Opening sequence analysis of Halloween - Miss Georgiou

Opening sequence analysis of Halloween (1978)

The purpose of an opening sequence is to introduce the antagonist and victims, introduce the plot and to attract an audience to engage them into being hooked onto the film. The opening sequence must also contain, death, an unknown killer, music to set the scene, a conventional location such as a house, low key lighting, shock, suspense and surprise, silence and lastly, an enigma (mystery). The film that i will be going to analyse is Halloween (1978).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELF1DCf1ChA 

POV - 0:13

Cinematography can be seen through the technique, POV (Point Of View) the audience witness this when they watch the unknown killer slowly walk to the window and spy on the couple. This shot was used to show the audience the killers point of view. Thus this shows the audience what being a killer would feel like. This is conventional to the thriller genre because it keeps the killer unknown from the audience as they can't see the face of the killer. This also keeps the audience in suspense and keeps them questioning who the killer really is. This helps the audience build a relationship with the characters because as well as the victim, the audience too do not know who the killer is, thus sympathising for the victims.

Zoom out to High angle - 3:59

Another technique that was used can be seen by the audience through Zoom out to high angle. This is evidential when the audience watch the clown mask being pulled off of Michael's head. The first technique, zoom out, was used to show the audience who the killer is as the technique allows the audience to see the whole body of the killer. Secondly, the second technique was used to show the families house and the location of the murder. This was used to show the audience how vulnerable the house and location is due to the high angle making the house look small and in threat. This is conventional to the thriller genre because the audience can see the setting and location of where the murders will take place. The audience can then build a relationship with the characters as they question if Michael is really the killer or if it was someone else.

Slow editing - 1:18

Editing can be seen in the film Halloween through the technique, Slow editing. This is evidential when the audience watch the killer walking around the house slowly so that the victim can't hear the killer. This was done so that the scene will build up suspense as the audience do not know when and who the killer will attempt to murder next. This engages the audience because the killer can strike when the audience least expect it, which creates thrill. This is conventional to the thriller genre because there is a sense of enigma as the audience do not know who the murderer will target next. The audience can then build a relationship with the audience because they feel sympathetic towards the female victim inside the house as they know she is seconds away from dying, however not knowing so.

Reaction shot - 3:08

Another editing technique can be seen through a reaction shot. The audience can see this when they watch the killer sneak up on the female victim and proceeds to stab her, they then see the female victims reaction which is of her screaming whilst trying to defend herself. This shot was done to show the audience the reaction of the victim and the fact that it was completely unexpected, the audience know this because she is getting ready for bed despite there being an unknown killer in her household. This is conventional to the thriller genre because it shows the audience how powerful the antagonist is as the reaction shot usually shows the victim being scared thus making the antagonist look superior over the defenceless victim. This helps the audience build a relationship with the characters because angered towards the unknown killer as the killer has just killed a victim.

Non diegetic sound - 2:37

Sound can be heard in the thriller film, Halloween through the technique, Non diegetic sound. The audience can hear this when dramatic piano sounds are made when the killer gets a hold of the sharp knife and the halloween clown mask. The non diegetic sound was used to create tension and builds up suspense as the audience can foreshadow that something sinister will occur as a result of the knife and mask being picked up. This is conventional to the thriller genre because the build up of tension and suspense has the audience hooked onto the film as they question what the killer might do with the combination of the two iconography. The audience can build a relationship with the characters as they build hatred towards the unknown killer as they can foreshadow sinister things to happen in the future.

Parallel sound - 3:06 

Another sound technique which the audience can hear is through, Parallel sound. This is evident when the audience hear the unknown killer stabbing the female victim to death. This was used to show the audience how violent the antagonist is and to exaggerate the fact that the female victim is being stabbed to death. This is conventional to the thriller genre because through the parallel sound matching the knife stabs the audience can infer that the female victim is being killed and in pain as there is a sense of death in the scene. The audience builds a relationship with the characters as they convey their emotions of sadness towards the female victims as she has just been vigorously stabbed to death.

Low key lighting - 0:08

Conventions can be seen by the audience through Low key lighting. This is evident when the audience watch the unknown killer walk into the house, the audience are able to see the low key lighting inside and out of the house. The lighting was used to create an eerie atmosphere which sets a scary tone to the film, the low key lighting is also used to keep the killer hidden and unknown to the audience as he is hidden in the darkness. The audience can infer from the darkness and the predominate colour black that the colour symbolises something sinister and evil which mirrors the antagonist. This is conventional to the thriller genre because the lighting sets the scary, uncomfortable tone of the thriller film which favours the antagonist. This helps the audience to build a relationship with the characters as they give their condolences to the future victims because they can forebode more deaths to come.  

Suspenseful music - 1:05

Another convention which can be heard by the audience is through, suspenseful music. This can be heard when the audience hear a ringing noise which gradually gets louder as the killer walks further into the house. This was done to build up suspense and tension as the audience can infer from the music getting louder that the female victim is nearing her death.This is conventional to the thriller genre because the audience build up suspense and tension which keeps them on the edge of their seats waiting to see whether the female victim will die or not. Another reason for it being conventional is because the audience can forebode death to occur by the gradually loud suspenseful music. The audience can then build a relationship with the characters as they sympathetic towards the female victim because she is innocent but yet they know she will die.

Innocent female victim - 0:25

Representation of characters can be seen through the innocent female victim. The audience can see that the female victim is wearing a white coloured shirt, which they can infer from this that the colour white symbolises innocence and purity. This was done to show the audience that the symbolisation of the colours that the female victim is wearing mirrors her personality of innocence, which is evident as the audience can see during the opening sequence that she has done no wrong. This is conventional to the thriller genre because the victim is being portrayed as an innocent pure young woman who is being targeted due to her vulnerability. The audience start to build a relationship with the female victim as they feel uncomfortably saddened as they know she will be brutally murdered due to her weakness and vulnerability which women are stereotyped to portray. 

Unknown killer - 3:51

Another representation of characters can be seen by the audience when they watch the unknown killer stabbing the female victim in her room. The killer is implied to the audience to be a grown man because the audience can see that the POV shot of the killer stabbing the female victim is too high up to be a little boy. However an enigma is created when the audience see the parents pull off the mask of the killers head revealing the killer to be the little brother, Michael. This was done to create an enigma to keep the audience questioning who the killer really is, by doing so the audience experience shock and surprise as they didn't think that the killer would be the little brother. This is conventional to the thriller genre because an enigma has taken place which is a great way of engaging the audience and keeping them hooked. The audience start to build a relationship with the unknown killer as they are confused and unsure of why Michael did it or if Michael was even the one who did it.

Brutally murdered female victim - 3:15

The narrative of the opening sequence of Halloween is conventional. This is evidential as the audience watch the innocent young female  becoming a victim of murder. The audience see this when they watch the female quietly brushing her hair with her back facing the killer, then suddenly becomes brutally stabbed to death. This was done to make the audience feel lots of different types of emotions, predominately surprise. The audience are surprised as they were not expecting such a violent, brutal killing and in such little time as the killing was so sudden the audience didn't prepare themselves for it. This is conventional to the thriller genre because the narrative has the audience built up with suspense and tension as they do not know when the killer will strike. The audience build a relationship with the unknown killer as they are discombobulated to who he really is.

To conclude, the opening sequence of the thriller film Halloween informs the audience of the conventions of a thriller as they have evidently incorporated many different types of conventions into the first sequence of the film to make the audience feel many different mixed feelings towards the characters. This has worked and is very effective because the audience truly do feel an array of emotions while watching the sequence which range from hatred to sympathy all of which keep the audience engaged and hooked onto the film. 
This analysis has definitely helped me to see the wide array of different conventions to use to engage the audience and also many different ways to use them. I will try to manipulate all of these conventions into my own thriller opening sequence in order to make it successfully conventional, as did Halloween.