review

REVIEW

Insidious

Many reviews of this film consist of people explaining their reactions to the film. These reactions vary from portraying Insidious as an exceptionally terrifying film that has immense influence on the audience, and the other being that it is an over rated film with disappointing scenes and effects.

"sweaty palms, eyes wide open, my body sunk all the way down in my chair scared", " I don't think I have ever jumped more during any other scary movie. The audience was spooked too. I saw many other people jumping out of their seats and even heard a few actual screams." are prime examples of audience members reactions from their positive reviews of the film show that the film was successful in acting as a supernatural film and achieving the reactions a good paranormal is expect to get. Other positive reviews to show the audiences reaction and opinions include: "I screamed like a 13-year old girl at a Justin Beiber concert", "the opening credits, they created an intense, haunting tension that didn't leave my body", "This movie scared me out of my wits", "I can easily say that this will probably be the best horror movie of the year", "it's probably best to go to see this movie with someone who's already witnessed you have a complete physical and mental breakdown".

Insidious has also received an enormous amount of negative reviews and feedback, due to reasons  from overdramatic music or its confusing storyline. Reviews that show Insidious as a bad horror/ supernatural film say:  "After a suspenseful and shock

-filled first hour, it loses control and veers off into routine supernatural silliness.", "I can't believe I wasted my time and money.", "This can't be serious. 'Heavy face paint' is meant to scare me? I've seen better at Halloween!!!", "the music was absolutely outrageous and over the top", "they were trying too hard to scare the audience.", "Without the music this movie would be totally hopeless." Most reviews state that the films expectations were too high, making it a disappointment for the audience. These expectations were not only for the build-up of the film but also on the reputation of the film's producers, creators or directors if their previous horror or paranormal films are classed as terrifying and high-quality. The music also was said to be the only reason the 'jumpy' parts became scary.

The imdb website holds an overall rating of Insidious as 3/10 stars.

Character Profile 1

Character 1

Name - Kev Watson

Age - 27

Appearance
- Blonde/Brown Hair
- Height 6ft1
- Blue eyes
- Mesomorph (muscular)

Accent
Barnsley dialect

Personality
Confident
Expresses views
Chilled/relaxed
Inquisitive
Sporty

Apparel 
Set 1- Shirt,trousers,Black boots
Set 2- Caretaker overalls, black boots

Part in Film
The new caretaker in the building who is yet to find out the place is haunted.

film distributers

Possible Film Distributers

Universal Studios

This mainstream company is famous for some of the horror and paranormal films it has produced.

·        Insidious

·        Sinister

·        Mama

These films are some of the most well reviewed films of this specific genre. This company would be a suitable company to distribute our film as it has a positive and successful history of films similar to our film.

Paramount

This other mainstream company is also a great distributor of horror and supernatural films. This companies most well-known supernatural and paranormal films include:

· Paranormal Activity

· The Ring

· The Haunting

These films are extremely notorious as exceptional paranormal films, meaning that this company would be a good distributor of our film as it has maintained a high-quality reputation for creating films of the same type and genre.

An obvious example of a mainstream film company that do not produce horror and paranormal films would be Disney.

Disney would not be a good distributor of our film as it has never produced any film similar to ours, and also its repetition wouldn't promote our film in any way as a scary, paranormal film.

film certificate

Certificate of Film

what does the certificate mean?

The certificate for a film basically means an age requirement to watch and buy the film. It also gives an indication to the audience of what the film may include to check it is suitable for the audience members. For example, if a child who is 12 years old, wants to buy a film that is certificated 15, the film seller wouldn't be allowed to sell the child the film without a parent present who gives consent. Also a parent would be able to check to see if the film is suitable for their child to watch by looking at the age certificate.

What certificate 15 involves

Many horror films are rated 15. This is because many horror films involve scary, gory and gruesome scenes that may frighten or upset viewers, especially if they are younger than 15. Other certificates were considered. 12a would extend the audience size, but may result in a few audience members having a negative reaction to the film, and we could be accused of choosing an unsuitable age certificate. This certificate was also eliminated as in our film, we hope to use disturbing scenes, that may involve violence and also scenes that would scare the audience. Another age certificate that we considered was 18. This would ensure that the majority of the audience would be content with the scenes included in our film. However, it limits and reduces the number of audience members who is able to watch it.

Films of this age certificate may include:

·         strong violence

·         frequent strong language

·         portrayals of sexual activity

·         strong verbal references to sex

·         sexual nudity

·         brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence

·         discriminatory language or behaviour

·         drug taking

Why this certificate for our film

We plan to include frightening scenes and disturbing effects in our film. Some of the things we intend to use, members of the audience who are under the age of 15 may find upsetting and disturbing. If we choose to extend the distressing and unsettling, the film certificate that we have chosen will not restrict anything we would like to include. This could be, for example, more violence and gore, in our scenes and this also means it would be suitable still for the target audience, which is 15 up to about the age of 24.

Location research for film

Location 1
Carlton Community College
The first initial plan for the location of our film is a high school where you would expect to see a caretaker. Also, this place has everything we need to be able to film like an elevator,stairs open space and a sports hall. There isn't many risks of filming in this location because its a secure building and there is maybe a quick risk assessment is needed for slippery floors.

Location 2
Barnsley College
Barnsley college is also a considered location for our film as it is a large building with elevators, corridors and all the other small things we need in our film. As well as this, there are a range of rooms to use within the building and different props. Furthermore, there aren't many risk either because its also a secure building with minimum risk of injury when filming.

Mise-en scene and sound

Mise en scene:   The opening of insidious includes one of the main supernatural characters, the ghost bride. The props that are included during the film that helps to insinuate a paranormal event involves a candle. This is introduced in the opening part of the film.  

In most horror and supernatural films, props are used to represent the evil or paranormal character, or even create a daunting effect on the audience. Props that are most commonly used in these types of films can include:

·         candles

·         crosses and crucifix's, bibles

·         weapons such as knifes

·         cameras or camera footage

Sound:   The opening scene for Insidious includes the main music sequence that is used throughout the film to insinuate the scary and supernatural events during the film. This music starts with a dreary tone and then incorporates a screeching violin sound to create a menacing and chilling effect on the audience.

Devil (2010) 15 minute analysis

In the film Devil the first fifteen minutes consists of many things. Firstly this film opens up with a title sequence which mainly shows buildings and producers. The shots in this scene involve the image being upside down creating an odd image where as the text is the right way up. Also, it gives hints to what the rest of the film is about for example an elevator and five characters.

As well as this, there is a voice over of a man speaking to start the film off but then it introduces a sinister theme alongside the title sequence.



Then a character is introduced with an over the shoulder shot of him in conversation with someone else. This quick introduce to a character implies he has a big part to the film.

 

 Furthermore, there is a shot a man cleaning the floor outside and the machine he is using is shown by a high angle shot with a slow zoom into it. This kind of camera work creates the machine to look like a camera which is used to see people inside of the elevator in the film. This type of shot is similar to a graphic match used in a film pyscho.

Additionally, a little while later in the opening scenes of the film there is a low angle shot of a large building where a grey cloud hovers above it and this implies that this is where the most of the film and the 'problem' occurs.

After this, then 5 characters are then consecutively introduced one by one implying that these are involved in the main part of the film. These characters are all located around the big building shown a few minutes earlier showing that these could be involved with the problem in the film.

All of these characters are shown in a pan/track of the building but slowly locates these five characters and highlighting them with a close up. Then after this another way in which they show these characters are to do with the main plot of the film is when a two shot of two of them outside the elevator which is the main hint of the film. As well as this, this shot selectively implies the woman has a key part to the film because when the elevator doors open there is her reflection in the mirror.

 Also, there is another shot in which shows these five characters are the main characters of the film because they are highlighted by the security camera when the elevator breaks down. This also gives us the key part of where the action will happen. The elevator is where most of the film is shot because this is where the main characters are trapped.

Finally, in the ending parts of the fifteen minutes of the film, there is the panic of the situation in which the characters are in and in this scene there is one character in which is highlighted and focused on the most and this is the security guard. It does this with the constant close up of this character implying he is a key character.

Title Sequences

Insidious Title Sequence



In this film the title sequence starts of firstly by introducing the producers and other company's associated with the film. In addition to this then reveals a bedroom with a little boy suggesting the film will be about a little boy. Furthermore, then the sequence includes some intense music with a scary paranormal lady suggesting this is the main theme of the film about a woman who maybe possess a little boy. It also introduces the title before then continuing with still images and other names involved with the film. The title sequence for this film only gives a brief hint to what the film is about just to suggest what the film is about. Also, the title sequence reveals the main characters of the film for example the family in which take part in this haunting.

                                                         
 The conjuring title sequence

The conjuring's title sequence starts of with pictures on top of a light boards which immediately suggests its about a paranormal horror because people use light boards to identify unusual effects on a picture. So it gives brief hints to what the film involves with the pictures of a house and also a man and a woman which suggest main characters so in conclusion the title sequence gives a brief hint to what the film involves.
http://vimeo.com/70837709

Devil Title Sequence

This title sequence is similar to the others in a way in which It suggests what the film is about for example in the title name it has an elevator button and there are five drawings of people with devil horns flickering across each one suggesting that these people are in a lift and no one knows who the devil is. This film also presents the names of company's helped in production and distribution.

http://vimeo.com/36561202

Possible Distributor Research

Lionsgate
Researching into horror film distributors, the first company I came across were a mainstream company 'Lionsgate' who have produced a range of horror films and are quite well known. This company has distributed films such as :

1)The last exorcism
2)Cabin in the woods
3)saw
4)possession




Although this is a very good distributor of horror films its aimed at a much wider audience because its main stream, so therefore would be a good choice but due to our paranormal horror film this distribution company is mainly a distributor to gore films.

Hammer Films
Furthermore, another distribution company in which I found is a distributor of British horror films. Hammer films are more of an independent company as they distribute only to the British audience where as company's like Lionsgate distribute nationally. Hammer films have distributed films such as;



1)Woman in Black
2)Let me in
3)Wake Wood
4)Dracula






This company wouldn't really be a good distributor for our film because the film we are creating is a paranormal horror and this company doesn't really distribute paranormal horror apart from one recent one they have done woman in black. So we would want a company which is known for paranormal horror.

Paramount Pictures
Paramount pictures are another common distributor of horror films and have distributed a range of horror films including films such as;

1)paranormal activity
2)The haunting
3)The ring
4)Friday 13th





This would be a suitable distributor of our film because it has released films with a similar sub genre for example paranormal activity and although it is mainstream I believe that our film is suitable for a wider audience and not just aimed at a British audience.

Universal Pictures
Universal pictures is a mainstream company and is one of the biggest in the world due to the success or the distributed films. This company has distributed films such as;

1)insidious
2)Sinister
3)Mama
4)Devil





This would be the main company to distribute our film because they have successfully distributed a range of paranormal horror and also has distributed a similar film to ours which is Devil and this got great reviews. So therefore the distributor we would choose to distribute our film would be universal pictures.

Similar Film Reviews

Reviews
Reviews for horror films can either be very good or very bad due to the repetition of the type of film. For example paranormal activity got great ratings and reviews when it first was released however the more films they brought out the less and less viewers enjoyed because its very repetitive.
On the other hand films like Devil got great reviews due to the fact there is only one of them and no sequels. Sequels are the main reason that affects the reviews of horror films due to the main reason 'repetitive'.

 Another film in which got great reviews in a paranormal film conjuring which is based on a true story, the reviews got better and then got rated as a must see film, it even has its own website with quotes from reviews 'must see' and an amazing horror film.

 http://theconjuring.warnerbros.com/index.html

 Insidious

Of all the genre's that Hollywood has to offer, the most tattered of the bunch is without a doubt the horror department. I am so sick of these wannabe 'so called' horror flicks that belong on late night lifetime channel. Im sick of the same old parlor tricks and scare tactics that have been used for the past 10 years. And i am even more sickened by the fact that they keep making the same crap year after year. You would figure after great horror flicks like "The Decent" and "Paranormal Activity", studios would start realizing what actually works and what audiences want to see. Hopefully in the coming years, this genre' will come back to life. 

This film got both good and bad reviews but some people were upset with the fact that all horror films following this sub genre are very repetitive which affects the way we would film because we would have to do something different.