Analysis of Thriller Clip-- 'The Shining'.

In the opening clip of The Shining we first see a large seemingly never ending river with towering mountains either side. We then see and follow a car which is driving up a mountain towards what looks like a rather menacing and inhospitable location in comparison to the position they are currently in and driving out of, which is in light with plants and greenery surrounding it. Just this view that we see within the first 20 seconds due to the use of Mise en scene shows a representation of what the film may entail e.g. driving to into darkness could symbolise the dark and threatening events that are to unfold. As you watch on you can see that the once pleasant surroundings that the car is in slowly almost unnoticeably changes to more cold and ominous surroundings such as a more dry, dirt track road giving a sense of foreboding. At the end of the clip we are made aware of the destination of the passenger(s) in the car, which is a large dull brown malevolent building in the middle of a reclusive mountain. This also adds to the sense of fear and already makes the audience feel anxious of the events that are to come.

Editing is used as effectively as sound but in a much more discrete way in which the audience may not even realise is happening. For example editing is used to create the slow paced mood that we are faced with in this opening clip of The Shining and by doing this automatically is able to create a sense of suspense and worry about the upcoming events in the film. The slow paced editing also makes it seem as though the passenger(s) in the car are currently at ease and gives a sense of irony as the audience already realises where the car is entering is not a place to go, with danger looming ahead but the driver however seems to not realise this.

The use of Camera movement, angle and distance also helps to enhance the effect of this opening clip of the Thriller film, The Shining. Constantly, throughout the clip the camera is tracking firstly over the water at a low angle creating a sense of unease of what is to come, which is shown by the river that has no end. The Camera then tracks the car from a birds eye view which makes the audience aware of the focal point in the scene and allows them to realise what the purpose of the opening is about, noticing that the person/people that are in the car will be and remain the main characters in the film and will be in consequence part of the portentous events that lay ahead. The use of the camera tracking the car also is very useful to another effect. It makes it seem as though the camera is 'stalking' the car alike a bird of prey keeping close eye on its next meal, the car. This makes the audience watching feel unnerved and in anticipation for what may happen next.

Throughout the clip we also see that there is a constant use of sound such as sound effects and musical score. As soon as the opening scene begins we are hit with an almost orchestral sound with low and heavy drones, which sound as though it could represent stepping into something that you do not want to be apart of; Gives the sense of fear and foreboding. Slowly after about a minute of increasingly loudening drones as the car gets ever closer to its destination a low hissing sound seeps in around the droning, creating a sense of ambiguity and worry until eventually the drones disappear and are replaced with the sounds of scratchy violins and screeches which sounds similar to an animal in pain. This causes furthermore apprehension of where this car is going and the reasons as to why it is going.