SAW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIhQ5IrxSPc&feature=fvw

AS studying horror film openings, I have looked at a gruesome opening of the very first SAW film.

The film opens with diegetic sound of someone breathing, then a fizzing noise as a bright old light bulb flickers on, it is a low angle shot which shows domination. The camera then pans around the room as we feel the person who is breathing is looking at the weird objects within the room. The lighting is very dull with a slight blue tint, this gives a good affect as the darkness builds tension, also the unknown objects also build tension and wonder to the audience.

An arm stretches out to turn a mirror, a point of view shot is used as we see a man, his face is cut and bruised and he has a huge device around his neck. The man is very distressed and the audience can clearly see this is a brutal trap. A backwards tracking shot is then used as we now see a long shot on the man strapped to a chair in a dark and gloomy room.

 A close up of the mans face is then used it is cut and bruised and a lot of blood is on show, this represents danger and makes the audience feel un-easy. Quick shots of the man creaming for help gives a sense of rush and panic to the viewer. Non-diegetic high pitched screeching and banging is then used to create suspense and panic on the audience an extreme close up of the device is then shown, it is covered in sharp nails. A long shot of the man is then shown standing topless and struggling to keep it together is revealed as diegetic white noise is heard as the television in the room shows a close up of a clown face. He explains how the man is in the trap and how the device around his neck works, his voice is deep and husky and puts chills down your spine. It also shows a clip of the mans body from ‘earlier’ this also does the same for the audience.

Studying this opening has helped me realise that not only non diegetic can build tension but think such as heavy breathing; rushing and white noise can even make the audience feel on the edge of their seat. Dark lighting with tints of colour also help the horror as it is more mysterious to watch and keeps the audience un-easy. The point of view camera shots help put the audience is the eyes of the man who was being ‘tortured’ this makes the scene more real for the audience making it more gruesome and terrifying.