Horror- Analysis of film openingsAction;Horror films generally opens with introducing the background of the film or one of the characters who is going to be a victim. Usually the main character is shown after the death of thefirstvictimsin the first scene of the film and them trying to figure how to survive from the murders. The location of the film is established through the prelude and is where the action, murders or hauntings takes place. The isolation of the place is also shown, and we as the audience know that we are going to be going back to the place again later on or the murders are going to carry on until the right person is dead.

Above are stills from the openings of Final Destination 4, Scream 3, Psycho, Zombieland and Yourenext. In Final Destination 4 the opening credits consist ofthe blood splatting past the title which shows the blood of the victims in previous films. The titles are filmed using x-ray imaging of the victims from previous films in order of how they die.The x-rays reveal the damage their bodies received from their accidents which eventually causes their deaths.A similar introduction is shown for Psychothere is line coming in from each side to show the panic and how its a chase, also the short and sharp entry for the lines could show the stabbing of the knife used in the film.In Scream 3we are instantly introduced to one the main character from previous films, Cotton Weary as is other films he had a bad past of being accused of murder, in this opening he is shown taking about being a part of a slasher show and then is called by a unknown caller which we as the audience know theres something not right about the caller. Youre next starts with introducing 2 characters and we then follow the girl around the house. The patio door is open downstairs which showed that there was someone already in there, also there is a shot from outside looking in showing that someones watching the girl. There is Youre Next written in blood whichlinks to the title, but shows the murder wrote is and whoever is looking at it is next to die.Finally in Zombieland there is a voiceover of the main character explaining what has happened to USA.There is a shot of something coming towards the camera but we as the audience know that its not very human-like. The voiceover then says United Stated of Zombieland we now know that the character was a zombie, and it also links to the title showing its a zombie movie. There is a 3D picture shown of the world but some of it is burning which shows that the apocalypse is happening, there is also scene of the characters rule on how to survive from a zombie apocalypse.Print Styles;The font type and colour of the films title and the text of the film help to establish the genre of the film. The way in which it is written help with the context of the film and also identifies the genre. The credits appear in a way to help summaries to the audience the plot and genre. Sometimes it uses elements in the film to help identify to the audience the background information of the film.

In Youre next the words youre next are written on the patio doors, which seem to be written in the victims blood, the way in which its written is jagged which could suggest the stabbing of the victims from the murderer and we know its written by the murderer to the next victim.The writing in Final Destination 4 is in capital letters to show thatitsserious and it also getscrushed by the different scenarios to represent the characters on how they die in the other films prior to this one. Zombieland has the rules in big to show you must stick to these rule to survive from the zombies, the word cardio was pulsing like it was a heartbeat and was on the grass along with the action of the zombie chasing the human. One of the rules also follows the zombie and is behind him while getting splattered on when the zombie is shot, another rule also shadows along the floor in the bathroom which shows its with the action. The writing also moves when its being pushed bypeople andsometimes zombie, the words are written in red to reflect the victim after being bitten by zombies.In Psycho the words are also written in block letters and capitals which shows the film is sinister and serious. There is a cracked and broken appearance on the words written which could show the Psycho character in the film, also the disturbing names included in the opening title could be identifying the killer. However Scream 3 doesnt have much print styles but the production company at the start comes through from the shadows which could represent the killer as you dont know where he/she is, they come out of nowhere.Sound/Music;The sound and music during the opening of the film is used to set the tone of the movie.It helps towards establishing the genre, by giving the audience on how they should feel with what is coming up. However some films like Youre next uses silences to have the audience on edge for what coming up or they rely on nature sounds to help contribute to the idea of isolation and that you dont know what it out there or looking at you once the darkness has started to dawn.

Final Destination 4 had heavy metal being played which could link to youth and the idea of them to be safe otherwisethis will happen to them, the music is made to sound threatening to the audience and in some ways link to the film which is based in a speedway track. Also there is a use of diegetic sound of the weapons which were killing the victims in the previous film. In Scream 3 there is a diegetic sound from the unknown caller which has a deep voice and from previous film we as the audience know that this is the killers voice. The is a use of music starting up when the phone cuts and is fast pace which is used to show something bad is going to happen through the use of sinister music. There is a diegetic sound of the music starting in the house which we know that someone else is in the house.Psycho uses strings which are short and sharp to show the motion of the stabbing featured in the film. The low pitched undertone used shows its threatening and suspenseful, the is some high pitched strings over the top which could be shown as panic and screaming from the victims, the fast paced sound also shows panic, also there is a sharp driving sound which shows that the killer never gives up. The sounds in Youre next consists of some silence moments which has the audience on edge as we know something is going to happen. The low piano used shows that there is something not right, the diegetic sound of the music in the house is used to help the character calm herself down. The music starts to drown out as soon as she notices something, then there is a wind like sound when another character finds the writing the instruments used show that the victim of the dead girl is found. At the end of the scene there is a diegetic sound of the victims screaming as he is being killed.Zombieland there is a sound of a heart pumping which is used for one of the rules which represents that the person is still alive, the fast paced musicshows that times is running out before the zombie catches you and that the infection is spreading fast throughout the country. At the opening there is a distorted version of the American national anthem which shows that the place isnt normal and isnt the same anymore something has gone wrong. The rock music used in the opening in some way links to the film through the lyrics used shouting gun, on the run could link to how people are having to run from their home away from the infections of the zombies.