Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
Analysis to chain saw masaca
1. The first screen shot introduces the audience to a baby picture of the killer 'Leatherface'. The picture
is framed by shadow and there is an eerie non-diegetic sound as we see the killers facial
disfigurements.
The second screenshot is a diagram that looks as though it's a doctors observations showing a
canted angle of a human head and circled in areas which is presumably the areas leatherface's
disfigurements are. It has a single annotation labelled "deteriorating facial disfigurements. This is
effective as it's giving away a lot of the films backstory to the audience in the exposition stages.
We are presented with a close up of Leatherface with his face wrapped in bandages. The lighting is
all dark and we only see parts of his face and the rest in framed by darkness. This may imply that his
past as well as his future is dark. It's quite a disturbing image and because of the shots distorted
composition, it makes us feel uncomfortable.
Screen shot 4 is rather the first establishing shot we have which is of the Texas desert and is plotting
the scene of the murders. It's also negatively toned and there's a clear lack of colour which adds an
archaic tone. This is combined with a superimposition with "age 9". I think this refers to Leatherface
and the opening sequence is a quick shot of events that refer to his early life and reveals the
backstory.
In screenshot 5, we are quickly switched from the superimposition used in screenshot 4 which said
"aged 9", to a young boy dragging something which appears to be a dead fox or a dog. I think this
implies to the audience that Leatherface began killing animals at the age of 9 and we are presented
with the image of a devil child. Also the sound used is quite uncomfortable as every time a different
image fades in, it sounds like an old fashioned camera screeching that gets emphasised on.
2. Screenshot 6 shows an establishing shot of a house that is negatively shot and contrasts against the
dark backgroudn which emphasises it's creepiness and makes the audience tense.
In this screenshot, we are presented with another slightly canted image of a newspaper headlined
"Texas Town Dies", this is an insight in what happens in the film and we are slowly introduced to
how the backstory begins to link with the film's narratives.
A superimposition is again used in this screenshot. Deep focus is used so that we can see the killers
workshop and all the dangerous equipment that we associate with the murders. The shot is
combined with "mental detioration". This might portray that the killers loss of mental state has lead
to him killing people. The shot is framed by darkness and the colour scheme is again negative and
looks like it's been drained of colour- which may be metaphorical of the killers happiness and
enjoyment in life has been drained away by his disability.
The last screenshot shows the picture from the first screenshot being set on fire. This may be
metaphorical that Leatherface has had enough and is running from his disability by burning the
photos. The opening sequence ends with the smoke from the flames 'smoking out' the screen. This
may lead to the conclusion that the killer has lost all control and the narratives from here on reveals
his later life and more importantly, events in the film.