Genre research - Nightmare on Elm street

Institution information

This film is called Nightmare on elm street and was released in the year 1984. It was certificated 18 in cinemas and was produced by Media home entertainment as well as distributed by New line cinema. It was directed by Wes Cravin and grossed over $25 million in US box offices.

Genre analysis

The use of showing certain features of the body during the opening title sequence (e.g. feet, hands, etc) tells the audience that this must be an important character. It also builds up suspense as it doesn't show the antagonists face immediately which creates a tension and makes the audience feel unsettled. In the fixed elements of a horror film, the antagonist is usually introduced before the protagonist, which means the audience expect this character to be the antagonist of the film. 

The props used give hints about the character and whether he is the antagonist (e.g. he gathers tools such as knifes and hammers it into a glove, which isn't the convention of something a protagonist would do, therefore they are the antagonist). Also the incidental music creates a tension which makes the audience feel uneasy and foreshadows the nature of the character. The use of red filtered lighting gives an effect, as in terms relating to the codes and conventions of the genre, red is associated with "evil" and "blood", in which the red lighting links in with the genre themes. 

The montage within the opening title sequence creates tension and narrative, as it builds up and shows the antagonist preparing for what the audience can assume to be his "first kill". The use of the claws before and after the title screen tells the audience that the claws are iconic and have some significance in relation to the narrative. There is then a close up of a woman's face on high key lighting, in which we can assume is going to be the "first victim". The use of high key lighting shows all the defined details and might tell the audience that this is a significant character in relevance to the narrative. 

The camera then cuts to a long corridor with low key lighting, which is a conventional setting according to the fixed elements of the genre. The corridor is light with high key lighting, in which the outline of the female character can be made, so we can see her running down the corridor. The setting then changes to a factory layout, in which there is a lot of low key lighting as well as big pipes and corners, which adds to the tension as the audience don't know where the killer is going to come from or when. As the incidental music gets quieter, it is conventional in terms of the genre, that it means the killer is getting closer or is about to strike. This then builds up tension and as the audience are then expecting something bad to happen. The use of laughter sound effect (non diegetic) gives off an effect also, as conventionally according to the genre, the laughter is seen as "evil" or "demonic" which is often associated with crazy psychopaths, according to the repertoire of the elements.

The sound of ripping on the curtain using the claws creates tension, but also signifies the entrance of the killer in an iconic way. By using the weapon of killing to enter adds to the importance and significance of the prop which gives hints about the antagonist as well as the narrative. Also, by attacking from behind we can see the outline of the antagonist but we still don't see his face, which leaves the audience wanting more and builds up an atmosphere. Also, the effect of the lighting in the scene where he attacks is in front of a fire, in which in terms of relating to the genre, is associated with evil and death. 

The incidental music gets suddenly louder to add to the tension, and then fades away quickly in the next shot, in which is set in a bedroom. This setting then relates back to the title "Nightmare on elm street" in which the word "nightmare" is used in terms of bad or scary dreams, which links back to the setting of a bedroom when we assume she was dreaming. The close up on the girls face shows the terror which is then taken in by the audience who also feel terror, but also doesn't show everything within the shot, which also builds up tension as the audience are expecting more. This is because the fixed elements in a horror narrative tell us that bad things are always going to happen such as death, murder, etc. The camera then cuts to close up of her dress, which has claw marks. This then links back to the idea of the claws being iconic towards the antagonist, but also makes the film conventional towards the genre, and leaves the audience wanting more.