A true- crime writer discovers a
cache of videotapes depicting
several brutal murders that took
place in the very house he just
bought..
Mise-en-scene- Black figure in a dark room suggests he is unsafe building tension.
The trees blowing outside in the dark in contrast to the bright/light moon draws attention
to the fact that it is night time which is when murders and crimes tend to happen. The scene
where the main character is watching the footage of the crime focusses on the camera a
number of times leaving the audience to question what happen and want to watch on. A
creaking door is used to create suspense as the character has just come in from the darkness
outside. The identity of the hanging men is concealed creating mystery and building
tension for the audience. The main character is dressed in casual clothing suggesting he is a
normal man with a family which would scare the audience as they may feel it could happen
to them. Also, when he is watching the footage of the crime he is drinking alcohol which
show hoe stressed and worried he is about writing his new crime non fiction book
Camera- Low angle shot of him looking up at the moon suggests he is inferior and what
has happened in that particular place is beyond him.
A Zoom is used to see his facial expression when he is watching the footage and then sees
the part with the tree in it. the same shot was shown at the beginning and is the same spot
where the three men where hung. A medium shot is then shown of him biting his hand this
suggests he is nervous and unsure if he should have moved so close to the tree where the
men were killed.
The first shot is a medium long shot of the tree. This is shown because the tree is significant
to the film as it is where the crime took place. This creates tension as the audience does not
know if this family is in danger living so close to the tree.
The camera zooms into the main characters face after she said she would leave her husband
if the same thing happens that happened last time. This makes the audience wonder what
happened at there old house as she does not specifically say.
Sound- Crescendo is used for the sound of the footage of the film showing the children
playing on the tree getting louder. This is significant as we already know that a murder
was committed on that tree and there are children playing on it building tension.
Non diegetic sound is used as a beat when the character is in his office. This creates
mystery and suspense as we see a close up of him looking at pictures of dead people. this
would capture the audiences attention as we would want to know why and how these
people were killed.
The first shot shown for this film is a shot of three men getting hung on a tree they are
struggling to get down and have bags over their heads showing to the audience that they
were deliberately put there. We then see a shot of the main character looking out of his
window at the same tree and hear non diegetic scary music to build tension.
We hear the diegetic sound of the wind blowing when there is a long shot of the house
outside in the darkness. This keeps the audience engaged as they have just moved to the
house that people have been killed outside and it is the first night they are staying there.
Editing- A shot reverse shot is used when the main character is sitting in the chair
watching the footage of the men that have been hung in a deliberate crime. It is used to
show his facial expressions when he is watching it which is worried but concentrated on
what he is watching. It then cuts to the shot of the men hanging and back to the
character who looks away from the brutal murder.
Texas Chainsaw
 When a young women travels to
Texas to collect her inheritance,
she discovers that a brutal
chainsaw-wielding madman is
part of the bequest
Camera
An extreme close up is used of an
eye and in the reflection had an
image of the chainsaw man with
the mask. This engages the
audience as they wonder who’s
eye it is and who is the man
behind the mask.
A close up was used of the police
holding up the chainsaw burnt by
the fire this is to indicate to the
audience that the man with the
chainsaw is dead but makes the
audience want to watch on to see
if he is actually dead or got away
from the fire.
There is a long shot of the
burning house which connotes
danger.
Sound
At the beginning of the film
diegetic sound is used of a
crying lady but creates tension
as there is not image of the
lady just a red blank screen.
Diegetic sound is used for the
sound of the chainsaw to
connote danger and the fact
that someone is about to get
murdered creating tension.
The diegetic sound of the
police sires builds tension as it
suggests danger.
Mise-en-scene
Setting is effectively give us a sense of
the genre. The beginning of the film
shows a dark, abandoned dirty house
based in the middle of no where in the
countryside. This creates tension as
there is no one around and seems like a
place where you would get murdered.
Suspense and fear is built in the first
scene as a lady enters the house and
gets killed by a man in a mask with a
chainsaw. We then see another person
enter the house and we know that the
same thing will happen to them. This
then happens to another person
creating tension as the audience knows
its going to happen.
The opening sequence of the film
contains many dead bodies, blood guns
and masks which are conventions of a
thriller film.
Editing
A shot reverse shot is used of
the two girls standing and
talking in a supermarket. This
is the first time we see these
characters after the burning
building and murders so
makes us question who they
are.
Fast paced editing is used to
show a montage of photos
taken by what looks like the
proud police of body parts
and the burn chainsaw as they
are proud they burnt down
the men that were committing
the crimes. The darkness of
the pictures connotes danger
building suspense.
Scream
 Horror Maven Wes Craven turns
the genre on its head with this
tale of a murderer who terrorizes
a hapless high schooler by offing
everyone she knows
Mise-en-scene- the phone is used a number of times as it significant in that fact
that it is the only way the girl has contact with the antagonist threatening her. At
the beginning before the man scares the girl he calls and says he got the wrong
number we then see her bend over and the focus of the shot is on knifes on her
table suggesting that they will be used. The use of dark lighting is used as it is
night time and it is easier for her to get killed a there is no one around.
Editing- slow motion is used as she walks back frightened by the voice on the
phone this is used for dramatic effect.
Fast paced editing is used when the girl is running through her house trying to
lock all the door and windows so the man cannot enter the house. This creates a
sense of urgency so she can protect herself.
A shot reverse shot is used of her looking at her boyfriend tied to a chair with
blood all over him and then a shot back to her shocked and scared looking facial
expression building tension as we do not know if he is going to die or if the same
thing will happen to her.
Camera- A point of view shot is used as the girl is walking on the phone to the
antagonist building suspense. A long shot is used of her screaming as she is scared
after being threatened by the voice on the phone as she is calling the police. This
creates tension as the voice has told her that they are watching her so the audience
thinks it is gong to pop up. A panning shot is used to view the outside of her house
this is to show the setting as she knows someone is outside watching. The camera
zooms into her on the phone after the voice says she has to answer a question right to
save her boyfriends life. This keeps the audience engaged as if she gets the question
wrong her boyfriend will get murdered.
A close up is used to show her terrified facial expression after she is threatened.
A mid shot is used to show the girl screaming down the phone. The audience can see
outside the large glass windows into the darkness where the person is watching her
threatening to kill her creating suspense as we do not know what will happen next.
Sound- Non diegetic sound is used as a sound effect when the person that the girl is on
the phone to who she doesn’t know knows her boyfriends name. this creates tension as the
killer has her boyfriend and kills him. This is used again as she locks the door to keep the
audience engaged.
Dialogue is used when the girl is on the phone to the antagonist as he is scaring her.
We hear a scream at the beginning of the film and then we see a red screen. This ties in
with the name of the film and makes us wonder who is screaming.
Crescendo is used as the character frantically runs around trying to lock all of her doors.
We hear the sound of the knife killing the girls boyfriend giving it a sense of realism.