The Grudge is a very well known horror, involving
supernatural suspense and is the first of the Grudge series.
The establishing shot is a high angle shot moving into a
long shot view of the setting. This shot shows the normality of the day, making
the audience feel as though nothing bad is going to happen. This also gives an
insight of what the view is like for the character in the scene, which suggests
that he is a man with lots of money due to the location he is in. The audience
would think that he is a very lucky person to live in a location like this.
Furthermore this angle may suggest that he may be seen as more superior than
the people below him as the high angle shot implies he is looking over them,
and even judging their every move.
Associating a beautiful woman in this opening scene shows
that before the events happens, everything before was good and working out.
This makes the audience have confusion in what is going on as the contrasting
characters demonstrate, as a man with an attractive lady in a highly expensive
apartment, with good location is so depressed and finally committing suicide.
This may not go by the normal conventions of a horror movie, as many usually
start with a sudden jump or scare, so the audience know what they signed up
for. However, this horror movie, in my opinion, goes more for the story line
than the huge scare factor to begin with.
Having used a two shot, when the lady wakes up emphasises
the contrast feeling and emotions that each of them have. The lady is seen as
being very happy and enjoying the situation they are in, whereas the man is
expressed as if he is distressed and distracted, which to a certain extent
makes the audience feel either that he may be ungrateful what he has or increasingly
suspicious on why and what he is up to. Further on in the scene another two
shot is used, which makes the audience surprised what happens as this shot
suggests nothing bad is going to happen, but instead the man just jumps off the
balcony, showing no sign of regret or unwillingness. The audience would be
shocked and exceedingly confused on the reason of this suicide.
The use of the lack of dialogue in the opening scene
definitely symbolises that this is an odd starting to the day for this couple.
This automatically shows the audience that the man is the one which would be
setting the film up as he is the one acting suspiciously haunted and even too
scared to say a single word. This technique emphasises the effectiveness of the
close up and medium shots used of the man as this allows the audience to focus
on his character rather than any others in the scene.
When the man jumps off the balcony, the camera shot used
makes the audience feel as it is them which have fallen off the balcony. This
makes the audience experience the man’s final few seconds of his life through
his eyes and emphasis that there is no return from this fall. The sound effects
also enhance the feeling of falling for the audience as it acts as if the air
is sweeping through their hair.
The bird-eye view from over the balcony allows the audience
to see the damage and what is left of the man. This would follow the
conventions of a horror film and gruesome scenes are always present in them.
This shot makes the audience feel as if it is from their eyes of the woman
looking down and due to the slowness of the overlook suggests the lady is
distraught.
Finally the music used creates an eerie and spooky
atmosphere, which builds up to the opening credits of the film. Having the
music in short bursts increasingly getting louder and closer together makes the
audience feel uncomfortable and inquisitive on wanting to know more.
This opening scene for me isn't the best start of a horror
film as there were no jumpy or scary bits at the beginning, which suggests that
there is more of a story line behind this than other horror movies. However
watching through the rest of the film the scare factor does increase, and would
probably put you off being alone for a while.
Hover and click on the link below to see the opening scene:
Hover and click on the link below to see the opening scene:
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