How suspense is created in three scene of ‘the Stepfather’.

The Stepfather

Scene 1: When the stepfather (David Harris) killed the dad (Jay Harding).

In this scene, the stepfather kills the dad. When one evening the dad comes to say bye to his children before boarding a plane, he finds that the stepfather is home. Not knowing that the stepfather wants to kill him, he comes into meet the children and falls into the stepfathers plans. The stepfather disappears after going into the kitchen, so the dad still carries on his conversation thinking that David is still listening. Whilst still taking to David, while he has disappeared he walks down the corridor towards the kitchen and finds himself in the kitchen without David’s presence. Therefore, he tried to look for David and could not find him. As he suddenly turned around David was standing there and then David suddenly hit a glass vas on Jays head. This unexpected hit made Jay unconscious and he falls to the ground. This scene is full of suspense from the start to the finish of the scene. This is because when Jay comes to the door, we already know David’s plans but Jay does not. For that reason, the viewer starts to worry and tension builds inside the viewer as the clip goes on. Not knowing what might happen to Jay makes the viewer uncomfortable and the music playing in the background adds to the tension. In addition, as Jay is walking down the corridor and trying to find David makes the viewer uncomfortable to.

Scene 2: Michael Harding (older son) and Kelly Porter (his girlfriend) trying to go through the stepfathers possessions.

In this scene, Michael and Kelly are in the pool in the garden and then David comes and tells them that he is going out to pick up the other two children. After he leaves, Michael is so suspicious of him from before that he wants to go through his possessions to see if he finds any thing unusual. Therefore, he and his girlfriend go up to his bedroom to start to search through his things. Not a while after David reappears back to the house because Susan happens to be free to pick up the kids. As he enters the house, he finds that the children are not in the back pools so he decided to try to search for them in the house. David starts to get suspicious and goes to his room to see if they are there. When Michael and Kelly hears that he is coming they start to panic because they do not know what to do. As David enters the room, he finds that the children are not there, but they are in the back pool as he left them. This clip builds up a lot of suspense, as the viewer does not know what is going to happen next to Michael and Kelly. However, the viewer does know that the stepdad is coming home and he will find the children in his room, so it makes the viewer very uncomfortable. In addition, the way that the stepfather slowly touches the door handle creates suspense because it creates an uneasy feeling in the viewer. However, after finding that they children are not there but they are outside makes the viewer confused but relaxed after. Furthermore, the music that is played in the background also creates a sense of suspense.

Scene 3: When the saw nearly sliced Kelly’s head off.

This final scene is right at the end of the film, were Michael is trying to save his mums and his girlfriends life. This scene has a lot of suspense in it as the viewer is clueless on what might happen next and weather the Stepfather is going to die or Michael. The loud voices and fast movement scatters the viewers mind and makes them almost confused and naive on what might happen next. In addition, while everyone is sounding and scared, it makes the viewer uncomfortable and it builds up suspense. This scene takes place in the attic where Michael, Kelly and Susan go to hide but unfortunately, David reaches the attic. This is when they start to fight back and Kelly reaches for the saw to attack David. However, the saw falls out of her hand and falls to the ground and her and Susan fall through the floor. They land on the first floor and suddenly the saw was about to fall. Nevertheless, it fell beside Kelly and did not chop of her head. This part of the scene makes the viewer scared for Kelly and creates a lot of suspense as they do not know if she is going to die or not.

Analysis of a Thriller clip

Momento

Momento is a Murderous/ Action/ Passion thriller; you can find this out by the opening scene. This is because you can see all of these elements in the opening scene, the dead body can imply that it is a murderous thriller, the man holding the gun can show the action side of it and the mans reaction to after when he has killed his enemy, shows the passion side. The clip starts of by rewinding back in time of the few minutes that has just passed, and then it shows the whole clip again but as a normal clip going forward in time. The clip is set in a dark place in a building somewhere that seems like a confined place, which looks like a basement. As the opening scene is been played the camera mainly concentrates on a few things, such as a close up of a hand taking a photograph, over the shoulder, blood, bullet of the floor and the photographs that are being taken. By showing these things as a close up, it makes the viewer pay more attention on the objects because it maybe important in the rest of the film. As the clip is playing there is music playing in the background, which is slow and dull sounds that sound like deep violins. This gives a sinister and miserable effect to the atmosphere in the clip and builds up suspense. In addition, it makes the viewer wonder what is going to happen next as he has just murder a man. The opening scene is edited to play in a slow pace, which goes with the music playing in the background. This also makes the viewer think about what we are looking at and why. This clip has been shown in a very clever and interesting way as it gives the viewer time to think and make their own assumptions about the film. Furthermore, at the beginning of the clip, the way that the titles appeared on the screen was in randomly. Therefore, it appeared suddenly in formal, plain and simple writing. The font was very small and in capital letters, and in a shade of blue. They were placed in the middle of the screen, which makes it easy for the viewers to see who the characters are.

List of thriller sub-genres that inspire me

• Romance Thriller

Romance thriller is one of the sub-genres that I have chosen because I think it would be a good idea to use this as an idea for my project. With this type of sub-genre I like the way that you can confuse the viewer on believing that this might be a romantic story because of the way the film may begin. For instance, in ‘He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not’ the way the film began, it was like how a romantic film would start. As it started in a flower shop with up beat music it showed and implied to the viewer that it may be a romantic film. Also, as we are making a thriller opening scene and we chose to base our clip on a romance thriller, the viewer may watch it and may want to watch more. As they know that it is a thriller opening clip, they may want to watch more. This can draw the viewer in more to the opening clip.

• Supernatural Thriller

However, making an opening scene, which is base on a sub-genre like supernatural thriller, could be a good idea, as everyone loves watching a supernatural thriller, including me. Normally a film with this type of genre draws the viewer in more because the story line is unusual and the viewer does not know what is going to happen next, until they watch the clip. For example, in ‘What Lies Beneath’, the opening scene is very spooky and unusual because of the face that comes out of the bath and the music playing in the background. Also, the affect of the lettering of the cast’s names in the opening scene compliments the opening scene of the film, as that is very spooky to. In addition, you could come up with lots of ideas if we use this as the sub-genre of our opening scene. Furthermore, you can use different places and stages of your day and interpret that in your supernatural thriller opening scene.

• Murderous Thriller

Murderous thriller is another sub-genre that I find very interesting. Using this as your sub-genre can be an advantage because you can use certain aspects such as blood or various objects for instance, a dead body, to make the viewer shiver or feel vulnerable. Another film clip that I watched, which was linked to murderous thrillers is ‘Momento’, this clip was interesting to watch because of the way it was being played backwards. Also, the way the dead body was shown and the music playing gave me lots of ideas that I may include in my own clip.

Thriller Sub - genres !!!

Psychological Thrillers

Psychological thrillers are one of my most inspirational sub-genres as it requires one to focus and study in order to figure out what it actually happening and what it means through the movie. This type of thriller contains elements that are related to the mind or process of the mind, rather than the physical nature.Usually it is based on conflict between the main character and their mental/emotional state in which they have to resolve the conflict between the two. Generally thrillers fouce on plot over character where it is more physical action, however psyhcological thrillers reverse this formula to a certain degree and pay more attention to the character more so the plot. The suspense is then created by two or more characters preying upon one another's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state.
The following films are examples :
Psycho

Phone Booth

Orphan

Supernatural Thriller

This type of thriller brings in an otherworldly element which brings out suspense, tension and plot twists. I am inspired by this type of thriller as it enables to explore beyond what is seen as "normal" and morally correct. It lets you explore places and elements that doesn't necessarily have to really exist in the real world.
Example films of this are :

What lies beneath

The Skeleton Key

Techno Thriller

This type of thriller builds suspense upon manipulation of sophisticated technology and gives audience FALSE PLATEAU as you feel as if everything is normal or the villain has finally been terminated the sinister elments enter and the villain returns. This type of thriller is more technology based and may include science fiction.

The Matrix

Terminator

Suspense

Suspense may occur in any situation where there is a lead up to a big event or dramatic moment, with tension being a primary emotion felt as part of the situation. Suspense is an feeling on uncertainty and anxiety one may feel during a time of actions and dramatic behaviour, not knowing what is going to happen next.

Suspense can often begin with a sense of normality then fade into sinister elements. It could aslo be used as FALSE PLATEAU where we are lured into a false sense of security. The audience could be feeling suspense as they may know or expect something bad to happen but they are powerless to intervene to prevent what is happening, so they are also left with a helpless feeling.

Definition of Suspense

Suspense is when a person/audience feels anxiety and uncertainty about a certain situation or action, this word is used to describe an audience reaction after watch a dramatic work. Suspense can be created in any situation weather it is a big event or a dramatic moment, and tension is also built in the audience while suspense is.

The clip that were shown in class show different ways to show suspense in the films for instance; ‘What Lies Beneath’, is a film that portrays suspense by playing music in the background and not having no dialogue from the characters, only screams. This can make the audience built tension within them because they do not know what is going to happen next. Also this same film has a shot where the camera is skimming around the place/house in the film, it is making the audience feel uncertainty about the situation so therefore suspense is created.

Another film that creates suspense well is ‘The Shining’; this is done by the audience not knowing what is going to happen next or where the character is going. In addition, images has been shown in between a clip so it leave the audience not knowing what going to happen and tension is built within them. The music that is been played also creates a sense of uncertainty and get the audience to wonder what is going to happen next.

Crime thriller

One of my favourite genres of film are action. Which is often packed with crimes such as murders,robberies, chases and shoot-outs. For a genre to be a hybrid type of both crime and thriller really interests me as it offers a suspenseful account of failed crime or crimes.

Favourite crime thrillers: 'Silence of the lambs'. 'A Perfect Murder'

Mystery thriller

Mystery thrillers interest me due to the idea of wanting or having to find out the mystery in order to understand the film. This was it immediately grabs the viewers attention from start to finish. Mystery thrillers are often Suspense films where characters attempt solving, or involved in, a mystery.

Favourite mystery thrillers: 'Shutter Island' 'Memento'

Psychological thriller


Psychological thrillers highlight conflict between the main characters in particular which is often mental and emotional, rather than physical.
Occasionally this particular genre will border into the wide ranging horror genre

Favourite psychological thrillers: 'Panic Room' 'Dead Calm' 'Phone booth' 'Psycho'