The Fog was made in 2005 in America. The film is about a town celebration where a new statue of the founding fathers is unveiled, which awakens the ghosts of the crew of a boat; Elizabeth Dane, who want to get revenge for being slaughtered by the founding fathers. The name of the film is based on the fog that covers the town when the crew of the Elizabeth Dane are awakened.
This film can be classed in the Horror/Mystery genre because of certain codes and conventions in the film that are those of the Horror/Mystery genre.
The Codes and Conventions of this film are as follows:
• The openings of horror tend to have music to them, which is unnerving, spooky or eerie. This film is no exception, it starts by showing the production titles a while music which is unnerving at times and kind of creepy plays. As the opening sequence moves on the music changes.
• After the production titles the screen goes completely black. White smoke or fog starts to move around the middle of the screen, then credits appear in this fog. The words fade away and the fog moves to where the next credit appears and around the screen. The titles being like this is well known in horror films, where the credits tend to follow the horror theme by being creepy, having title movement and weapon images with them.
• As the credits continue weird noises are heard, then more fog appears and the title comes onto the screen. The screen then clears and sound from action in the film is heard. On the screen movement can be seen but it is dark and shadowy. Parts of the film being dark and shadowy are also common to horror films and can be found in many of them.
• The audience can’t really tell what is going on, on the screen. By doing this it keeps them thinking about what it could be and building up anticipation. Building up anticipation is common in horror films and is used in some of the best most memorable parts of films.
• More non-diegetic sound is heard with screams and what is thought to be birds squawking can be heard. Horror films tend to have a lot of non-diegetic sound added to them for effect and to set the mood in the film.
• As the opening sequence continues the shadows are replaced by fire which fills the whole screen, a lot of diegetic, object movement and action, sound is heard in this part. It is still not clear what is going on and contuse to keeps the viewers in the dark to what is going on. This creates a mystery which runs throughout the film.
• The first death of the film happens within the first few minutes but is not clear that, that is what is going on. This also adds mystery to the film as to why this person was killed.
• Super human killers are featured in the majority of horror films and this film continues with the trend.
• Main characters in horror films tend to be young and beautiful, as they are in this film.
• Horror films and many other films of different genres tend to be focused on the fight between good and evil and so is this film. At the end of the film the good character usually survives and has defeated the bad character or the good character dies while in the process of defeating the bad guy and ends up defeating them at the price of their own life.
• Horror films also tend to start by showing people living an ordinary lifestyle. The Fog does show this but not until after the main part of the opening sequence.
• The camera angles used in horror and mystery films tend to vary greatly from close-ups to long distance shots. The type of shot used depends on the effect the film maker is going with for that part of the film.
All of these codes and conventions add to make great horror and mystery films and will continue to for ages to come.
01/04/2010
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