We thought that "The Grudge" would be a good film to deconstruct as it is a well known horror film which has a tense opening scene, therefore preparing the audience for the film.
First still: The grudge starts with an overview of the film, and intoducing the story involved which really sets the scene for the audience. The text is displayed in white, against a dark black background. this works successfully as not alone does the white text stand out against the dark background, but we associate the colour black with death and is negative, therefore relating to the plot of the film.
The noise heard during the first still sounds like someone who is heavily breathing, creating an intense moment and setting the scene for the audience.
Second still:The second still further sets the scene by showing the city that the film is set in, and we hear sounds of cars and building work etc. this creates a sense of reality and shows us what is happening in the outside world. It makes us feel a different emotion as we are still tense from the previous still, but we feel more reassured by seeing a normal setting.
Third still: This still shows us the first dramatic event that happens in this film, it shows a man commiting suicide by throwing himself off a buidling. This leads the audience to question why he is doing this, encouraging them to continue to watch the film to discover what is happening. We continue to hear cars, and other normal things, until we hear him hit the ground when we hear bones breaking and blood splattering. Although we don't see him hit the ground, the sounds let us know what has happened and creates more tension and a dark atomosphere for the audience. Before he kills himself, there is a brief conversation where the women in the room asks him "Are you ok?", "You're up early"
Fourth Still: The fourth still shows the man dead on the ground with broken bones and blood, suggesting that it is for an older audience, passers by stop and look to see what has happened. During this part we can hear the city, some whispering of people that are passing by and a high pitched noise which continues into the next still. This sounds add more tension to this scene as it makes the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge. This part of the film is only two or three minutes in already dramatic and horrifying events have started and is getting straight into the film.
Fifth Still The fifth still is introducing the name of the film "The Grudge", which is written in black and shown against a blood red background. Just this part of scene makes the audience feel very tense as we tend to assiociate the colour red with danger and blood, again making the meaning of the colour of the background link with the events that take place in the film.
The grudge is written slightly rippled as if it is in water, and as it is being shown we hear the sound of running water and at one point its sounds like someone is getting into the water. Also shortly before the title is shown, long black hair is shown to look like it is in water, therefore introducing the character of "the grudge", also making the audience aware of this character. The sound that we hear when the title appears, could be the sound of the actual grudge, again making the audience aware of the sort of character this thing is.
Sixth Still This still goes back into a reality situation ready to continue with the film, it shows two women sitting in a house talking to eachother. but we still see the credits and the names of the executive producers appear in red, in keeping with the colours that run through out the film. The scene is still very dim and dark, so the audience still feels the same emotions of intensity and on edge after the tragic accident that previously happened.
