Movie Conventions Research: Terrifier 2

Hey guys! After watching "A Quiet Place," we wanted to watch another horror film and analyze it in the same way, just to help us get more familiar with the genre. The second movie our group watched was called "Terrifier 2," and what we saw really helped to give us some ideas of what we did and did not want to incorporate into our final project. 

1. What elements (conventions) of the horror genre does this movie have? 

    While watching "Terrifier 2," we noticed that the film incorporated many conventional aspects of the horror genre. First, we noticed that throughout the film, during different instances where the villain was harming the victim, the villain was shown through a low angle and the victim through a high angle. This is commonly used in horror movies to show the victim as vulnerable and helpless while the villain is portrayed as powerful and in control. Another convention we noticed was the use of a pan whenever a victim was running from the villain. For example, when the victim ran around the corner, a pan showed his movements leading up to him running into the villain, helping to build suspense in the scene. Close-ups were also frequently used to show the expressions and reactions of the characters. Closeups of the villain showed his eerie pleasure when inflicting harm, and close-ups of the victim shows their terror and distress. 

    The editing techniques used also follow the conventions of horror movies. For example, shot reverse shots were used throughout the film to show the character's expressions and reasoning behind their expressions. For example, during the scene where a lady walks into her kitchen to find the villain, a shot reverse shot shows the lady's fear, then the villain, then her terrified reaction again. Another editing technique used was an eye-line match, which showed the victim, and then what the victim is looking at to put the audience in the character's shoes. 

    When watching, we also noticed that the use of violent props like knives and hammers, which helped to create a sense of fear. The costumes of the characters were also conventional, as the villain had a very distinct scary costume and mask, while the victims wore casual clothing. The character's acting also followed conventions, as the villain would act powerful and happy while the victims acted scared and vulnerable through facial expressions and body language. The villain often smiled and walked with purpose, while the victims would show expressions of distress and would cower to show their fear. The lighting incorporated in the film was also dark which helped to set the tone for the movie and followed the conventions of the horror genre. 

    Another convention we noticed was the use of nondiegetic sound, such as fast and intense music during the suspenseful and climactic scenes in the movie. Dialogue was also used, which is common for horror movies. The dialogue helped to provide context of who the villain is and what is happening in each scene, and it also established the emotions of the characters, like their fear and unhappiness. 

2. What elements of the genre did the movie have that you liked. 

    One aspect of the movie that we really liked was the acting of the villain. Typically, in horror movies the villain will act unhinged, happy, and powerful, and all of these aspects were incorporated in this film. In this film, the villain often had a creepy smile on his face, he exhibit body language that showed his power and control, and he also acted unhinged whenever he killed his victims. This all contributed to the fear of his character, as he is successfully playing the role of a psychotic serial killer. We thought that this realistic acting invoked fear within the audience and helped to establish the tone of the movie. 

    Another convention in the movie that we enjoyed was the use of violent props. Throughout the movie, props like a body bag, knives, and mallets are used. These props all hint at violence and create a sense of fear within the audience, which helps add suspense. This is one thing that appealed to us, and as a group, we discussed about how we would like to incorporate something similar into our own opening sequence. 

    The next thing we liked was the tactical use of angles and camera movement. First, we noticed how the villain in the movie was often portrayed using a low angle and the victims were portrayed using a high angle. High angles helped to make the victims seem vulnerable and helpless and was effective at showing the power struggle in the movie. Low angles for the villain portrayed him as all powerful and menacing, which helps to set the tone for his character and get the audience to understand the fear of him. We also liked the use of pans to show the victims running. This is because the way it was done created a sense of suspense and we felt that this it was an artful way of capturing the character's movements. This suspense was enhanced by nondiegetic sound throughout the film, like fast paced music, and this helped create a sense of tension. We really liked how all of these different conventions complimented one another to create a fearful atmosphere in the movie. 

3. What elements of the genre did the movie have that did not appeal to you? 

    The first element that did not appeal to us was the acting of the victims. The film followed conventions by having actors use scared expressions and timid body language to show their vulnerability. However, in this case, the acting seems to be unrealistic and forced, which took away from the realism of the movie. This made the movie seem less scary, as the audience doesn't believe that the fear of the characters is real. We felt that the actors seemed insincere and overdramatized their reaction in some scenes, taking away from the film. 

    The second aspect we did not like was the costume of the villain. In the film, the villain has a characteristic look, like most horror movies, wearing a white costume and a scary mask. However, we did not like this element of the movie as we thought that it took away from the realism of the film. In real life, killers do not tend to wear such obvious costumes and usually wear more normal clothing. Therefore, we felt that the film would seem more terrifying if it portrayed a more common villain, making it seem like the events were something that could happen to any person. This sense of realism would create a different type of fear in the audience, but in this film, the costumes created the opposite effect. 

    The next aspect that we didn't like was the use of dark lighting throughout majority of the film. Typically, horror movies use dark lighting to create a sense of fearful anticipation, but this convention does not appeal to us. This is because we feel that it would seem scarier if events happened in daylight. This is since most people feel that they are safe in the light, so portraying the opposite will create a unique sense of fear. We feel that the use of dark lighting is overdone and that mixing up the scary scenes with light lighting would help the film stand out. 

    Lastly, although the film incorporated diegetic sound, like most horror movies, we felt that more should be used. We think that diegetic sound like creaking, knocking, or footsteps is crucial to setting the tone for a horror movie. However, in this film, we think that the use if diegetic sound was very minimal and that the film would benefit from using more.