• Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month
Page
  1. 1
    1
  2. 2
    2
  3. 3
    3
    • View my saved documents

    How is suspense created in the elevator scene in the film speed?

    Extracts from this document...

    Introduction

    How is suspense created in the elevator scene in the film speed? The director of Speed, Mark Gordan, uses a range of techniques to build tension and suspense in the film Speed. Camera Angles We see a group of business people leaving a meeting and getting into the lift. The camera angle is at eye level to help the audience feel as though they are looking into their eyes, almost as if they were there with them. This is useful in order to help the audience identify with them and develop feelings for their situation later. After the first two explosions, the camera angle changes to looking down on the passengers. This makes them appear smaller and vulnerable. In contrast to this, the shots of the lift shaft are long shots to contrast the dizzying drop to the basement. There are also various close-up shots of the passengers, suspended in limbo in the lift shaft. This enables the audience to see the fear and anxiety of their faces. We also have close ups of Harry and Jack showing them sweating to help convey the sense of urgency. ...read more.

    Middle

    The use of shadows and orange lighting help to suggest danger and develop a sense of danger. After the second explosion, the lighting dims yet again and the orange hue becomes fiercer. Again suggesting that the danger has increased. This helps the audience to feel the tension. The lift shaft is dark and shadowy and becomes darker with each explosion to create a deeper sense of something ominous and dark. Sound and dialogue The arrival of the cops is heralded by screaming sirens and screeching brakes, squealing tyres, etc. This tells the audience that they are responding to an emergency. The police commander, Mack, barks instructions at the cops. His words are fast and staccato. This indicates that time is important and they must move quickly. There is no time for discussion. He tells them that there are 13 passengers. Thirteen has long been considered an unlucky number and helps to hint that this may be an unlucky group. He tells the cops that they have 23 minutes to rescue the passengers and the lift is stuck on floor 30. The cops run up the stairs counting floors as they go the keep the audience engaged with the activity. ...read more.

    Conclusion

    This scene is punctuated with frequent reminders about the impending collapse of the lift support - the crane has buckled and worked loose from its moorings. It is now precariously wedged. Harry is shouting to her to give him her hand. The tension is conveyed from the tone of his voice and the urgency of his delivery. The audience wonders if she will be brave and wills her to move. Eventually, she takes his hand and is pulled to safety - just in time. She is no sooner pulled to safety when the lift collapses with a huge crash and aftershock to remind the audience just how serious the crash was. Heroes and Villains The plot exploits the usual pitting of evil against good with the good guys winning. In Speed, we see the villain as the bomber holding hostages to ransom and putting a price on people's lives. Then we see Harry and Jack. They take risks to save the lives of others and thwart the plans of the villain. All the elements used in the film help to create the mood and atmosphere of the film, in this case, tension and suspense. The techniques show that manipulating these elements help to engage the audience and convey the moods and feelings appropriate to the film. ...read more.

    The above preview is unformatted text

    This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level Plays section.

    Found what you're looking for?

    • Start learning 29% faster today
    • 150,000+ documents available
    • Just £6.99 a month

    or


    Not the one? Search for your essay title...
    • Join over 1.2 million students every month
    • Accelerate your learning by 29%
    • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

    See related essaysSee related essays

    Related AS and A Level Plays essays

    1. Analyse the ways in which the director builds suspense and scares the audience in ...

      war two, when "The Indianapolis" sank, and sharks attacked, making the audience imagine how gory and disgusting it was to have to watch it. The audience imagines the scene that he watched, and thinks about how dangerous and scary a shark can be, and this builds up their fear.

    2. Analyse the ways that the director builds suspense and scares the audience in "JAWS"

      We didn't see the dog disappear, so where could the dog have gone? This suggests that the shark has taken the dog. The audience will have suddenly realised the hint that the shark could be in the water. Spielberg uses humour to disguise what is actually going to happen.

    1. How is tension created and sustained in "The Monkey's Paw"

      The weather is described to us as being, "cold and wet", which has depressing, gloomy connotations which is therefore in complete contrast to the atmosphere inside. This signals a change in the plot, and the with the cold, wet weather, the author is almost hinting to use that something negative is going to happen in the story.

    2. How the director builds suspense and scares the audience in the film Jaws

      Every time somebody walked across the camera, zooming was used on Brody. This was to show that he is getting worried about something. The tension started to build at this point. It gives the audience a feeling that the offence that was meant to happen is getting closer.

    1. Analyse the ways the director builds up suspense and scares the audience in the ...

      This silence after each attack frightens the audience because they realise how quickly something awful, like the event they have just witnessed, can happen and how quickly it can end. It also reminds them that the shark is still out there and will continue to carry out these attacks.

    2. How Does The Film Maker Create Suspense In The Sixth Sense?

      film, a child cannot protect himself and if an adult had been used instead, the same effect of vulnerability and complete helplessness would not have been put across to the audience. Cole is first thought to be just a child who is having some problems at school and it is

    1. Analyse the ways that the director builds suspense and scares the audience in the ...

      Music is used throughout the film effectively and is often used a lot during an attack. In the 4th July attack the music playing on the radio behind is an uplifting and enjoyable music which gives the audience a false sense of security and also acts as a contrast to the sharks theme.

    2. Compare the presentation of heroes and villains in 'Shrek' by DreamWorks and other traditional ...

      Shrek is different from more traditional fairytales in that is purposely breaks the orthodox roles. In various parts of the film it even ridicules the standard boundaries, for example the "three blind mice" are used in Shrek to add a comedy value to the film.

    • Over 160,000 pieces
      of student written work
    • Annotated by
      experienced teachers
    • Ideas and feedback to
      improve your own work