Paranormal Activity - Opening Sequence Analysis

NINE FRAME ANALYSIS- PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

1) In the opening section of the title sequence we see a figure with a candle. The black background signifies loneliness and a dark feeling.  The dark feeling may suggest danger is arriving; it may also inspire a feeling of fear in the audience. The music is slow, like someone is playing a piano; it is juxtaposed with the frightening visualisation. It makes the audience little uneasy which is what a title sequence of a horror film should do

2) The shadow emerging through the door is ominous and foreshadows the evil or tragic development .The constant dark background gives an eerie feeling to the audience and connotes that  there  some evil and supernatural  going on the film.

3) Having black background, once again darkness is being portrayed and the audience is being dragged into thinking of who is it and they are being haunted. The camera angle shows only the legs of someone passing very slowing creating a feeling of suspense amongst the audience.

4) We then see a white paper with hand written directors name which is burnt; it connotes that something demonic is going to occur. As the letters burns the audience are getting manipulated and being drawn into the story itself. The words are hand written which also adds to the fear creeping over the audience.

5) We can see a girl sleeping alone in a dark room with no lights and she suddenly screams which gives the audience a spine chilling experience. It makes them aware of the supernatural occurrence.

A girl sleeping alone and the darkness; A typical narrative for a horror film.

6) Next we see a dissolving shot is used which has been shot with a hand held camera. It makes the audience feel a little uneasy and bemused. No diegetic sounds are used while the girl runs down the stairs. Only a slow music is played which helps in creating a haunting effect. 

7) In the seventh frame we see the name of the cast and low angle shot is taken of the slightly opened door. The image is black and white which creates ghoulish effect. Short clip of this room is shown which is also to create suspense

8) In the 8^th frame we see a shadow and a leg of an unknown person which alarms the audience of a paranormal activity going on. And the falling of the key may also connotes that something dangerous and sinister is going to happen. The echoing sound of the key show that there is silence in the room and no human is present.

9) In the last frame the door closes itself and we hear the door slamming and the name of the film appears slowly on the closing door. It leaves the audience is suspense about who could it be. The room is dark and no character is seen in the last frame.

Movie Opening Analysis

Psycho is a 1960 American horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Janet Leigh. The screenplay is by Joseph Stefano, based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Blochloosely inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin murderer and grave robber Ed Gein. Within the first few seconds of the film opening we are instantly thrown a dissonant non-diegetic soundtrack (Bernard Herrmann: Psycho - Prelude), which has a precise fast rhythm. This is exceedingly effective for its genre (horror) as it helps build up tension within the audience. Secondly the Psycho soundtrack also help create suspense in the atmosphere, this will make the viewers question on what’s going to happen with in the first scene of the movie. It also it creates a feeling as if time is running out due to the fact that the sound is similar to what you would expect to hear in a chase scene. As well as this the sound used throughout this sequence helps to create a dramatic atmosphere full of suspense and tension, making and setting atone to the film, which gives the viewer an insight into what to expect in terms of storyline. Due to the soundtrack being completely bizarre it therefore generates discomfort within the viewers as the soundtrack is very unpredictable and is not something what people are used to hearing. As well as this the music seems to come across as unstable and unpredictable, this is due to the fact that it tends to switch between different pitches as if someone is turning the volume up and down over and over again. 

The first few titles that are shown to the viewers is the directors name and the title of the movie. By showing the directors name first this may help create excitement in the audience, this is because Alfred Hitchcock was a famous English film director and producer at the time and was known for directing a number of great films. The way the bars shoot across the screen while slicing the titles really does grab your attention and is not something to easy to miss. The slicing bar helps foreshadows the effect of a Psychopath slicing a victim with no sympathy, which we later witness in the movie. Another feature that makes these titles so effective is how they work perfectly in sync with the music. The orchestral piece uses many unorthodox melodic techniques (that the film would then become infamous for), and this immediately creates an unpredictable atmosphere because of the bizarre music.