'Case 39'- Horror Film Analysis (Finished)

7/29/2019 'Case 39'- Horror Film Analysis (Finished)

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Info

The film Case 39 was released in 2009 and rated as a 15.

The plot for the film is A nave social worker brings a 10 year old child into herhome- to rescue the girl from abusive parents- only to learn she isnt what sheseems.

I have chosen to analysis this film because I like the way it establishes an eerieatmosphere in the introduction through the use of media language. It has done thisby using the techniques of: mise en scene, sound, editing and narrative context.

The main characternave social worker is played by a well known actress of thename Renee Zellweger, by using a well known actress I think that it could remindthe audience that they are watching a film if they have seen the actress on screen

before. I think if they had used a actress who was less well known or someone whohadnt appeared on screen before it would had added to the realistic effect that thefilm has, making the audience view the film like they do everyday life.


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Setting


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Moving image: telephoto


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Shot 1

The shot shown in the previous slide is a long shot, the long shot has been used to

establish where the backstory of the main character has been based upon, by having the

first shot showing the house it tells the audience how the setting of the house is a main

part of the background story of the main character. The first shot is at the time duration of

00:21, then after this the moving image technique of telephoto is used to give the audience

a look of the house in closer detail before cutting to the next shot which takes place inside

the house, meaning that the camera changes from a long shot to transition into the nextshot by zooming in. And to also introduce the audience to the setting where the main part

of the storyline is based. This also helps the storyline flow smoothly by using the rules of

continuity by slowly introducing the setting rather than having a shot of the inside of the

house straight away, it helps the flow because it makes sense to gradually venture closer

to the house rather than be across the street from it and then suddenly be inside the

house.

It helps because it means it is using match on action this means that it is creating

continuity so that there arent any gaps from separate cuts or shots together. It makes it

seem more realistic because it hasnt got any obvious editing cuts made so the viewers

attention more likely to stay with the film because it is flowing smoothly. Because it is

flowing smoothly it means that the viewers are gradually being taken in the situation where

the characters are, this also means that they are slowly being introduced to the

environment and storyline so the tension builds up as they see more details such as get

introduced to characters.


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Setting

The setting forCase 39 has been used in a clever way, to make the implication to

the audience that the characters are vulnerable, in danger and that something isnt

quite right that it shouldnt be happening.

The producers have done this by having the first setting seen in the introduction

appearing: isolated, unusual and dangerous looking.

The reason the producers have used a house which has an isolated, unusual and

dangerous appearance is because from this denotation it then brings the

connotation of danger because of the association with danger and a hauntedhouse. The association of the haunted house is brought to the viewers mind,

because the scene which is first shown is a long shot of a dark street with a tall

house which is oddly shaped and which also has a rough appearance about it

because the exterior of the house looks old and like it hasnt been touched in a

while.


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Lighting The lighting which has been used for the introduction of the film is of low key

and then switches to a high key.

The low key lighting has been used because it creates a eerie atmosphere

which makes the audience feel uncomfortable. This is because the dark is

usually associated with danger

The colour tones in the scene are low key, the colour of the sky mainly beingblack and with some tones of dark blue. The use of these two colours adds to

heavy eerie atmosphere which has been created because the of the

associations which have been connoted with the use of the colours.

The use of the colour black is associated with danger because it is the colour

which is worn at funerals, but whether or not this connotation is created in the

viewers mind depends on whether or not the country they come from, but I

think that the film has been made with a western audience in mind for their

main target audience this is because the use of black in western countrys

connotes death.Another reason danger might be created in the mind of aviewer could be because it is the colour of the night this creates the

connotation of danger because you cannot see much at night when waking

sometimes you have to be careful because you cant see as much as during

the da .


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Sound

Diegetic Sound- The film introduction uses mostly natural sound this is

classed as diegetic sound because it comes from a source within the

frame this means the characters can hear it so it is within the frame.

The use of natural diegetic sound gives the film a sense of realism thisis because by minimizing the use of edited in sound effects it makes it

appear in the audiences view like it is really happening so that they

are not reminded that they are watching a film.

Soundtrack- music has been used to create a tense atmosphere, the

music uses instrumentation with a fast pulse beat to create tension in

some places of the introduction this creates the connotation in the

viewers mind of danger because usually when you are panicking or

running quickly away from someone or something the heart beat in

your chest quickens in panic.


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Editing

Cuts- No effects- gives a sense of reality because it

means the film viewers see it like they would see it

similarly to the way they see everyday life, the cutsare smooth to help keep the film flowing this

therefore keeps the audiences attention.


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Mise en scene

Costumes and make-up- Make-up has not been used this adds

to the realistic feel because by not using obvious effects such

as fake blood it makes the events in the plot seem normal at

the start of the film but when things start to go wrong it will

shock them making them feel much more scared than if the filmfollows a predictable pattern for example if the film went

straight into the events where things are going wrong for the

characters.

The producers have placed most of the characters to makethem seem like they are just living everyday life normally and

that nothing is happening that wouldn'tt normally. By doing this

it creates shock when the audience find out what the main

character is really like, this helps to achieve the purpose of a

horror film of scaring the audience this will make them more

scared because they will not expect the events which happen

'Case 39'- Horror Film Analysis (Finished)

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