Scream 1996 Essay

How does Scream (1996) subvert and conform to the conventions of horror films?

The 1996 horror movie conforms to the conventions of horror films in a variety of different ways. This could be demonstrated though the films narrative, characters, Iconography and the key themes found throughout. Through my research I have also found this film to subvert certain aspects of horror movies due to the postmodernism present within it which I will be analysing further in this essay.

It could be argued that the narrative of the horror movie follows closely to typical codes and conventions as it lines up with Todorov’s narrative theory.  Scream starts with an equilibrium followed by a disturbance and then a new equilibrium is reinstated. All of this occurs when Casey is murdered in her home. The peace in the community is disrupted and in turn, leads to a series of events where numerous characters become victims and peace is only reinstated when a confrontation takes place between Sydney and the unmasked killers, as the local authorities appear to be powerless against the situation.

The same could be said for the characters found in Scream as the majority of the conventional characters found in horror movies can be identified. The main iconographic character present is the ‘final girl’ Sydney. According to Carol J Clover’s final girl theory, the final girl is usually one of the only characters that survives the entirety of the film and lives to tell the tale of the horrific events as the other characters (especially male) tend to die  early on in the movie, making her the ‘slasher film hero’.  The final girl is usually very smart, intelligent and watchful of her surroundings, enabling her to spot the first signs of abnormality and warn the others of her findings. They also seem to have an essence of masculinity which is usually represented through her name for example, Ripley in the Ridley Scott 1979 classic Alien. The main character Sydney fulfils this role as people continue to die around her and she is the only one left standing, leaving her to reinstate a new equilibrium by facing her fears. Typically, the film is shot through the final girls’ perspective, forcing the audience to experience the fears and terrors that she goes through and in most cases viewers tend to take her side.

Typical iconography and Mis-en-scene found in horror movies appear to be present in this film as classic icons of horror such as masks, knifes, blood and screams are featured from the very open sequence of the film and continue to appear throughout. The killer in Scream is typically masked in an attempt to disorientate the viewers and keep the villains identity hidden until the very end. The killer also uses a sharp knife to attack his victims in an attempt to murder brutally increasing the fear of both the victims and the audience. The isolated setting in the very start of the movie also conforms to the codes and conventions of horror as well as the Mis-en-scene in doors which include the dim lighting and lamp lit rooms allowing shadows and darkened areas inside the house to form.

Despite the examples listed above, it is impossible to say that the 1996 horror Scream completely abides and conforms to the codes and conventions of a typical horror. This is because of the amount of postmodernism that can be identified throughout the film. Postmodernism is when a film attempts to subvert the mainstream conventions of narrative, structure and destroys the expectations of the audience. This is done because the typical ‘horror’ audience are usually very familiar with the genre and have certain expectations and beliefs as to what things may mean and symbolise. For example, viewers who watch horror regularly tend to believe that any character that is not considered ‘virginal’ or  ‘pure’ is automatically sentenced to death and will be killed very early on in a the movie. They may also believe that colours such as white represent purity and black represent death and destruction. These expectations are all due to past horror films which have stuck closely to codes and conventions enabling viewers to guess accurately as to what will happen next. Scream acknowledges very early on in the film that viewers would have seen horror films in the past and therefore know that they have this type of mind set. Because of this, the movie attempts to play on the audience’s predictions and expectations putting a whole new twist on the horror genre.

Some examples of postmodernism found is Scream include when Casey and the mysterious character on the phone begin to discuss their favourite horror films and the different plots that go with each one. Names of films are even directly mentioned in the movie, a few being Nightmare On Elmstreet, Halloween and Friday the 13^th.

A second example of postmodernism found in Scream is when the Head teacher hears noises outside his office and begins to complain. When he opens the door to see who’s there (an elderly janitor) he replies ‘sorry janitor Fred’. This was done deliberately as the janitor was purposely designed to look like Freddy Krueger – the serial killer from Nightmare On Elmstreet.

Lastly, the Scream movie even goes as far as to have one of the characters recite to his friends the ‘rules’ or surviving a horror film! These rules include: ‘Never have sex, never drink or do drugs and never say ‘I’ll be right back’.

All of this is done to check the audience’s knowledge on horror movies and keep viewers entertained even though they usually already know what will happen next. Postmodernism also shows that the director is aware of the expectations and assumptions that people already have and use it to their advantage.

The examples of postmodernism listed above support both Steve Neal and Todorov’s quotes which state that ‘Genres are instances of repetition and difference’ and ‘A new genre is always the transformation of one or several old genres’. This is because it is clear to see that films such as Scream and many others sub-genres (for example Scary Movie) have literally borrowed and incorporated previous ideas and emerged them (and even some of their characters) into future films such as these.

Desensitisation Theory

Moral Panic Theory

Why Are Killers In The Horror Genre Usually Masked?

Throughout my research into the horror genre, I have found that a large number of the killers and villains all appear to wear masks. Because of this, I have often wondered why this is the case. Through further research into the matter, I have across a few theories and opinions as to why this may be and the one listed below is the opinion/belief that I agree with most. 

Some believe masks to be such a common convention in horror films due to the psychological factor and fear that we humans have of being killed unexpectedly or   worse, by a stranger or someone we cannot identify.

Scientific research proves that our brains are well trained to recognize and remember one another through faces. This is because this part of the body is key to unlocking a large amount of information about a person. For example, race, gender, age etc.

Information in itself is a form of power and strength and so therefore film makers and writers aim to make the audience (as well as the characters) feel as powerless as possible by withdrawing information in the hopes of heightening viewers fear to the furthest point. 

(some ideas adapted from: http://www.livescience.com/3323-hollywood-serial-slashers-wear-masks.html)

Postmodernism

What is Postmodernism?

This is when a film attempts to subvert the mainstream conventions of narrative structure, characterisation and destroys the audience's suspension of belief. They usually upend typical portrayals of gender, race, class, genre and time with the goal of creating something different from the typical narrative expression. 

Some examples of postmodernism found is Scream include when Casey and the mysterious character on the phone begin to discuss their favourite horror films and the different plots that go with each one. Names of films are even directly mentioned in the movie, a few being Nightmare On Elmstreet, Halloween and Friday the 13^th.

A second example in the Scream movie even goes as far as to have one of the characters recite to his friends the ‘rules’ or surviving a horror film! These rules include: ‘Never have sex, never drink or do drugs and never say ‘I’ll be right back’.

Lastly, postmodernism is also found in Scream when the Head teacher hears noises outside his office and begins to complain. When he opens the door to see who’s there (an elderly janitor) he replies ‘sorry janitor Fred’. This was done deliberately as the janitor was purposely designed to look like Freddy Krueger – the serial killer from Nightmare On Elmstreet.

Reception Theory

Claude Levi Strauss - Binary Opposition

As well as Aristotle deciding that 'all drama is conflict' in the 4th century BC, 20th century theorist Strauss suggested that all narratives had to be driven forward by conflict that was caused by a series of opposing forces. 

Strauss believed that the way we understand certain words depends not so much on any meaning they themselves directly contain, but much more by our own understanding of the difference of the word and its 'opposites' or as he called it 'binary opposites'.

In a wordle below, I have put together some binary opposites that can usually be found in horror films or even just on an everyday basis. 

'Lets Scare Jessica To Death', 'Hellgate' and 'The Challenging' Comparison

At the start of all three horrors, there is a creepy male voice over to help set the scene and give the audience an insight on what the horror is a about.

In the 'Lets Scare Jessica To Death' (1971) horror trailer, most of the typical conventions and iconography are present such as the blood, masks, knifes etc. This was the same for the other two trailers 'The Challenging' (1980) and 'Hellgate' (1989) which had similar conventions.

When analysing the camera work used in the trailers, establishing shots can be identified in each and all appear to be in some form of isolated setting. 'Hellgate' and 'Lets Scare Jessica To Death' both have graveyard scenes and were set in dark abandoned areas (Mise-en-Scene). The trailers also have house scenes to make the story-line more personal and believable so that the the audience can relate and therefore be more afraid. 

The three trailers all have scenes of some form of paranormal activity such as doors and cupboards opening on their own and unexplained events such as mysterious deaths and disappearances. The 1989 'Hellgate' also shows supernatural characters such as ghosts however the other two trailers do not reveal the villain as they remain hidden probably in an attempt to keep viewers guessing and excited to see who and what it could be.

When looking at the camera shots and angles, I was able to pick out a few wide shots to set the scene for the viewers. In every trailer there were also cross cutting for suspense and even faster cutting for violent action. 

In 'The Challenging' there were also a few hand held shots for the chase scenes where characters are running away from some form of killer.

Lastly, when looking a music and sound, all trailers had psycho strings, screams and atmospheric suspense music which progressed through out the trailers as the scenes became more dramatic.  

'Grave Encounters' Trailer

In the horror trailer 'Grave Encounters', a variety of shots can be identified such as wide, long and establishing shots which set the scene to enable the audience to have clear understanding of where the events to come will be taking place. The camera angles used are high and low angles to show the vulnerability of the characters and the power of the ghost/supernatural being. 

The majority of the camera movements are hand held and tracking shots to make the events being shown appear 'more believable' in order to shock and instill greater fear into the audience. This was also done to give the audience a close insight on what the characters can see and how they are feeling through out; almost as if we are there with them. There were also a lot of unexpected quick pans and zooms to represent chaos and instability which in turn builds tension and suspense - again to scare the audience. The camera movement is also very subjective in order to treat viewers as participants and create a connection between the two. 

Further Examples Of The Male Gaze

Lynx, a deodorant brand predominantly bought by males uses ‘tongue-and-cheek’ humour to attract their target audience and suggest in their adverts that men who use the brand instantly become more appealing to women. Many of their adverts have been banned for degrading women and treating them as sex objects. One of their adverts features a woman washing a car, eating an ice lolly and performing other daily activities, although all are portrayed in a sexualised way. In every scene the model can be found wearing revealing clothes to showcase cleavage and other body parts. The women in these Lynx adverts are always the main focus point but again, this has nothing to do with the actual product being advertised – deodorant.

This ties in with my previous post concerning the ‘male gaze’ and in the advert listed below we are able to find strong elements of it throughout.

The Final Girl Theory

The Main ideas that Carol J Clover explores in her ‘Final Girl Theory’ is that killers in horror films are usually distinctively male and their victim’s more often than not are ‘young’, ‘beautiful’ females who are ‘sexually free’.  This character is formally recognised as the ‘Final Girl’. This girl is usually one of the only characters that lives to tell the tale of the horrific events as the other characters (especially male) tend to die early on in the film making her the ‘slasher film hero’. She is also the only character to be developed in depth and in any psychological detail. Because of this, it is quite easy to spot from the very beginning that this character will be a definitive part of the main storyline.

Carol goes on to explain how the ‘Final Girl’ is usually very smart, intelligent and watchful of her surroundings, enabling her to spot the first signs of abnormality and warn the others of her findings. The movie is also usually shot from her perspective which is normally in alignment with the audiences. Carol also believes that even though our sympathies may shift back and forth towards other supporting characters, in the end we will always ‘belong’ to the Final Girl.

Carol also believes the Final Girl to have an essence of masculinity. Examples of this are some of the names of the ‘slasher film heroes’ e.g. Ripley, Cassidy, Will, Terri, Laurie etc - These all being boyish unisex names. This is done so that the male audience can identify with the female characters more and similar for some male characters too who have more feminine qualities so that women are able to relate.

Quote Analysis

‘I like women, especially beautiful ones. If they have a good face and figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or man’.  - Dario Argento

From this quote, director Dario clearly expresses his misogynist views and believes women to be ‘objects’ rather than actual beings. This shows that he does not view women as equals and seeks pleasure in seeing them struggle and fight for their lives. I completely disagree with Dario as he makes women appear to be ‘weak’ and ‘vulnerable’ individuals  that can’t defend themselves which is not always the case as movies such as ‘Sorority Row’ and ‘Alien’ portray women as being strong and determined (which they are).  

‘Torture the women! The trouble today is that we don’t torture them enough’

                                                                                               - Alfred Hitchcock

This quote being very similar to Argento’s, we can say that Hitchcock had a similar view on women and found it entertaining to see them tortured in films. His attitude towards women can also be classed as quite ‘negative’ as in many of his films such as ‘The Birds’ and ‘Psycho’, women are tortured by cruel men. However I disagree and believe that women should do more of the ‘torturing’ as women can be just as if not more powerful than men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Are Horror's Constantly Being Remade?

Whenever a remake of a classic horror film such as ‘Carrie’ is announced, people automatically become sceptical and think it’s going to be ‘poor’. Although a lot of people agree that these remakes of such iconic horror’s are completely unnecessary as they will never be able to obtain the classic title that such originals hold,  why then do directors and writers still come together to do these remakes? This is because the majority of the time they want to prove the sceptics wrong and put a more current and fresh spin on these classics to make them more relatable seeing as times have changed and technology has advanced greatly.

Here is a list of a horror remakes to watch out for in the near future:

• Carrie
• 13 Tzameti
• Art of the Devil
• Army of Darkness
• Anguish
• Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
• The Birds
• Battle Royale
• Creature from the Black Lagoon
• The Crazies
• Childs Play
• Children of the Corn
• Day of the Triffids
• Don’t be Afraid of the Dark
• Eyes of Laura Mars

Carrie Opening/Shower Scene Analysis

In the opening scene of ‘Carrie’ (1976), the scene is shot at a high angle as we watch the teenagers play volley ball in their gym class.

There is non- diagetic sound as we hear the girls playing and then the camera gently focuses its attention on the main character ‘Carrie’.  When comparing carries appearance to that of the other girls in her class, she appears to be somewhat different and looks quite scruffy. Straight away we can tell that she does not fit in with the people around her.  She is also standing at the back away from the girls which represents her isolation.

When the ball is thrown to her, Carrie misses allowing the opposing team to gain a point.  This part is very significant as it tells the audience from the start that this character is weak. This is confirmed moments later when her peers begin to torment her and she does not fight back or defend herself.

In the next scene ‘The girls changing rooms’, the camera pans through the lockers and the audience gets an essence of what the director believes to go on in a girls changing room (which I believe to be a misrepresentation).

The camera continues to pan while a type of ‘romantic music’ plays over. This section has also been edited to play in slow motion which I believe to almost show the girls in almost a sexual way.  

Soon after, the camera moves slowly towards Carrie in the shower (voyeurism). The camera shows a lot of close ups on Carrie whilst washing herself including her body parts and the soap.  At this point, Carrie is being showed in a sexual way and appears to be really enjoying her shower (similar to Psycho).  A little while after, there is a close up on Carries legs so the audience can clearly see the blood trickling down her leg, blood being a typical icon of horror whereas this time it is not through violence but a natural process.

As Carrie screams ‘Help me’ to her peers, the camera tracks her as she screams in horror. Her peers are quick to mock and taunt her and a point of view shot is used to put the audience in Carries shoes. Her peers are shot at a low angle and Carrie at a high to represent power and weakness. As Carrie cries and is comforted by her teacher there is a brief section of psycho strings can be heard just before she uses her telekinetic powers to blow the light bulb. 

The Male Gaze Theory

The Male Gaze Theory from Precious King

Psycho 1960 vs. Psycho 1998

Psycho being one of the very few horror films to be labelled as ‘perfect’ and 'genius' is just one of the many reasons as to why when Gus Van Sant decided to do a remake in 1998 there was a great deal of controversy . Having watched both versions, I was able to see why Van Sant’s remake received so much negative attention. Here are some of the points I picked up on:

In the remake when Marion enters Normans house for some sandwiches, the stuffed birds hanging on the walls have been edited to a ‘soft focus’ completely ruining and defeating the purpose of the animalistic imagery that was so perfectly portrayed in the original movie.

Another criticism of the remake is that it is not set in black and white but in colour. I can now understand clearly as to why Hitchcock chose to make the film this way in the first place as I found the colours to be too distracting causing the film to lose its element of intensity.

One of the main reasons I believe the 1998 remake to be so unsuccessful is that Van Sant attempted to copy the original down to every last detail. This made the remake seem forced and quite uncomfortable to watch as there was no element of shock and/or surprise due to its unoriginality.

The worst part of the remake for me was the shower scene because of its poor attempt to replicate. Below are both versions so you can decide for yourself. 

Psycho 'Shower' Scene Analysis

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

 VS. Psycho

Similarities and Differences