Summary
The Conjuring is about a big family that moves into a house that is haunted by demons and various horrible things happen to their family the longer they stay there. I chose to analyze this film because it’s one of my favorite horror movies and I always feel suspense during it, no matter how many times I have watched it. Its a really good horror movie.
Film Analysis
| Film Title | The Counjuring |
| Year | 2013 |
| Director | James Wan |
| Country | United States. |
| Genre | Horror |
| If you could work on this film (change it), what would you change and why? |
Ask yourself the following questions:
| TOPIC | YOUR NOTES |
| 1. Who is the protagonist? | The Perron Family |
| 2. Who is the antagonist? | The supernatural entities in their house |
| 3. What is the conflict? | The family moved into a house with a lot of evil spirit’s that torture the family the more they stay at the house. |
| 4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words) | Fear |
| 5. How is the story told (linear, non-linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals) | Regular intervals |
| 6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)? | The Perron family moves to a house with a bunch of demons that terroize the children and even killed their pet. And this was all supposedly based off true events. |
| 7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage such reactions? | Given that it is a horror movie the reaction they want the most is shock and fear. So theres a lot of teasing shots where you thinking something might be there and then it flips back to a different shot and thats where the jumpscare would be. |
| 8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions? | I think the setting is realistic and styled how the time period it was supposed to be filmed in looked like. And if you believe that it is a true story like they say then its real in that way as well. |
| 9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character? | The Conjuring was set in the 70s so a lot of that fashion matches with that time era. |
| 10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood? | Most of the lighting is dim throughout the movie and I think that’s just to make it easier to hide things in backgrounds of shots and to add suspense. |
| 11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically? | I noticed that the camera tends to move behind or in some way along with the characters. This could make the enviroment around the characters more nerve racking to the audience because they don’t see a lot of wide shots and experience the jumpscares along in the character point of view too. |
| 12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music? | A lot of the music or sound was suspensful feeling orcastra and I think that was obviously added to scenes to get the viewers anxious for what will happen in the next shot. |
| 13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture? | I don’t think this movie focused on any connections with modern day culture. Not only was it not in modern day but the 70s but it doesn’t really focus on any underlying social issues because its a horror story based around dealing with an evil entity. |
| 14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources.Example: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015. | “From “Saw” to “Insidious,” indie horror filmmaker James Wan’s films have always been confrontational in their guileless grand-standing. So it’s not surprising that watching “The Conjuring” is like getting a tour of a haunted house attraction from someone that pushes, and pulls you through every room.” The Conjuring Review and Film Summary (2013) | Roger Ebert July 19, 2013 |
| 15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene.Example: from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00.Explain why you chose this scene. | 01:34:40 – 01:38:50 The mother of the Perron family gets possesed and the Warrens, the supernatural investigators, are trying to excorcise the demon out of her in the families basement. |
| 16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below to justify why this scene best represents the film: | |
| a. Screenwriting: | The writing for this scene was intense and perfectly fitting for the scene and grabbed the reactions of the auidence that they wanted. |
| b. Sound Design: | The sound was loud and intense along with the yelling and the things in the setting rattling around so it made the scene even more nerve racking. |
| c. Camera Movements/Angles: | A lot of the camera movement in this scene is bumpy and moves along with the characters but in a more sloppy way but it adds more weight and suspense to the scene for the audience. |
| d. Light Setup: | The lighting was dark or only lit by a hanging light bulb most of the scene. I think the swinging light was meant to disorient the watcher a bit. |
| e. Soundtrack/Score: | I don’t know what to put here. |
| 18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film? I don’t know think there really is a socio-cultural context to this film. |