Analysing Horror Trailers- The Poltergeist

Analysing Horror Trailers

The Poltergeist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ytjaMfoF2M

 This trailer will be different in many ways from the other two that I have analysed, due to the fact that it was made 30 years ago. For example, it doesn’t have the green screen at the beginning stating legal terms etc., but instead states the director, Steven Spielberg, then goes straight into the trailer. The trailer starts with a normal establishing shot of a family moving into a new home.  However, many of the conventions for a horror trailer are still present. For example, all is calm to begin with, as is typical of a horror trailer, even one of 30 years ago. This shows that the conventions haven’t dramatically changed over the past 30 years of horror.

There is a narrative voice over for the first 40 seconds or so, which describes the family moving into a new home. This establishes the idea of normality, or calm before the storm. In a typical horror trailer, the first 30 seconds or so is often calm, with long, establishing shots. This shows the audience that there is equilibrium to begin with. Once the shots become closer up and there become more edits, it shows the audience that the equilibrium has been disrupted.

The locations which are established are typical of a horror trailer of this type, a psychological. The first location is the new house. Another location is the neighbour’s house across the street. The final location used is what looks like an expert’s office, where the main characters seek help, which is typical of a horror trailer.

The main character is established fairly on in the trailer as the husband/wife of the new family. However, at this point in the trailer (around 15 seconds) the audience are yet to know whether the parents will be the heroes or the victims. The victim is established after 35 seconds, as the little girl. The trailer shows the uncertainty, as the music turns darker, the room is dark and it is nigh time. This connotes mysteriousness and tension, which is a typical convention of a horror trailer. The part of the trailer where the little girl is against the Tv is the clear indication of the event, a typical convention of a horror trailer. The audience know this because it is the first uncertain and mysterious scene, whereas the first 30 seconds of the trailer was completely fine and normal, with long, establishing shot, straight on angles etc.

The next minute of the trailer is complete mayhem, with high winds, cars crashing, screaming etc. This is typical of the final part of a horror trailer and fits in with the narrative structure, the ‘big finish’ before the end, and the pace of the clips increasing. This creates tension and uncertainty for the audience, in an attempt to make them feel clueless and terrified. The trailer ends with a final scream of ‘what’s happening?!’ which again confuses the audience and makes them want to know what is happening. The final 15 seconds of the trailer shows the title of the film, and calmness restored, with the voice over playing again. The voice over informs the audience that the poltergeist ‘knows what scares you’. This is a final scare for the audience before the end of the trailer.

 Showing the title before the end of a trailer is a typical convention, as it reminds the audience of the title of the film, so that they are less likely to forget it, and more likely to go and see the film, therefore making the company more profit. It ends with a small set of credits, informing the audience of the most influential and important members of the film. This brings the trailer to an overall close and settles the audience. Unlike a more recent horror trailer, this trailer doesn’t have quotes from magazines, explaining how ‘terrifying’ the film is. There are no quotes, probably due to the fact that the ‘new media’ is nowhere near as influential as it is today, and there wouldn’t have been as many magazines being made to give the quotes and reviews about the trailer.

There are roughly 57 edits, and 24 close-ups. This is typical of a horror trailer. The reason why they put in so many edits is to increase the pace of the trailer, which give a tense, mysterious atmosphere for the audience to have to deal with. For example, something may flash up only for a split second, and then go away again, which leaves viewers clueless and this feeling of unknown could scare them or make them nervous.