Sunday 20 November 2011

Carrie (1976)- Brian DePalma

Carrie was Brian DePalma's 9th feature film and was based on a Stephen King novel (the first Stephen King  novel to to be interpreted in a film)

The budget for the film was $1.8 million dollars even though it was distributed by a major studio. The filming took only 50 days to complete. The prom scene alone took over 2 weeks to film with 35 takes.


This film has a mixed genre background makes it sometimes unrecognisable as a horror. Its genre is listed as Drama/ Fantasy/  Horror/  Romance/  Thriller.........


Some have considered this text to be feminist and one that is dedicated to creating the feminine look monstrous (look to bottom of post for "monstrous feminine" theory).


There is a strong theme of religious belief in Carrie. Other films with similar themes are The Exorcist (1973) and Dracula (1992)


Narrative analysis: 

  • The name of the high school which Carrie attends is Bates High, a indirect reference Norman Bates, the main character in Psycho (an iconic psychological horror film).
  • The four-note violin theme from Psycho (Psycho Strings) is used in pivotal moments in Carrie.
  • It is one of the first horror films to be aimed at a teenage audience - despite its R rating. 
  • The killer is female! First time this has been used in a narrative.
  • The story introduces a "revenge fantasy" element to horror.
Scene analysis (Opening Scene):
Editing:

  • A long tracking shot is used when we first enter the shower room
  • A high angle establishing shot is the first technique to be used in the film. Through using this we establish that the film is a teen based film due to its setting of a school.
  • There is an extreme close up on the shower head (the same shot used in Psycho) <----Bates High school.
  • Quick cuts are used when Carrie begins to panic to show the emotion as well as getting in lots of different point of view shots.
Point of view:
  • Male gaze is used frequently throughout this scene (Voyeurism).
  • When Carrie begins to be picked on we cut from her point of view to the bullys point of view and back again frequently to show panic, suspense and the intensity of the bullying and how it effects Carrie.
Music, Sound and Silence:
  • Romantic music can be heard until she notices the blood. 
  • Non-diagetic sound of talking and showers can be heard.
  • Psycho strings are used to climax the scene.
Mise en Scene/ Camera angles:
  • Sexual close ups are used on Carrie when she is in the shower. The camera follows her hand as she touches herself in a sexual voyeuristic manner.
  • The shots start on her face and run downward using the "Male gaze" methods.
  • As the light blows there is a low angle shot facing up to it.
  • high angle shots are used to show the bullies gaze when the throw things at her. The camera angle highlights on the intimidation and threatening behaviour they are portraying.
  • The panning shot used shows many naked girls appealing to a male audience through voyeurism/ male gaze.
  • The blood and sound of the Psycho strings are the main iconic horror elements to this scene.
How could this scene be seen as a negative representation of femininity?
  • The period could be portrayed as the beginning of an evil transformation.
  • The other girls (the bullies)come across as horrible and unsympathetic; ironic as you think they would understand what Carrie is going through when it comes to hitting puberty.
  • The dangers of a women and her differences to men.


Scene Analysis (The Prom):
Editing:
  • Some shots are in slow motion before the pigs blood is dropped on Carrie. This creates and builds suspense as well as emphasises Carries happy emotion as she believes she has actual become prom queen. The slow motion could be used to make her happy moment last longer.
  • When Carrie starts to use her telekinesis to damage and hurt people and things around her there is a split screen. One shot of her face and one shots of the action she is doing with her mind.
  • Colidascopic shot showing people laughing at her. This shots emphasis the building rage inside Carrie and the fact that she is loosing control.
Music, Sound and Silence:
  • When the blood is tipped you can only hear the sounds of the bucket swinging and hitting the ledge and the blood hitting her and the floor.
  • Romantic music before the blood dropped so that the eerie sound oh the bucket falling is emphasised due to the music stopping.
  • The romantic music could also be a representation of her fantasy and her complete obsession with becoming popular (to be prom queen).
  • Psycho strings are used to show Carries powers in action when she changes her direction of sight. 
Mise en Scene/ Camera angles:
  • High angle shots to show the bucket of blood over the stage and over Carrie.
  • Her surname is White and she is wearing a white dress which is symbolic for purity and virginity.
  • Low angle shots looking up at the bucket, could be through the point of view of the person who put it there.
  • There is a point of view shot as she walks up to the stage showing the people around her as she acknowledges them.

Scene Alanlysis (Matricide and Infanticide):
Editing:
  • a zoom out is used from the mothers face so that you can see her whole body in a cross like shape (crucifixion).
Music, Sound and Silence:
  • An organ plays as she enters the house to emphasise on the religious and pure imagery the lights/candles around the house creates.
  • The song then builds to a dramatic orchestral sound highlighting once again on religion but of something bad going to happen.
  • Psycho strings are used.
Mise en Scene/ Camera Angles:
  • Panning shots are used to show the hundreds of candles around her home. The brightness of the candles emphasises on the religious feel to the music through purity.
  • high camera angles onto the mother from Carries point of view with a bright yellow light could be used to emphasise her religious ways and her path to heaven.
  • An eye level shot is used after the previous shot to show sympathy and understanding.
" The Monstrous Feminine"
The mother-child relationship in a horror film is one which involves conflict. The child hard is set on becoming free but the mother will not let them go. This can include forming sexual relationships and generally being their own person. This struggle that occurs between a child and their mother is mainly where there is no fatherly presence.

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