Inspirations! (pt. 2)

    Hi guys, welcome back to another one of my blog posts! In my previous blog post I discussed some of my favorite coming of age films and the inspirations I took from those films, so I thought for this post I should discuss a thriller film since I still haven't been able to choose between the two genres. Looking at previously made films of these genres help me with my own ideas and future visions for when I film my own film opening. 

   

     So, the first film I'd like to discuss is a pretty predictable one but I believe it deserves an honorable mention: "Scream". This film was made in 1996 and was directed by Wes Craven. This film was probably one of the first films that I can remember watching that I considered a 'thriller', when watching it I loved all of the elements incorporated; from eerie scariness, to mystery, to even some comedy. I wanted to use this film as an example because it is viewed as pretty cheesy by most, I even fall victim to considering it cheesy at some times, but it continued and continues to string along watchers that couldn't look away from the screen as they watched. The most thrilling part of the movie wasn't just the constant, brutal deaths, but the fact that it was happening to helpless high school kids who couldn't do much, and even the police failed to help them. Without many resources to turn to and a maniac killer on the loose, the uneasiness felt by the characters can start to rub off on the audience members. The daunting music, the harsh lighting, spooky costumes, and the twisted ending that was all incorporated it was make this thriller such a classic and has caused many remakes and a chain to be made from it.

    I know what you're probably thinking, how could this "old-ish" film shot with past technology possibly be an inspiration to me? Well, let's unpack the styles and themes that make this film great, and still constantly talked about. 

    This film was made during an older time as compared to today, but the directing was still done very well considering. Dark lighting was a key factor used throughout the entire movie, many of the heinous, scary acts occurred during nighttime which contributed to the scary aspect along with the mystery. The darkness of the night leaves your mind up to its imagination and masks what may be going on behind the scenes. The same symbolism is used with the dark cloak the murderer is wearing in all black, he is always seen in the cloak with the hoodie on and a mask which is makes a face with its mouth wide-open. Of course not only am I inspired by the movie's ability to create scenes, but also (once again) the music! Scoring is usually the first thing I pay attention to when watching films because I truly enjoy seeing how the soundtracks impact each scene. The music used builds up tension and causes audience members to be on the edge of their seat as the music gets louder or more high-pitched as it leads up to the climatic moments of the movie.

    If I make my film opening based off the thriller genre, I will definitely, definitely incorporate different ideas and aspects from the classic "Scream" in my opinion this thriller opened up doors and had an impact on many thriller flicks that came after it.