Another example of a dark atmospheric scene is the four students on an isolated beach site. The friends sit around a roaring, burning fire with strong winds consistently blowing. A long whining music plays subtly as the four tell scary stories. The director’s main aim is to rebuild the same type of tension, which occurred in the opening sequence making the audience uncomfortable.
Locations used in the film consist of isolated areas such as beach sites, misty piers, dark alleys, long twisted roads and mysterious houses. All are horror conventions easily fitting into the horror genre.
Many scenes show mutilated bodies, blood and guts. In the scene where the four knock over the passing figure we are presented with a mutilated face drenched in blood. This scene is shone instantly in order to shock and disgust the audience. The film continues to show similar horror conventions throughout. A scene with a larger impact then most others is the chase between the murderer and Helen (Sarah Michelle Geller.) As the murder takes place the blood hits the glass as if to stop the blood coming through and falling onto the audience. This is done to make the audience feel they’re in the film.
All these murder conventions fit into horror genre. Jim Gillespie has directed the ways the murders take place. In other horror movies the murder itself is constantly shown loosing its affect on the audience. However Jim Gillespie makes sure you see the murders result i.e. the blood on the window. This shows the audience the actual moment the death defying moment. The director uses a sudden outburst of dramatic music followed by a silence identifying the end of the victim’s life.
Jim Gillespie used this affect to give the audience a consistent level of shock at the same time not becoming immune to the sight of constant blood and guts.
The soundtrack for the film is a mixture of gothic/rock; the style of music is intended to disturb the audience. The music tends be at its loudest point before the killer strikes. The music reaches a crescendo, indicating there is going to be a murder. This music is used to create fear and suspense almost leaving the audience on the edge of their seats waiting to see what’s going to happen. The silent, mellow music tends to come in at the beginning of a murder scene, while all its surroundings seem positive regardless of the fact that by the end of the scene a murder will take place. The music is used as a tension release.
The music and special effects add to the frightening atmosphere the music gives the murders, chases etc. the edge to scaring the audience i.e. Max’s murder. The music is slotted in to accompany the violence.
During the film there are many sudden surprises for both the characters and the audience. Many twists and shockers are released during the film i.e. when Julie finds the dead bodies frozen inside the boat leaving her jumping and screaming. Another surprise that occurs in the film takes place at the end. Julie whilst getting ready for a shower hears a noise while the room fills up with steam slowly through the steam she sees “I Still Know” written on the shower door. Followed by someone smashing through the glass door completed with an instant black screen, leaving the audience in shock.
The camera plays a major part in the affect of a scene example the speed the distance of the shot. For example fast camera movements are used during a car chase scene as the killer chases Max. The camera angels constantly change pulling the audience into the screen, with each shot lasting literally seconds. The movements affect the atmosphere as it re-jigs the audience’s emotions and feelings leaving them excited along side a mixture of feelings.
I think ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ pulled off as a top horror film many other horror films are released similar to this however it contained all horror conventions. Throughout most of the film it left me wanting to know what was going to happen next constant tension and anxiety flowed through my body. The music used in the film was the perfect addition to the final touches it clicked along side the scenes giving the perfect horror movie.
