analysis of 'The Visit'

1. ‘The Visit’
trailer
analysis
Charlotte Mantle

2. • 15 seconds into M.Night Shyamalan's ‘TheVisit’ trailer, you get the ‘happy family’
scene
• Most horror films start with a scene depicting a harmonious family setting, this
gives you the feeling that the order will be disrupted and things will start to go
wrong
• There is a use of bright colours, which is not normally something you see in horror
films
• The family are embracing, showing
their happy relationship. Horror
films often do this as it will
contrast heavily with the end of
the film
• The bright clothes that the children
are wearing could also represent
the general mood up until this
point

3. • In this close up shot, the grandmother and the child are holding hands
• Almost 30 seconds into the trailer and there is still no sense of disruption among
the family setting
• The hand on top of the other shows that there is trust, and as this is a horror film it
is most probably a false sense of trust or a trust that is about to be shattered
•• The elderly and children are commonly
used in horror films
• This is because both the elderly and
children are seen to be vulnerable
and kind-hearted, therefore making
them the ‘villain’ is even more scary
and unexpected
•

4. • In this scene you get the first thing in which changes the tone.The elderly
grandfather says to the children ‘bedtime here is 9:30. Its probably best if you
two don’t come out of your room after then’
• Although not particular scary, this quote makes you start asking questions about
the film like: why cant they come out of the room?; what will happen if they do?;
Are the grandparents hiding something?
•• This scene is a bit darker than the
others, this matches the change in
tone
•

5. • This shot is another one typically used in horror films, outside at night
• The use of the dark colours show that the tone has now completely changed from
cheerful family scenes to something more dark
• In many cultures the colour purple is symbolic of death and mourning.This might
be a reflection on what will happen as the film develops
• The colour black also the unknown,
and because of this it creates an air
of mystery and fear
• Black, like purple, is also symbolic of
death and tragedy

6. • The children are woken by a loud bang, the open the door to see what had
happened and see their grandmother scratching at the wall in a crazed manner
• This contrasts with the way in which the grandmother had acted before
• The Grandmothers hair is unkempt and wild, trying to convey the idea the
grandmother is crazy/insane which is a common convention in many horror films
• Once again, this scene is dark and that
adds to the scare-factor and the
mystery
• The fact that is it children seeing this
only add to the fear as they are in a
vulnerable situation

7. • The cut to a scene with a background and text breaks up the trailer
• This also gives the film a reputation already as it is noting other credible work the
writer and director have done
• The colour red is symbolic of death and blood, so is appropriate within the horror
genre

8. • In this shot the grandmother is standing staring at nothing in the hallway
• This is eerie as we have previously seen the grandmother acting in a unsettling
manor, and now she is acting creepily (although not in the same way as the
previous night)
• The way she dressed juxtaposes her previous actions, this adds to the mysterious
• The fact the woman is staring into the
distance implies that she is not in
her own body or is being heavily
influenced/effected by something

9. • In this scene the action builds up
• This is the first time we have seen anything that is extremely
dangerous/threatening
• Suicide and mental health tend to be commonly used in horror films
• The fact the Grandfather is about to take his life suggests even more there is
something dark going on
• It is dark in the scene, echoing the tone
once again
• The symbolism of guns also suggests
violence is going to be a recurring
theme in this film

10. • The grandmother runs past the camera in a nightgown, in another night scene
• The fact she is dressed in white is ironic as white is often thought of as representing
innocents and purity however, what is happening in this scene is more disturbing
than innocent
• It also makes the grandmother appear ghostly and links with the supernatural
which is often a theme in horror

11. • More violent imagery is used in the scene
• Somebody who we can presume is the grandmother, is again dressed in white and
is holding a knife
• Like the gun, the knife alludes to violence and death
• The trailer is increasing in tension and it is clear it is building up to something
• There is a juxtaposition of the white of
the gown (and the symbolism of
purity and innocence) and the
danger of the knife

12. • At this point, the children are in danger
• The young girl is being chased by the grandmother
• The music used also adds the tension and fear which is evoked by this scene
• This is the fist time that someone is putting someone else in danger, this has
shattered the image of a happy family we see at the start of the trailer
• Lighting is dim

13. • A pale, ghostly hand reaches from under the bed
• This plays on the childhood fear that there is something under the bed this has
been used in many horror films as it plays on a genuine fear that many have had
in the past
• Purple is here again, signalling the death that is about to occur
• The hand is white and ghostly,
representative of the supernatural
another common convention of
horror films

14. • The tension building in a lot of short camera shots which build up a fast pace
• Then it ends at this innocent looking scene in which the grandmother asks her
grandchild to get into the oven ‘to clean it’
• This is reflective of the ‘Hansel and Gretel’ story many are familiar with, in which an
elderly lady lures children to her home and tricks them into her oven then eats
them