In horror films, gruesome murders are common, which are carried out by entities such as monsters who are creatures of a different nature and sometimes they include supreme strength though sometimes have been created so that they many have a crucial weakness and thus eventually resulting in their deaths. The physical appearance of the creature is horrific and this is where the horror is initially found. In society during this period, physical malformation was connected with evil.
Each basic aspect of a horror film helps to scare the audience. Examining the following can easily identify horror: colour, music, sound effects, camera shots and angles, special effects and symbolism.
Colour is a famous feature in forming a horror film, as it depicts a certain mood for a situation. Bright colours may indicate a sense of warmth, whilst dark colours may indicate scenes of evil or danger. This is traditionally linked with the landscape, such as an evil scene with a castle in a pitch-black night.
Certain music may cause panic and agitation, and quicken the heartbeat of the audience. Certain music such as gentle music may indicate a relaxed situation, or may lull the audience, but suddenly a build up of tense music may indicate a bad state of affairs. This can be liked to sound effects, which portray simple sounds of actions. Ultimately it may sound like a heartbeat or a storm. However, these are created and are not real sounds.
Camera shots and angles are also pertinent, as they may show the entire atmosphere of a scene. A long shot presents a view of the entire setting and the actual content of a horror film, which is being played in chronological order, and close ups give the views of characters. Angles may also take advantage of a situation by giving the impression to the audience the entire aura and viewpoints of all the characters. These types of techniques generally appear to show a particularly bad scene e.g. a ship being damaged or somebody dying.
Another technique familiar to a horror films is the creation of wind/rain/storm. These types of weather undeniably indicate evil or generally represent an evil setting or landscape where there is upcoming evil or some gruesome events.
Special effects are a crucial element in a horror film as they display frightening scenes in an embroidered way. Generally, blood is the most common aspect of special effect. Occasionally, recent graphics and computers have been applied to create such images.
Symbolism has been a long established attribute in a horror film, as it shows the audience the signs of the future. The film has a very gothic feel to it and the film uses colours constantly to represent events to follow. Simple colours, such as red may imply that an evil, shocking or tragic scene will occur in the near future.
The opening sequence is manifested by a dark black screen, similar to that of a motion picture, which instantly suggests a film of horror. The silence implies an aura of evil and an expectant aromatic start; a mood of patience and tension has to be endured, symbolising the expectant horror that is to come.
Unexpectedly, a female narrator is heard. A sense of calm is established, but automatically the content of the script manufacture doubt and resembles horror again. The narrator describes her intentions in writing the book; she describes how she wants to make the reader “dread to look around, to curdle the blood and quicken the beating of the heart.” This opening narration informs the audience of the subject of the film: horror. It tenses the viewer, making the film more effective because the viewer is already tense.
The music also connects with the theme as it describes it with horror. Across the screen appears some gothic text, which engulfs the screen. The music reaches its peak, when the writing is legible. The writing contains the title of the film. At this moment there is an atmosphere of classic tension.
The first scene I have selected is the opening scene in the Artic. The horror theme of this can be recognised as the events proceed. The opening shot is a long shot, which incorporates the entire ship and entire landscape, which is at sea and infact is describing the situation of the crew. Already the artic atmosphere shows the coldness ands frantic tension that is currently being endured. The colours are dark, which indicates forth-coming danger and the music consistently increases to maximum pitch, which coincides with the ship approaching the iceberg. As the ship has been taken off course these features create the horror, making the film frightening and menacing. As almost immediately the ship approaches the iceberg, the music reaches its height, signifying there will be damage. As soon as the ship hits the iceberg, the music is stressed, and suddenly there are rapid shots, which convey the emotions of apprehension and dismay. This clearly identifies horror.
Music takes control of the scene, as it is linked with the current pictures being portrayed of the crewmen not being capable of steering the ship. The music tends to jump, but shortly after the music elevates rapidly, the film displays a crewman being tossed overboard into the icy cold water. A riveting finale ends the scene with a dramatic bang.
We can observe the ship trapped in the pure white ice, which seems to be untouched by any creature. This type of scene shows horror as it gives the impression that there is nothing in the distance to depend on or to be afraid of it, as well as indicating the isolation of the crew. The music in this scene has completely ceased giving the impression of tranquillity and calmness. The crew are anxious and agitated, shown by their tiredness and their opinion of the situation, which they presume they will not survive, due to he food shortages as well as hypothermia. The captain maintains his aim of reaching the North Pole, but many crewmen disagree and may commit mutiny. At this point the music is apprehensive, as the captain senses such an event could impair his mission. The close up of the captain completes this emotion of anxiety and unease, as he insists on finalising his dream.
Unexpectedly, a howl is heard in the distance, clearly a sound effect. This, however, frightens the crew, seen plainly by the close up shot. The crew are adamant of upcoming danger and so pick up their weapons swiftly and without vacillation. The apparent picture shot in the distance is initially the view of the crew looking upon the person approaching them. The screen however is blank and becomes distorted- this close up shows panic and consternation. The camera initially waits patiently in the distance, which resembles the patience of the crew. The creature is forming to show a human, which generally relieves the crew.
Victor’s arrival is disrupted by the dogs’ reaction to the howls and thus they attack the creature, which is closely behind them. The captain’s dismay at this makes him react to recapture the dogs. Nevertheless, Victor mysteriously informs the captain of the fate of the dogs by claiming that they are already dead. Such words present the idea that Victor is already acquainted with the creature on the ice. Terror is being exposed by Victor’s facial expressions.
The prompt deaths of the dogs show horror vividly. The music is an example of this, as it tensely increases. The camera shows close-ups of the dogs dying rapidly, showing the power of the creature, which looks human in form. The camera shows close ups of the dogs being killed randomly, though the killing only lasts for a few second. The blood is a special effect, which formulates the mood of horror again and is vital to the scene.
The scene in the cabin of the ship seems to generate an impression of security. The bright colours emitted by the candles show this. This change in colour is dramatic as it creates warmth and security. The events follow by Victor revealing the story of the creature in sequential order.
The next scene is set a few years back and is more depressing and dramatic showing the death of Victor’s mother. The scene opens in an elated atmosphere with dancing and entertainment. The bright, lively colour depicts this extremely clearly. The camera rotates in order to embody every characters joyful caprice. The music inclines to be gentle to blend in with the event.
Not long after the finale of the dance, Victor’s mother who is heavily pregnant dramatically faints, a sign of peril, also linked by the music, which is generally uneasy. This part is suddenly edited to show Victor’s mother draped across a birthing chair and giving birth. Unexpectedly, horror is the theme being portrayed, seen by many features. The scene comes to be a great shock to the audience as they had been lulled into a false sense of security as the at the beginning leads them to a think it was joyous occasion now lead them to a completely different situation. The blood is a special effect, which is in fact exaggerated, as Victor’s mother has not even given birth during this point. The camera rotates to show the birth and the characters as well as depicting dismayed hysteria. The words spoken by Victor’s mother also show horror as she utters it in such distress, “save the baby”. Doctor Frankenstein, Victor’s father, a renowned doctor then decides to cut the vagina of Victor’s mother in order to save the baby. To add to the drama, a horrid sound effect is made, as Victor’s father cuts open the vagina of Victor’s mother. It is shown as over dramatic and is unreal, as Doctor Frankenstein does not know what he is doing. The blood on Victor’s mother’s dress is unreal and is exaggerated.
The next shot shows Victor and Elizabeth watching outside, when also unexpectedly a storm like the one in the Artic occurs, which is a link and so it can be insinuated that danger is ahead.
Victor’s father is then heard howling in misery and grief, and it corresponds with the howling of the monster. The blood on Victor’s father is a special effect. Victor is curious and after Victor’s father says, “I tried to save her”, the music suddenly increases until Victor enters the room, and then it completely ceases. The music alters to gentle emotional music. Victor’s mother’s posture is like a classical painting, and this is done deliberately, to overemphasize the death pose in addition to the white dress, which represented purity is now stained.
At the end of the scene the candlelight emitted on the baby proves the emotional transformation to a happier mood and this eventually shows hope and optimism.
The last scene appears to begin tenderly, illustrating the delicate sexual interaction between Elizabeth and Victor. This is another scene that fools the audience into being that there will be calm. This however is to subdue the audience in a false sense of security. The sexual connection made between the two is very affectionate and passionate. The glow from the candlelight creates warmth and love in the scene. The close up shots do not always concentrate on the face, but show delicate caressing and embracing, with the mild and compassionate music setting the atmosphere of love and devotion.
Both are robed in white, which is representative as it implies chastity. Suddenly a flute is heard in the distance and music terminates briskly. Victor’s face expresses concern and apprehension. The flute indicates the monster is near and his wrath is impending. There are brief camera shots of Victor picking up his pistols and conclusively reveals Victor’s petrified and panicky emotions.
Outside the storm and the lightning persist, and the dark colours indicate risk and vulnerability in this part of the scene. Elizabeth gradually lies upon her back onto the bed, which resembles her lying in a coffin and implies her imminent death. A flash of lightening materialises, the monster is upon the skylight looking at her. The different camera angles depict the monster’s aura surrounding the room. The monster unexpectedly is upon Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s white gown and the monster’s black clothes merging show the resemblance between evil and good. The music is really tense and builds up, which coincides with the events occurring. The close up of the faces also recognises the ugliness of the monster and the beauty of Elizabeth, as good and evil are in silent conflict with each other. The close up however also illustrates the fear and agony of Elizabeth, the weakness of Elizabeth and the strength of the monster.
The camera concentrates on Victor, who suddenly sees the door of Elizabeth’s room open. As Victor bangs on the door violently, the monster appears to be disoriented and flummoxed, shown by the camera shots. The monster punches into Elizabeth’s chest and literally rips her heart out. The squelching heard is a very effective sound effect. The blood and heart are examples of special effects. The heart is still efficiently pulsing and the heartbeat can be heard. This effect has been exaggerated to shock and alarm the audience. This scene horrifies the audience, as it is probably the most horrific and gruesome and inhumane scene in the entire film.
Various characteristics of the film immeasurably help to enhance the emotions and in this case- fear. The different mediums of film creation such as special effects, setting, colour and sound and techniques such as camera angles and close up shots effectively aid and create the horror that this film is ultimately portraying.
Shelley had the ability to horrify us without such paranormal torments but through psychological torments. This film proves to be a morally sensitive film, regarding not to interfere in human nature.
