf" this is also reinforced by the clothing and cars in the photo.
> An image of the modern day town is then shown, the cinema we learn has been abandoned, and is up for sale.
> A new scene begins. We learn that it is a cloudy, windy and ominous day, as a little girl on her tricycle is peddling back home. She looked innocent with her hair tied back which is a typical style for innocent children in horror films.
> The wind makes the washing, on the washing line bluster around vigorously. This makes the audience know that something is about to happen. The girl picks up one of her dolls left lying on the floor, she then sees a clown between the washing.
> Here we then see the top half of "It" the clown, in his most common for of "Penny-wise the Dancing Clown." "It" is wearing a spotty overall, and we can see that he has a large bald head with red hair forming from each ear and meeting at the back of his head. All topped off with a red button nose, which is common amongst circus clowns.
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| The girl at her home. The washing blowing to one side, before she sees "It" the clown. |
> There is a dramatic and dark composition as the pictures are being displayed in the opening sequence. Using string and piano based instruments, in a minor key.
> Thunder crackles followed by a little girl singing "Incy Wincy Spider" which has a connection to the lyrics of the poem talking about water. This is a studio sound, as it is unaffected by the direct sound of the wind.
> Discordant music plays a short fast note that makes the audience notice that something isn't right. This is followed by the eerie chuckling of an unseen clown, and imaginary children.
> The music picks up once more and plays a woodwind based piece which abruptly turns into the sound of a beast screeching, and killing the girl.
> The sounds of the mothers shrieks of horror are typical of an introduction to a horror film, as it signifies the first encounter or death.
Camera Techniques:
> There is a long shot of innocent little girl on her tricycle from the door of her house. This is also a high angle as the front door to her house is up a flight of stairs. It reinforces how small and innocent she is.
> There is a following pan of the girl on her tricycle going around a corner, this can also be seen as a 2-shot, a boy on a bike cycles in the opposite direction to her, and passes her. This pan is to show that the neighbourhood is friendly and lively, with nice large houses. Which is common to horror films as it is "unexpected" that anything would ever happen there.
> The use of a hand-held camera is important when the girl looks through all of the washing as it shows all of the shots and angles, that she can see, from her point of view.
> The close-up of "It" between the washing, however, is rather uncommon, as most killers are partially shown at night in a dark place. Whereas "It" is shown during the day, amongst white laundry, using his whole face. The scene is an emergent ideology of your average horror film.
> The scene ends from the point of view of "It" as her jumps towards the girl and kills her, the camera zooms in very fast, then blacks out, thus ending the scene.
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| "It" shown between the white laundry. |
Editing:
> There is a jump cut from when the film is showing the old cinema to when the girl is seen pedalling on her tricycle. This is to change the topic but to allow the audience to know the year which the scene is set.
> A series of motivated cuts are made when the girl is on her tricycle as it shows her passing a few houses. This is to show how the time has been compressed, and she has had a safe journey home.
> There is a shot/reverse shot after the girl hears chuckling and she sees "It" smiling. It then goes back to the girl who has smiled back. This could also been seen as a reaction shot as the girl thinks she has seen something recognisable, the clown. When actually she is in danger.
> An Insert shot is used to show "It" hiding in the laundry. It has been used to show the clown with a smile but to also send a shiver down the audiences spines as he is immediately portrayed as abnormal.
> The fast pace of editing towards the end of this scene is used to reinforce happiness and confusion that the little girl is experiencing, but the fear and anticipation that the audience is about to encounter.
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| The shot/reverse shot shows "It" but then he immediately vanishes. Leaving the girl, holding her doll, rather confused. |
Excellent detailed comments Michael. Can you go into edit and delete one of the titles as it has come up twice. Also are you able to get rid of the gap at the bottom of the post? You should also post the link to the film under the title. Look at the rest of your groups posts, they are doing it correctly.
ReplyDeleteI have edited the gap, and the title. I was wondering, however, are we allowed to hyperlink the title?
Delete