Slasher Trailer Analysis: Dead Man’s Shoes

Usman Sabir

Shots 0:00 – 0:17• Film distributor logo and name shown which is now StudioCanal UK• Firstly we see a an establishing shot this helps to show the audience the location setting

for the opening scene.• Then we receive a Two Shot; this is utilised to demonstrate character relationships via

body language and movement with each other to show how they relate. British Social Realism is involved via the British Rural landscape shown with stone barriers usually found in rural areas of Britain e.g. Lake District. Clearly the two are close using Mise En Scene we can see the person on the right is wearing a military coat and bag clearly prepped for an engagement whereas the other is brother wearing tracksuit bottoms and casual wear, you could say he is almost unprepared and vulnerable compared to his brother who is prepped for the horrors of life. This shot gives slight narrative as this hints to his brothers disability. Claude Levi Strauss's theory can be applied as these are binary opposites and also Vladimir Propp’s Fairytale narrative as the two have clearly “left home”. Very calm tone with soothing non digetic music, does not suggest a slasher film

• Using iconography for the next shot we can see a tree, trees symbolise life. However only one is there suggesting some kind of separation to occur. Also note the military brother is ahead hinting again to the younger brothers disability via Mise En Scene.

• In the next shot the military veteran brother is yet again ahead of his handicapped brother suggesting separation.

Shots 0:18 – 0:31• The infant shot of the brothers as babies juxtaposed with the caption “a

brother’s love” establishes a caring relationship and link to the audience, the audience are now swayed to the killer. Note using semiotics we can see the caption is in white suggesting purity and innocence of the two or one of the brothers. This may be the established equilibrium of the brothers; that the killer was pure and innocent according to Tzyelan Todorov’s theory of Narrative structure.

• However the next shot contradicts that, the killer is laying on the floor as if he is dead, using Mise En Scene and semiotics along with iconography also this is a psychological landscape. The cracks in the ground portray a troubled mind, the bleakness suggest death via semiotics and using iconography the dirt portrays a grave. This could be montage editing as the shot before juxtaposed with this suggest some kind of corruption due to slight change of tone.

• Moving on to the next shot we see and hear the handicapped brother, this fully establishes British Social Realism as the two are now viewed as working class people with struggles such as disability which are not as prominent in higher social classes. Now the tone changes with the next shot with “VENGANCE” caption placed across the screen with a fire burning behind it suggesting revenge, this when placed with a non digetic sound typical of slashers then help the audience understand this is a slasher due to more evidence within the trailer. The audiences expectations have been twisted inside out and subverted. The equillibrium has been disrupted according to Todorov’s theory.

Shots 0:32 – 0:47• This is where camerawork is used to change tone also, the next shot spins

around the Killer representing his disturbed state of mind• The next shot then helps the audience realise it is a flashback scene via the use

of a black and white filter with a lens flash, using this we are now being informed about the narrative using the Action Code which depicts the events and Semantic Code which is using characterisation to explain the killers motives according to Roland Barthes Narrative theory.

• Note how the speed of the cuts/edits are fasting to change the pace, this could be building up to a high degree of narrative closure according to Sam Cooks Narrative Theory.

• The next shot yet again uses Juxtapostion of the flashback and laughter to make the audience feel the bullies are the antagonists or villains, portraying them as cold and heartless given that the audience has a caring relationship with the two brothers via the previous scenes. This amplifies the hate in audience of these bullies in order to not feel bad when the killer strikes, this a massive conventional twist which is unorthodox in slashers, as the sympathy lies with the killer.

• The next shots fully establish the genre as a slahser via the uses of the iconic masked man which is always associated with slashers, that paired with the red lens flash makes it undeniable to the audience that this is of the slasher genre.

Shots 0:48 – 1:44• The next sequence of shots are fast paced to speed up the tone. There 10 shots within 8 seconds which

clearly show the uses of camerawork to fasten the tone• The body language of Paddy the Killer in the next scene shows him jumping up and down, using mise en

scene we can see he is clearly pumped up or ready for something or combat.• The next shot displays the narrative as we see the gang leader and the killer standing together but in

between we see the handicapped brother using composition we can tell that the brother is the issue of the the killer and gang leader, he is the motive for the killer, as if it’s a constant reminder of the vengeance he needs to unleash and exact on his prey.

• The next sequence of shots are so fast its hard to count but it depicts the killer with an axe (masked), that paired with the killer saying “ima hit you all” confirms the audiences suspicions. Again red lens flares and white flash establishes a very fast pace. Uses iconic slasher weapons like an axe which are improvised and not designed for killing as opposed to e.g a gun, slashers are typical of using an improvised weapon. Digetic screams fasten the pace more also.

• Via the scream in the previous shot the audience may now be losing loyalty with the killer and now the next shot establishes the sympathy via the use of the flashback with the forced drug consumption of the disabled brother of the killer.

• The next shot utilises a marketing strategy because as this is an independent film, it needs revenue to be successful therefore it places a critic quotes from a well respected source “Empire” magazine. This helps widen the demographic of the film and helps Empire get publicity also in a symbiotic relationship via the use of synergy. Also in order for more publicity Shane Dawson who is famous British director is highlighted and placed in a big font size on the screen, as some people will pay to watch a film only because of a famous film industry worker within the piece of cinema. The website is also displayed as usual with all films to utilise web 2.0 to their advantage.