‘it strikes terror in the hearts ………..venture into the unknown’,
these little passages I took out from the quote above link in with the idea of it belonging to the horror genre. The words ‘unknown’ and ‘terror’ are words connected to the horror genre and words that are regularly used in good horror novels and films (e.g. Frankenstein). The quote is part of Mary Shelly’s imagination that has been presented as writing by Branagh. He has used all the titles in Mary Shelly’s novel and has brought forward the horror present in the novel.
The opening scene uses a variety of different techniques to show what the film is about. It uses the music and lightning to go with the picture and terror. They use fast, loud and exciting music to show the panic of the people on the ship. The uncontrollable situation goes with the music and brings up excitement into the picture. The panic and tension in this scene is brought by the storm, lighting and the large waves created by the sea., which causes the ship to go of course. Branagh has used to the picture as part of horror in the movie. He’s used appropriate skills to showcase the horror genre.
Due to the blizzard people are thrown of the ship and into their icy fate. This is shown in the movie, as one of the crewmembers is thrown of the ship and as he sinks you can only see his hands resting on an icecap, which slowly disappears into the ocean. This scene is real part of the horror genre and brings up terror and fear. You can see this on the faces of the other crewmembers.
The panic present on board the ship is shown through the faces of the people and the language that they use. The captain’s ambitions force the crewmembers to obey, even though they know they won’t last long in the storm.
Bowson- ‘The cost of how many more lives?’
Captain- ‘As many as it takes.’
Due to the storm and blizzard many lives are taken, causing death and misery to the crew on board. The picture is not the only technique used to make the scene more exciting and terrifying, the language used by the crew also brought up excitement and tension on the scene. The quote above shows the sort of language used and how this builds up tension within the scene. The quote gives you an idea about the death of many lives that may concern none of the others on board the ship; this shows inconsiderable people. Branagh has used death, an item vital in the build up of tension and horror in a film belonging to the horror genre.
Later in the scene the ship collides with an island made up of ice, stopping it in its position, causing panic for each and every member of the crew. In addition to their situation, more fear is brought on to them by a strange howling noise, from far beyond their landscape.
Bowson- ‘There’s something out there.’
The response we get from the howl gives us a clue to what will happen next and gives us time to prepare for the worst. As Bowson speaks these obvious words the camera angle focuses on him, showing fear in his face and creating an intense moment. Quotes such as these are called clichés. This quote, just like any other brings tension to the scene.
Just after the howl, Frankenstein enters into the scene and a second howl is heard. This howl gets even makes the dogs frightened and makes them run loose.
Victor Frankenstein- ‘Leave them, they’re already dead.’
His quote really brings up the excitement to the picture. It wants you o question yourself, why are they already dead? What is out there that is powerful enough to take down several dogs. It’s a quote that is most likely to be found in a film belonging to the horror genre.
In this scene there is a mixture of techniques used by Kenneth Branagh to show the text of the film. He uses the language and pictures to show the horror in the first scene.
The little clip of the monsters hand is a part of a real horror genre. It doesn’t show the whole of the monster; even the face becomes a mystery. With this little clip, Branagh uses loud and fast music to bring up the tension and excitement. He uses blood on the monster’s hand to resemble violence and death.
You can already see the amount of techniques used in the first scene to bring out the horror in the film. Each quote I’ve used from the opening scene represents horror.
The second scene that we studied was also used to show that the film ‘Frankenstein’ belongs to the horror genre.
The first part of the second scene is different to the first scene. This scene starts with romantic music and Victor Frankenstein and his family dancing. At the same time a dramatic upset comes to the family as Victor Frankenstein’s mother faints, due to pregnancy.
This scene, just like as the first uses language, picture and camera editing to show what ‘Frankenstein’ is really about.
The whole picture suddenly changes from a romantic scene to a scene of tension. In this scene we see Victor Frankenstein’s mother giving birth. This scene again is no different to any other, which shows the text as horror. They use loud music and camera techniques such as swirling around the tense situation.
The language used by each character in this scene defines the horror in the movie.
‘Cut me, save the baby!’
This quote is one example of the language used in this scene. This shows the intense situation, the family must face. It also shows more blood and more expressions of horror. It’s a quote that belongs into the horror genre. Branagh used Mary Shelly’s quote from the novel and added more tension to the picture with the aid of the techniques he uses.
The every little detail in the scene represents horror. For example, Mrs. Frankenstein has a white cloth between her legs covered in blood. Her leg resting on Mr. Frankenstein, who has no shirt on and blood all over his body and the loud scream. This little detail in the scene is somehow or another connected to horror. The tension, heat, blood and pressure are all put into one scene, creating more and more tension and excitement to the scene.
The film is edited from when Mrs. Frankenstein screams to when Victor Frankenstein and Elizabeth are looking out of the window. The thunder strikes and hits a tree, destroying it completely. This adds to the excitement, tension, agony; showing that it belongs to the horror genre.
In addition to the tension created by the picture more pressure is added to the scene by a quote from Elizabeth.
‘She’ll be alright’
The quote brings agony to the scene, because we know that she won’t be alright. Quote such as the one above are called an anachronism.
After the quote, we find Mr. Frankenstein on top of the large marble stairs. The large stairs show an ancient image of the past. We see Mr. Frankenstein sitting down, crying, looking at his blood stained hands. Here we see more tension and agony. Branagh has used similar techniques in the first scene to show the horror.
The last scene, scene three starts just like scene two it also starts with a romantic opening.
It also uses more textures, unlike the second scene. This scene uses candles, music, the colour red (symbolizing love and blood) dressing, tension (wedding night, monster and guards) and a warm atmosphere. All techniques are used and more in the scene to it romantic. The scene uses close camera on the faces and bare flesh and to add more excitement onto the scene. Branagh used rapid editing. The first part of the scene focuses more on Victor Frankenstein, more than anything else. It brings up romance into the scene and adds a warm atmosphere. It gives a view of protection.
But what really makes this scene exciting is the fact that the monster is supposed to show up. We know this because of the previous scenes, where the monster says to Victor Frankenstein:
‘I will be with you on your wedding night’
This, I think, is what really makes the scene exciting, and shows tension, which will build inside the characters. And what’s more intensifying than having guards around, on your wedding night. This truly adds to the pressure and shows that something may go wrong.
The end of the scene is expected to happen. The beginning of the scene is nothing compared to end of the scene, in the ways of tension, atmosphere and excitement.
The opening scene is connected to protection and warmth. The camera swirling around the characters as the music plays, creates an atmosphere of romance. But the changing music creates fear, since it signals the monster’s presence. It gives time for us to prepare for the entry of the monster and violence, which is connected to the horror genre.
To bring more tension and fear upon the scene Frankenstein leaves Elizabeth all alone in the room. This is where the pressure really starts to build, because you just get a feeling that the move Frankenstein just made is wrong. It shows how vulnerable Elizabeth is in the situation. This is what the horror genre is about, it creates fear, tension and excitement and this is what ‘Frankenstein’ is doing.
Later in the scene the monster himself shows up. This creates an intense moment.
Here the real violence begins. Branagh again uses rapid camera editing, to create that exciting atmosphere. More of Branagh techniques are used to display the horror of Mary Shelley’s novel.
Branagh used the idea of helpless female in the scene. There is nothing that a woman can do to save herself. We see this when the monster enters and says to Elizabeth:
‘Don’t bother to scream.’
The quote above, again like any other, defines the horror taking place in the scene and also shows how helpless Elizabeth is in the scene. The quote suggests that she’s already dead. It belongs to the horror genre.
The quote is the beginning of Elizabeth’s end. When Frankenstein notices the balcony door of Elizabeth’s room open, he realizes what he has done. He rushes back to the room. The monster catches on to Frankenstein’s move, and does the mind-boggling and unbelievable. He punches through Elizabeth’s chest and pulls out her heart! This is the violence presented in such terrifying ways in which lead ‘Frankenstein’ to the horror genre text. It shows blood and violence, which really brings the horror and tension.
As the monster rips the heart out, Victor Frankenstein enters the room and the monster holds his hand out with the heart in it, which is still beating and blood all around his fingers and the heart. He then pushes the body to a lamp. This causes Elizabeth’s head and hair to set on fire! With this final blow by the monster, he exits through the window and Victor Frankenstein shoots at him.
Here we can easily see that this belongs to the horror genre. It uses the many techniques that were used in the scene identifying the horror. The blood, violence and the heart are one of the greatest techniques used in the scene. They bring up the mood of the whole scene. They show the tension.
The heart in the monsters hand is still beating; this creates the fear and pressure. The atmosphere of the scene changes to a scene of violence. It truly belongs to the horror genre.
The novel ‘Frankenstein’ was first written in 1816, thanks to Byron, who suggested writing a ghost story. Along with Byron’s suggestion, Mary Shelley was also present, which enabled her to write the wonderful novel of ‘Frankenstein’. This novel became famous throughout the country. This was because gothic novels became very popular in those days. Any type of story that features things such as castles, torture, chambers, dungeons, bats, infested rooms and so forth. And ‘Frankenstein’ proved itself to be worthy to be part of the horror genre.
At the time Mary Shelley used many ideas that come to use in her novel. Ideas of electricity, which was experimented with its power by Benjamin Franklyn. This idea was also put into Mary Shelley’s novel, and gave birth to monster. There were many other people with ideas, which Mary Shelley used in her novel, which made the novel very successful. People such as Humphrey Davy and Jaques Rousseau.
Mary Shelley also erred the power of the imagination very important. Mary Shelley wrote in her novel:
‘I saw with shut eyes, but acute metal vision. I
saw a pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling
beside the thing he had put together. I saw the
hideous phontosin stretched out, and then, on the
working of some powerful engine show signs of
life, and stir with an uneasy half motion.’
You can see how Mary Shelley has used her imagination to come up with this fantastic piece of work.
The movie created by Kenneth Branagh has become what it has because of Mary Shelley’s biography. Her imagination has truly brought up the horror in the movie. The scenes we have studied show every little detail needed to know about a horror film. The scenes create tension and fear for its audience; Branagh has used many techniques to fully express Mary Shelley’s thoughts and imagination. The film ‘Frankenstein’ is truly a film belonging to the genre of horror. And that is how we know that ‘Frankenstein’ belongs to the horror genre.
