Analysis of Opening Scene of a Horror Film

Halloween (1978)

In regard to conventions Halloween both subverts and upholds them with the main shock being the child killer who are usually portrayed as sweet and innocent, and are more usually the victim as opposed to the antagonist. However, apart from this conventions are upheld which makes the scene one of the most effective and shocking openings of the time.

The camera angles and movements in the opening sequence are one of the most effective devices used due to the famous point of view shot of the killer. It gives a true essence of someone being watched which no other shot could do, and the slow camera movement truly builds suspense as the killer gets closer and closer to the victim. Furthermore, it also gives an eerie feel to the scene, as we see the story unfold as we find out the killer knows his way around the house. An effective part is when the killer reaches into the draw and pulls out a knife, the use of this convention which has connotations with blood and death makes the viewer feel further on edge as not only do we now see the killer is familiar with his surroundings but he also intends to kill.

The use of sound in the opening scene is also extremely effective. At the very beginning a distant crow can be heard in the background, followed by crickets and then silence proceeds until we hear the girl talking to her boyfriend. The fact that we can hear the crickets emphasises that there is nobody around and the crow has clear connotations with nature and therefore implies that the house is isolated which is further shown by the silence. These regular conventions in horror make the girl seem extremely vulnerable as she is completely oblivious and to the danger that surrounds her at this point.

Lighting is also used in the opening sequence to build tension. An obvious and essential convention of horror is the use of darkness and this effective in Halloween, as we see Michael stalking his victim in the darkness outside the safety and light of the house. It is symbolic of the danger that he holds and the fact that the safety of the house has not been infiltrated. However, as the girl makes her way upstairs she begins to turn lights off until she turns the final light off which is heightened by incidental music. As this happens the pace immediately picks up which shows that the light was symbolic of the safety of the house which has now been penetrated and now she’s in true danger. As the boyfriend leaves he comes out of the darkness and into the light which shows that he has escaped yet she is still left upstairs into the darkness, not only this but this further shows that the girl is now alone which makes her all the more vulnerable.

The setting of the house also adds to the fear as it is meant to be a place of safety for an individual and the isolation of this particular house further heightens that. Despite this mise en scene seems to play a relatively minor part, apart from the dagger, as the main features are the camera angles and the lighting. Editing is also kept to a minimum if not non-existent as it adds to the realism and the point of view shot means it is not needed.

To conclude it seems to the audience the conventions are followed throughout Halloween and this makes the opening effective. The use of lighting and camera angles are the main features in the opening as the darkness and the camera angles heightens the suspense as we do not see the killer until the final moment after he has done the deed.