The document provides a summary of key scenes and events in the opening sequence of the film The Amityville Horror. It describes how the opening establishes a sense of foreboding and unease through the use of ominous sounds, blurred and unfocused images, and references to future significant events in the film, such as a clock changing time. The summary then outlines how the opening culminates with the main character shooting and killing his parents in their home during a thunderstorm.
2. • The first thing that happens in the first 2 minutes is ‘Based of a true story’ comes up on
the screen. The background noises that come with it is a non-diegetic sound of thudding
as if its building up to something. Also there is the sound of strong stormy winds aswell,
which is again a use of pathetic fallacy to portray or foreshadow events that take place in
the movie.
• A date also appears on the screen which could also foreshadow an important date in the
movie that may have a significance to events.
3. • Then we begin to see an extreme close-up of a blurred face of a man. The blurred effect
almost gives the impression the man isn't himself and not with it which again is a
foreshadowing effects of future events.
4. • After that it cuts to a long shot of a house with again the bad weather, there is a thunder
storm with lightening flashing this is again another use of pathetic fallacy, but the way the
lightening is flashing its as though its only on the house which creates a vibe that
something bad is in the house.
• In the foreground of this clip is a sign that says ‘High Hopes’ this almost gives off a
sarcastic effect to the audience as if it knows what's in the so its as if the house is saying
you need high hopes to live in that house.
5. • Then it cuts to the blurred image of the man again but in the background there are voices
talking as if they are telling him what to do which links to the fact the man isnt himself?
• These whispering voices say ‘catch them’ then the image of the man is focused not
blurred to an extreme close up of the mans eyes which are closed. The whispering voices
then say ‘Kill them’ to which he opens his eyes with an evil look in them but also again the
imagine of the shooting target.
6. • We are then shown an image of a clock as the time changes from 3:14 to 3:15 and then a
mid-shot of the man and him looking towards the clock and the clock is shown again. This
time is significant to the movie as it foreshadows when main and scary events happen
within the movie so by showing it there makes the viewer remember it and make them
weary whenever it is shown.
7. • After that we see a clip of the man sitting of a sofa with a large gun on his lap to which he
begins to place bullets in it as we see a close up of him doing this it flicks to old
school/college photos and memories of him at a younger age this could portray that there
is some sort of his old good self still within him but its been taken over right now but the
innocence is left there.
8. • He then begins to walk around the house and is stood at a window looking outside the
storm is still very strong with lightening that makes this sort of light to dark flickering effect
within the house so you can see him then you cant. Which creates big suspense for the
viewer as you don’t know what's going to come next.
9. • You can then see him stood in a doorway to someone's room to which the clips cuts to
show who is in the room, it looks as though it is a man and woman which could mean it is
his mum and dad.
• Once they have been shown you can see the flickered image of him with the gun but not
clearly because of the lightening.
• He then shoots them both right in the head
