SlasherEG4: Halloween orig

Halloween 

( John Carpenter, 1978 )

PRODUCED BY:Compass International Pictures, Falcon International Productions

Box Office

Budget:

$320k

Gross:

$60m                                                                   

RUNNING TIME OF OPENING: 6:45 mins

IDENTS:

Ident

"Compass International Pictures" ident is the only one shown in this film and it's not very high tec just basic and is on show for 4 seconds which is normal for idents. Also the non-diegetic music audio bridges from the ident to the next titles.

TITLES: 

The credits start by quoting "Moustapha Akkad presents" showing the importance of the producer by revealing him before the actual title of the film. "Donald Pleasence  in" is also mentioned before the title showing that he's a big star in this indie budget film which in common in indie films to reveal the start first, and then "John Carpenter's" is revealed with the title "Halloween" showing he's more important and probably more recognised this is also common in slasher films, it's called the auteur theory. "Halloween" is presented in sans-serif which most slasher films were to give the more serious feel to the film, also it's in red font on a black background standing out which is also significant for slasher films.

Star's name mentioned first.

 







SOUND + MUSIC:
Whiles the idents and titles go on screen non-diegetic music is being played which acts as exposition to the genre as it gives away that the genre might be a slasher, because it's a fast paced piano being played and it builds up getting louder toward the end of the credits whiles zooming in on the pumpkin, this is used to raise the heartbeat of the audience and build tension, and this sort of non diegetic music is a common convention used in most slasher film.

Then when it goes into the opening scene Carpenter chooses to use natural diegetic sounds, such as the owl to add this spooky effect, and the crickets in the background for when the killer is stalking up getting closer to the house building up to the climax. Also when the light turns off non-diegetic sound is played a high pitch screech to act as the trigger that somethings about to happen.



SHOT VARIETY: 

POV shot.

The opening sequence starts with a point of view shot (POV) giving the view from the killer, which also shows the narrative enigma by creating this sense of mystery to who the character is, the character is then later revealed after the killer, and with this point of view shot it give the audience a sense of how the killer is feeling and in a way sympathise for the killer. Also the house where the killing takes place is the stereotypical middle class house which give the hand of fate idea into play making it seem that this tragedy could happen to anyone, this is called the 'hand of fate' theory, but as it's an old film it's using 1 long take throughout the whole of the opening scene which doesn't have as much of an effective as fast peace editing does and it lacks in variety of shots and continuity. 
  
GENRE SIGNIFIERS:

Knife weapon.

This stereotype of the weapon in slasher films being the knife gives it away in this film when the killer pulls out the knife from the draw. Also the stalk scene at the start along with the non-diegetic and diegetic sounds is a common convention in most slasher films, and the audience expects that the stalker in the killer and that something is about to happen.

REPRESENTATIONS:

Masked killer's POV shot.

This film uses plenty of stereotypes in it's opening sequence for example, the killer wears a mask so is the stereotypical masked killer, the scream queen is blonde, busty and sexually active , and the jock being blonde in a relationship with the scream queen. However there's sort of a countertype with the killer being a small child whereas the killer is normally seen as this big powerful figure with the power to take someones life.

LENGTH OF TAKES + EDITING PACE:
As this was an old film it uses long takes with not much range of camera variety which is common in old films, but this doesn't give the same effect as the fast-paced editing used now because it doesn't look as believable and lacks in verisimilitude.

 CLOSING SHOT OF OPENING + TRANSITION TO MAIN BODY OF FILM: 

High angle shot

 The closing shot does a zoom out transition from when Mike Myer's parents discover him, it goes from a 3 shot into a long  high angle shot making them look vulnerable with the camera looking down on them and with there being more background in the shot. This shot looks like it's been done using a crane camera.

NARRATIVE ENIGMA Vs EXPOSITION:
This film uses both exposition and narrative enigma in the opening sequence, as we learn about the setting and time because it's given to the audience, " Haddonfield Illinois" and then " Halloween Night, 1963 " are presented to reveal exposition to the audience. However Carpenter also uses narrative enigma by keeping the killer a mystery until the end of the final sequence, leaving the audience is suspense trying to figure out who the killer might be, he chooses to do this by using long point of view takes.

The actual killing acts as a disruption of the equilibrium which is the second part of Todorov's theory, then the recognition that there's been this disruption is when Micheal's parents find him with knife. Also later on in the film we find Micheal was sent to a mental asylum which acts as the attempt to repair the disruption, but then breaks out and kills again acting as the reinstatement of the equilibrium, so this film follows all of Todorov's theory. Also i think Levi-Strauss's binary opposite theory works here as well for the killer at the start as you don't expect the killer to be a small boy it's normally a tall powerful man.