Name of film: John Carpenter’s The Fog
Year Released: 1980
Genre of Trailer: Psychological Horror
My Mark after Viewing: 6/10
What happened in the trailer?
From the beginning of the trailer, the audience is introduced to the narrative by a narrator. Titled as ‘John Carpenter’s The Fog’, there is a clear indication that Carpenter, as the writer of the screenplay, is prolific in the field of horror (it is also later mentioned that he is the mind behind Halloween). The first thing we see is a woman in a radio station, welcoming the listeners to the 100th birthday of the town of Antonio Bay. A warning of fog sparks fear as the narrator begins repeating this phrase three times, changing just one word: “One hundred years ago, between midnight and one, something [unknown / unnatural / evil] came out of the fog. Now it has returned.”
From the beginning of the trailer, the audience is introduced to the narrative by a narrator. Titled as ‘John Carpenter’s The Fog’, there is a clear indication that Carpenter, as the writer of the screenplay, is prolific in the field of horror (it is also later mentioned that he is the mind behind Halloween). The first thing we see is a woman in a radio station, welcoming the listeners to the 100th birthday of the town of Antonio Bay. A warning of fog sparks fear as the narrator begins repeating this phrase three times, changing just one word: “One hundred years ago, between midnight and one, something [unknown / unnatural / evil] came out of the fog. Now it has returned.”
Throughout this narration, events occur on screen which
alludes to something dangerous and unnatural. Firstly, a couple is spooked as
their car spins out of control through the fog. Then, a fire appears to
spontaneously break out in the control tower. After seeing a shot of a
grappling hook and hearing an off screen commotion, one of the local residents
speaks of a curse left on the island. Small jumps occur as one of the female
characters goes to walk away, too scared of the situation, before a man’s body
collapses onto her and she screams, building up the tension.
“Get inside and lock your doors. Close the windows. There’s
something in the fog.” This warning from the narrator is played as the action
unfolds and the characters try to escape whatever the thing is which is
attacking them. There is then a list of the credits for actors in the film,
each face appearing projected onto the face of a pocket watch.
“What you can’t see won’t hurt you. It will kill you.
Between midnight and one, it will find you.” These ominous threats are the last
thing said by the narrator, alongside a shot of a struggling victim and the
main title screen to finish.
Which positive, clever or interesting aspects do you
think you could include in your own trailer?
In general, I have found that narration can make some trailers seem tacky. This one, however, uses precise timing and repetition to reinforce the thriller aspect of the film. More of a mystery case than a horror, the film uses the narration as a way of providing useful backstory. One of the best aspects of the trailer is the use of restricted narration. Not once do we ever see the monster/villain/danger in this film, cleverly masked by the fog. This gives the film a unique identity and adds an air of creepiness and unease throughout. Also due to the fog, the lighting remains consistently low key, a classic horror element. Through the use of establishing long shots, and tight close-ups, the cinematography easily matches the feel of many of the classic horror movies and creates a tense atmosphere.
In general, I have found that narration can make some trailers seem tacky. This one, however, uses precise timing and repetition to reinforce the thriller aspect of the film. More of a mystery case than a horror, the film uses the narration as a way of providing useful backstory. One of the best aspects of the trailer is the use of restricted narration. Not once do we ever see the monster/villain/danger in this film, cleverly masked by the fog. This gives the film a unique identity and adds an air of creepiness and unease throughout. Also due to the fog, the lighting remains consistently low key, a classic horror element. Through the use of establishing long shots, and tight close-ups, the cinematography easily matches the feel of many of the classic horror movies and creates a tense atmosphere.
Which aspects of the trailer did you think were unsuccessful,
and would put off its target audience? How is it disappointing?
Made in 1980, this film has much less of the flashy technology and CGI than today’s action-packed horror films. The trailer, however, should showcase some of its more gripping moments. Unfortunately, probably due to restrictions and age limits, this film shows absolutely no gory or particularly scary moments. For the most part, some of the clips selected are too long and look more like scenes than highlights. As well as this, to try to build up the tension without showing gore, some of the reactions and shots seem overly dramatic. Although the fog adds a very clever balance of restricted narration, this poses the problem of trying to sell the movie. Without showing any glimpses of the person/monster, people could either watch the movie expecting it to be tame, or they could be turned off by the lack of explicit horror. The addition of the narration does make the trailer more tense, however, it also can make the thing seem cliché and is less likely to work for us in regards to a modern audience. At times, it also became a bit boring with its cinematography. There were very few non-static shots and everything was filmed straight on, without the use of any canted, low, or high angles. To make a big impact, our trailer should try to experiment with as many different shot types as possible.
Made in 1980, this film has much less of the flashy technology and CGI than today’s action-packed horror films. The trailer, however, should showcase some of its more gripping moments. Unfortunately, probably due to restrictions and age limits, this film shows absolutely no gory or particularly scary moments. For the most part, some of the clips selected are too long and look more like scenes than highlights. As well as this, to try to build up the tension without showing gore, some of the reactions and shots seem overly dramatic. Although the fog adds a very clever balance of restricted narration, this poses the problem of trying to sell the movie. Without showing any glimpses of the person/monster, people could either watch the movie expecting it to be tame, or they could be turned off by the lack of explicit horror. The addition of the narration does make the trailer more tense, however, it also can make the thing seem cliché and is less likely to work for us in regards to a modern audience. At times, it also became a bit boring with its cinematography. There were very few non-static shots and everything was filmed straight on, without the use of any canted, low, or high angles. To make a big impact, our trailer should try to experiment with as many different shot types as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment