HorrorINSIDIOUS

Buscombe’s Theory

Buscombe’s theory states that genres are differentiated by the icons associated with it; that is, the physical objects or symbols which we can see on screen.He also identified four areas in which to look for these icons:- Location- Appearance - Tools- Miscellaneous

Semiotics

Ferdinand de Saussure

Saussure argues that a sign can be a physical form to which we give a meaning, including words, pictures, colours, clothes etc.

A sign such as a word or image is composed of two parts:- The physical form – that which we can see or hear. This is what we call the signifier (denotation)- The meaning of the form, which is called the signified (connotation)

INSIDIOUS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBCQLGZTBxI

Location

The opening scene starts off in a child's bedroom. This is identified by the duvet on the bed, and the miscellaneous items around the room, such as the teddy bear in the corner, and the bright colours which are associated with a younger child. Items such as the teddy bear connote that the location is a child’s room as this is a typical place for this item. Another example, is the coloured bed sheets; a child’s bedroom is likely to have many colours, which signifies the imagination of a child. Therefor, as the audience we understand the setting is a child’s room, also it outlines a possible main character for the movie. Furthermore, the bedside lamp is an example of using lighting to emphasise his youth, as it insinuates that he is scared of the dark – we as the audience sympathise for the child. The location of the child’s bedroom could foreshadow later events that may happen with the child in his bedroom.

Appearance

The appearance of the child in the opening scene is very stereotypical. The pyjamas, the position of the child whilst sleeping, and the ‘bed hair’; all represent that the boy is young and innocent. The connotations of the child's appearance are important in setting the scene, and grabbing the audience’s feelings. The appearance of the child helps the audience feel fear for the child, as they can see that he is helpless, and very unaware of the danger –the more the audience falls for the child, the greater the suspense is.

Tools

In the opening scene an example of a tool used is the candle that the monster uses to illuminate its face in the mirror face. This has been used to create a form of suspense as we don’t know what it fully looks like; as we are only shown the face. The candle is used to illuminate only parts of her face, which its purpose is to create a mysterious, tense moment. This suspense is emphasized with the high pitched music that creates a jump scare. The lighting within the title, ‘INSIDIOUS’, reflects the lighting used in the previous scene, as it flickers like a candle. The title sequence catches the audience off guard, and by doing so, creates more tension.(as the audience do not know how many jump scares there will be.) The candle has connotations of hope and despair. However in this context, the candle represents fear and danger, as it is clear that whatever is in the house, is trying to stay hidden.

Miscellaneous

The low key lighting is used to represent the time of day, and also the setting of the bedroom (being a place to sleep) – the use of the lighting signifies the youth of the sleeping child, especially with the lava lamp that pans into the scene. The use of the lava lamp could indicate the time period the film is based within. The use of focus on the lava lamp changes your normal expectations of a typical horror film, so that when the woman appears it creates a sense of shock, allowing the initial scene to have an increased impact. Furthermore, the lava lamp is used to represent the innocence and youth of the child. The bedside night light is used to create shadows, which creates an eerie feel whilst conveying the innocence of the child. The sounds of the violins pick up pace as the camera tracks through the house. The high pitched sound resembles screaming, which directly relates to the horror genre. The sounds of the violin climax as the title scene appears, and this is used to catch the audience of guard and add to the suspense. One continuous camera shot is used to pan through the house. The use of this is so every detail is captured by the audience, and an early atmosphere of fear is found from the very beginning of the opening scene. The camera movement also picks up in pace as it tracks through the house. The pace of the camera movement is used to make it feel as if the audience is there in the house, and this creates a sense of tension. These camera movements and effects are used to convey the genre of horror.