12021-03-31T20:27:55+00:00Halen Giffordab5ea7ed8de6ef3e07ee088ad354a6081f1e9a3f81Chapter III: Methodsplain2021-03-31T20:27:55+00:00Halen Giffordab5ea7ed8de6ef3e07ee088ad354a6081f1e9a3fIn my analysis, I aim to examine the influence of gothic horror cinema on each film by comparing their settings, themes, messages, and styles. I will also be highlighting how the films comment on previous entries in the genre by illustrating the use of intertextuality. I will start with gothic horror and haunted houses as my initial focal points, and through the method of film analysis, I will identify the films’ shared themes. To do so, I will explore several key dimensions of filmmaking; narrative, characters, point of view, setting, and mise-en-scene. Narrative is divided into two components: the story, and the plot. The story describes the events taking place in a film and the plot is the deliberate order in which these events are arranged. A film’s narrative dictates the confines in which everything takes place (Corrigan 38-39). The characters live out the narrative and create conflict throughout the plot. Characters can be analyzed for their individual roles in a film or their positionality in society and the genre. Point of view describes the perspective through which the film is told and determines how information is revealed to the audience (Corrigan 40-45). Setting refers to where a film takes place or is set, including physical location and time period. In addition to point of view the setting creates a framework for when and where the movie occurs, which then impacts the narrative and the characters. Lastly, mise-en-scene refers to the various properties of a cinematic image. These include lighting, editing, acting, cinematography, sets, shapes, costumes, and props and together exemplify a film’s theme (Corrigan 46). These properties provide examples of how the films engage intertextually with the genre, promote their messages, and build an emotional response. I will use evidence from the narratives, characters, points of view, settings, and mise-en-scenes of the films in order to describe and identify the tone, style, and themes. Additionally, I will be looking at theme as a recurring convention of the horror genre, and as the main idea that guides the messages of the films I have chosen to focus on. In doing so I will create a full understanding of the content for my comparison.
Chapter Four of this thesis is my analysis, which will be presented as a comparison of three films. Prior to completing my comparative analysis and reaching my final conclusions, I will carry out individual film analyses for each film. This process consists of the examination of film dimensions as previously described. Viewing The Babadook, The Invitation, and Crimson Peak individually will allow me to put them in conversation with one another. Through this, I will be able to identify common themes among all three films in order to draw conclusions about 2010s horror cinema. I will compare the shared conventions and recurring elements used in the films, as well as the similar ways in which they all connect to the gothic horror genre. Furthermore, I will juxtapose how these films establish the tone and explore common themes through their use of narrative, characters, point of view, setting, and mise-en-scene. The final step in my analysis will involve contrasting the unique ways that the directors build fear, engage the audience, and distinguish themselves visually.
My analysis will conclude with an interpretation of the information gleaned through my comparison. This section will focus on one shared message illustrated by all three films. Finally, I will reflect on how The Babadook, The Invitation, and Crimson Peak utilize similar themes derived from cultural criticism in film. I will connect the films’ themes with the greater societal anxieties present through the last decade and in doing so fulfil the purpose of my research.
