Four film opening picture analyses

'The Conjuring' 

A demonic entity lays claim to family living in a secluded farmhouse, prompting them to seek the aid of two renowned paranormal researchers in this tale of possession inspired by actual events. The story gets under way as paranormal researchers Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) evaluate a mysterious doll discovered by a trio of young room mates in 1968. Believing their house to be haunted by the spirit of a deceased young girl, they give the girl permission to inhabit the doll, and soon their lives become a waking nightmare.

    Frame 1: A family, consisting of parents and children.
    Frame 2: A worms eye view of a large house in the dark.
    Frame 3: A lecture/ presentation from two people in front of an audience.
    Frame 4: 5 young girls and a mother, with credits written over the top.
    Frame 5: An extreme close up of the female dolls eye.
    Frame 6: People circled around with their hands out performing some kind of ritual.
    Frame 7: The title credit.


Here is an image that represents the childish theme of the film:

Here is a gif of what can be assumed as the main family in the film: 

The gif to the left depicts two images of a family in monochrome; the first shows 5 young girls with a man, presumably their father and the second of the same 5 girls; however, with a woman, presumably their mother. The images are shown on a projector and are flipped by male hands. The usage of the males hands alternates from the female centred images.


Here is the opening title for 'The Conjuring':

 Here is the music from the opening:

 Click here for the music

 The ensemble of violins play in a minor key, building tension and creating an eerie feel. Violins are a traditional horror convention in horror films. Scientists have discovered that harsh, discordant and unexpected sounds are used in horror films to imitate the frightened screams of animals. They have found that horror films typically have a rise and fall of pitch in the music and a large amount of crescendo's, this can be seen in the opening music 'from the conjuring'

'The Strangers'

A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown masked assailants. They are tortured until finally they are brutally murdered.

   Frame 1: Red smoke/ mist with a black silhouette
   Frame 2: Text - based on true events
   Frame 3: Text - Sets scene
   Frame 4: Large house in the middle of the woods
   Frame 5: Car with a hole smashed in. Two boys with bikes in the distance
   Frame 6: A large blood spatter


   Here is one of the first images that the audience view in the opening:

'The strangers' was inspired by true events:

What does the opening suggest about the style of the horror:

The music from the opening:

Click here for the music

The music, like many other horrors is eerie, spooky and full of suspense. Towards the middle there is a crescendo and throughout there are long, low notes played on an orchestra of string instruments.

'The Taking'

Two strangers must discover a way to escape a sinister family who wishes to sacrifice their souls to an evil presence.

      Frame 1: Title - The Taking
      Frame 2: A woodland path
      Frame 3: blocked view of a girl through the leaves
      Frame 4: cabin in the woods
      Frame 5: A dark figure and a blonde girl in the woods
      Frame 6: close up of blonde girl with blood on her face
      Frame 7: Worms eye view of a tree

'Haunter'

The ghost of a teenage girl who has died years ago alongside her family has to reach out to a girl from the land of the living to save her from suffering the same fate. In this process, the teenage girl (Lisa), must try to wake her family up from the unknowing sleep they have entered which has caused them to relive the same day repeatedly.

   Frame 1: Institution
   Frame 2: The title - Haunter
   Frame 3: A butterfly flying around the credits
   Frame 4: The butterfly flying around the credits and jars with peoples holograms trapped inside
   Frame 5: butterfly landing on a jar with a butterfly trapped inside
   Frame 6: An old mans eye, with a skull inside the pupil