Coral analysis of three horror films

1. Codal Analysis
Isaac Randall

2. The Women In Black

3. Visual Code
The film is set in the attic of what looks like, presumably, an older house, possibly
from somewhere in the 20th century, at a guess. The room is filled with props that
one would find in a young girls bedroom, creating a sense of normality. Saying this
however, the audience can tell from the conventions of horror and the slow
movements that something is not quite right. The girls costumes are old fashioned
also, suggesting to the audience again that the text is not set in modern day and
may be set during the 20th century. Immediately we see several close ups of china
teacups, teapots, dolls and other children's toys, such as a pram almost of camera
to the left. The girls dolls and tea set connotes to the conventions of horror films.
The girls dolls are arranged in a small circle, possibly linking to the conventions of
horror films also by suggesting a satanic ritual may be taking place, however this is
unlikely and not strongly suggested at. The three girls seen, aged around 7-10 (at a
rough estimate), are moving very slowly creating a sense of tension and
anticipation as the audience is unaware of what's going to happen next. The girls,
at one point, all look in unison at something in the corner of the room, and we
later find out that this is the Women In Black. They then, further on in the text, all
rise and walk towards the window together in perfect synchronization. They then
step onto the window ledge, open the windows and all jump out of the window
together too, again in unison. This suggests to the audience that they are under
some kind of spell or enchantment. This creates a sense of tension also.

4. Visual Code
In the opening the audience can see the extensive use
of close ups, and the majority of scenes are slow, with
slow movements from the girls as mentioned before.
The editing is very slow in order to build up suspense in
the text. Dull colors have been used for the room,
despite it being a girls bedroom. The lack of color helps
create a dark mood, thus creating the desired effect of
a horror film. The three girls expressions are quite
happy when playing with their dolls at first, however
when they look over to the Women in Black their faces
go blank and expressionless and continue to be so for
the rest of the scene, therefore again suggesting that
they are under some kind of spell.

5. Audio Code
The sound used in the opening is non-diegetic music in the
background. The music starts of quite calm, however very
eerie. This music changes when the girls look at the
Women In Black, suggesting that their trance has started.
Creating the dark tone of the text.
We then hear synchronous diegetic sound of the dolls and
various other toys being smashed as the girls walk all over
them. The music build up until the three girls jump out the
window and the music cuts out completely. The audience
then hears asynchronous sound of screams and the
dialogue “my babies”, presumably coming from the girls
mother or nanny.

6. Narrative Code
The story of the text is that the three girls are
happy and playing peacefully. This changes
when the women in black appears and puts a
spell on them, making them kill themselves by
jumping out of the window. The spell is
suggested by the three girls moving in unison
after looking at the Women altogether. The
narrative makes the audience feel scared and
fearful of what else is to come later in the film.

7. Technical Code
When looking at the technical code we can see
that the parts of the text have been slowed
down such as the girls treading on the dolls
heads (to emphasize them breaking) and
when they jump out the window also (possibly
to make it look like a game almost or more
likely to, again, emphasize the girls killing
themselves).

8. The Lost Boys

9. Visual Code
At first we see a helicopter shot going over water at night
establishing location. The audience is shown a fairground,
establishing location. As this is happening the titles are slowly
appearing on screen. The audience can then see a merry- go-round,
which is brightly colored despite the genre of the film. However, we
then see four suspicious looking characters dressed in black walking
around the merry-go-round whilst other people ride it properly. The
fact that they are breaking the rules and their clothing suggests to
the audience that they may be the protagonists in the film. We see
just after this a fight break out as the main character touches
another mans girlfriend. As a result of this the characters get kicked
off the merry-go-round, however they are not effected by this and
just laugh. Although the scene itself seems very bright, with bright
lights and colors the main 4 characters are wearing dark clothing,
suggesting that they may be bad and also that they are trouble.

10. Audio Code
During the first shot we can hear non-deigetic
background music, that is an intense soundtrack. This
creates a sense of tension and anticipation for what is
about to happen next. We also hear synchronous
sounds of the fair and merry-go-round as well as
asynchronous sounds of the main characters boots as
they walk. Dialogue is used heavily in this scene also to
convey plot to the audience, that they are banned, for
an unknown reason, from the boardwalk. The music
cuts of and the sounds of the fair also when they are
leaving. Towards the end of the scene the music
changes again to a more suspenseful soundtrack,
building tension once again.

11. Narrative Code
The story of the scene is that four teenage
boys start trouble, as one of the boys
(presumably the leader) starts flirting with
another teenagers girlfriend. The group get
kicked off the boardwalk by a police
officer/security guard after starting a fight.
The couple also get kicked off.

12. Technical Code
The text only uses mid shots in the intro.
However, there is an interesting helicopter
shot used to establish the setting and tracking
shots to show the characters walking around
the merry-go-round.

13. The Shining

14. Visual Code
The intro to The Shining is very basic. The intro
consists of several helicopter shots showing the
landscape of, what looks like, a snowy mountain
range possibly in America near Alaska or
something similar. The camera follows a small car
as it drives along the isolated roads. The camera
tracks the car and the helicopter is moving fairly
fast. As this is happening bright blue titles slowly
appear from the bottom of the screen slowly
moving upwards.

15. Audio Code
The only sound used in the intro is a non-diegetic
soundtrack in the background. The
music is very eerie and creates a tense mood.
The audience may be expecting something
tragic to happen to the car and the music also
creates a sense of anticipation for what may
happen next.

16. Narrative Code
The narrative of the scene is very limited.
However, it is showing that the small car and
its passengers has come a very long way and
the journey is tiring. Also that the area that
the car is traveling to is very isolated. The
isolation and music help to build tension and
suspense.

17. Technical Code
The only shot type used in the is a helicopter
shot in the intro to The Shining. However, the
shot type creates a sense tension and almost
makes the audience feel as though they are
part of the journey that the car is making.