Film Opening 2 - The Woman in Black

Film 2 - The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black was made in 2012 by James Watkins, produced by Cross Creek Pictures and distributed by Alliance Films. It had a budget of an estimated $17 million and made a gross profit of $127,730,736 worldwide. The opening scene last around 1 minute and 30 seconds.



The first thing we hear in the scene is twinkly, innocent, nursery rhyme - like music that is often associated with horror films. This is suggestive of postmodernism and shows the film's exaggerated genre signifiers making it very easy to identify as horror. There is no diegetic sound which could connote how the children are in some kind of trance and out of touch with the real world. It also makes the music more overwhelming for the viewer as it is unbroken and unrelenting.
Towards the end of the final scene we get diegetic sound - the smashing of the toys as the children step on them. This is harsh and unnerving and immediately sets the viewer up for something bad. It also foreshadows the end of the children's childhoods and their lives.

The only diegetic sound we hear right at the end is when there is a bloodcurdling scream at the discovery of the children's bodies. This is shocking as it abruptly cuts through the twinkly music making it even more unnerving for the viewer and shows how the children's childhoods were cut short, much like the music.



The first shot of the film we see is a close-up of a tea pot being tipped towards a teacup. We expect tea to be poured out of it but nothing comes. This instantly creates a feeling of unease in the viewer and implies that something is wrong.

Throughout the scene their are close-ups of the dolls the children are playing with. This is exceptionally creepy and plays up to the stereotypical horror film theme of possessed dolls, another suggestion of postmodernism. It could also connote that the Woman in Black is playing with the children's lives just like they're playing with the dolls'.

About halfway through we get a shot from the back corner of the room which is especially chilling as the three children are looking directly at the camera, breaking the fourth wall and directly involving the audience. It also tells us that there is something sinister right where we are in the room making us feel vulnerable and like there's something behind us.

When the children start to walk towards the window we get close-ups of parts of their bodies (their hands, feet etc) but not of their faces. This connotes that they're not in control of their bodies and have simply become puppets, controlled by an exterior force. It also puts the viewer on edge because we can't see what's around them, making us feel vulnerable and exposed.

As they approach the window the camera angle switches from us being behind the girls (a tracking shot), watching them and being in control to being in front of them in a mid-shot. This puts the danger behind the audience again making us feel out of control and on edge. It also means the girls are walking in a line towards us which is intimidating and puts us right in the thick of the scene, exactly where we don't want to be.

At the very end of the first scene the camera pans backwards, possibly on a steady cam, to reveal a black, lace headdress on the right of the screen. This is the Woman in Black, always there but just out of view which is very disconcerting for the audience. Also, the fact that we're so close to her is frightening and makes us want to run away but the camera stays steady creating a deep set unease in the viewer. Also, the fact that this is an establishing shot makes the viewer feel uneasy as it seems the Woman in Black has been watching the children which is sinister and unnerving. It also gives the audience a chance to get a look at the whole room which is full of period signifiers to indicate the Edwardian era.

There is quite a lot of shot variety in the scene, a few establishing shots to give the audience an idea of where they are, mid shots to show the initial action (the tea party) and close-ups to create feelings of tension and fear.
At the start of the scene, although there are quite a few shots all cut together, each shot is relatively long and they all feel controlled and even calm. However, as the scene gets nearer the climax the shots get shorter giving the scene a more hectic and fast paced feeling, creating a sense of impending doom and cementing an unstoppable fear in the audience.

It is clear from the props, costume and set that this film is set in the past. All the toys are dated and sinister and the girls clothes are signifiers of the Edwardian period as is the room they're in. Similarly, the girls hair is done in a style reflective of the era and that, coupled with their costumes suggests an innocence the girls have due to denotations such as the bows in their hair which have connotations of childhood.
 All the colours are muted giving an overall grey, dark and gloomy feel. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable as there are a lot of dark corners for things to hide in.

The opening scene gives the audience quite a lot of information about the film. We know that it's set in the past and that it's about a supernatural being who's able to make people do things they would never ordinarily do. We can presume that the plot will include someone trying to find and stop the woman from murdering children and that most of the film will take place inside the haunted house. However, there is one huge narrative enigma that the audience is left with - why is she killing?