Amityville Horror Analysis

In class we were shown the opening scene to the Amityville Horror to give us ideas we could use in our own main brief. The opening spans 4 minutes and we were tasked to analyse the micro-elements used throughout the scene. By doing this it helped us to steal some ideas that we could apply to our own film. Below is the clip we were shown in class.

In the opening we instantly get digetic sound where there is gusts of wind and whistling which is not only sound but adding to the Mise-en-scene of the sequence. This adds to the spooky theme which is designed to install fear into the audience with the lightning and thunder which is pathetic fallacy for something bad is about to occur. Adding to this gloomy look is the title stating that it is based on a true story which increases the tension as it informs people that this has occurred which adds to the horror as well as scaring people as it means it could happen to them. 

In the first scene the Antagonist's face is blurred which not only makes him unrecognizable but we also hear a voice saying kill them which would implies that the voice is coming from within his head. Whats more is when the character opens his eyes we see the TV screen of random symbols which again adds to the mystery and adds tension. Moreover once we see a quick flash to the book on the desk called 'Evil is proof of God' which is religious imagery and implies that the powers at work on unearthly and very powerful which are controlling our antagonist to do something bad. Adding to this idea of Godly control is the cross hanging up above his bed which would support the view that he isn't in control. 

Later we see a close up shot of Ronnie's face, specifically the eyes as he looks at a pair of doors opening by themselves which insinuates that he is possessed or not in control of himself which adds tension as he has a loaded gun in his hands and what the audience believes is intent on using it as we have previously just seen him loading it. Another impact of this close up is a sense of mystery is it isn't clear what is happening due to the quick flashes between movements of the character and the shootings throughout the house.

The editing used in this opening shows contrasts between the good and the evil in this piece, and it flashes with the lightning to look at him sat on the bed with a shotgun and pictures of the wall of when he was once younger. Specifically the pictures show him of when he was younger to show innocence and purity which helps us to see a change in the character from when he was once good to now bad. This technique adds to the theory that he is possessed because of the change of personality that his driven him to kill.