The document discusses common narrative structures and techniques used in psychological and slasher horror movie trailers. It analyzes the trailers for Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Woman in Black. The trailers typically show establishing shots, introduce victims and problems, and end with cliffhangers. They aim to build tension through distorted shots, lighting, and a lack of full context to encourage audiences to watch the full movie.

1. Psychological and slasher horror
trailers.
Rebecca Paterson

3. Narrative structure
There is a series of establishing shots, where the scene is set
and there is an introduction the characters showing the
equilibrium – the norm. There is then a built up problem or
crisis that the characters have to try and resolve, in which we
are introduced to the victim/s showing the disturbance of the
equilibrium. There are then teaser shots of the action scene
that reveals problematic events but does not show them to
their full extent, they are usually distorted and quick paced in
order to build tension and create enigma also created through
further complication shown through a dramatic end. The
trailer ends on a cliff-hanger in order to create enigma so that
the audience is left wanting to see the ending and go and see
the film.

4. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The establishing shots depict an old woman singing to a teen age
girl that seems to be upset. The old woman in contrast to the
teenage girl is an example of the binary opposites used in horror
movies, depicting the characters at different ages in such contrast
allows us to empathise with different age groups in relation to the
age of target audiences. The teen age questions the woman and
implies that she doesn’t know where she is, also implying that she
is the victim. After this there is a series of fact paced, distorted
teaser shots of couples in an isolated setting and then a jump cut
scene of car crash. Weapons shown in the trailer are guns,
chainsaw, knife, bear trap, and brutal violence is captured in the
teaser shots. The use of low key lighting adds to the disturbing
violence. There are heightened levels of fear through the fact
paced editing and lighting. The conceptual sound of the lullaby
and the brutal violence creates anticipation, and also creates a
false sense of security at the beginning of the trailer. The trailer
ends on a cliff-hanger to leave the audience wanting to go and see
the film.

5. Nightmare on Elm Street
Establishing shots run all the way through this trailer. The use of locations all
reinforce the idea of isolation, as is common in most horror films. This trailer
shows, firstly an American diner and depicts a man sitting alone on a rainy
night at a table, this isolation is also reinforced by a humming tune and a
clock ticking. There then is fire which is a foreshadow of danger followed by a
teaser shot of violence and a small introduction of the villain through this
teaser shot. There then is the introduction to the 2nd location which is a high
school with more introduction to implied victims, there is the use of weather
in scenes to foreshadow the arrival of the villain who is name “Fredi”. The
use of claws is the only weapon that is shown and this is reinforced as the
weapon in different shots through out the trailer. The last location that is
shown is a street and a street name, reinforcing this sense of isolation. There
are two series of teaser shots, the first showing victims and the use of
children in this scene is disturbing also another common character used in
horror as they are usually associated with innocence which is opposite to the
what you associate with horror (binary opposites). The second teaser shots
are more violent, there is a sound clip of Fredi’s voice and the use of an “evil”
laugh and lullaby at the end to increase enigma and make the audience want
to go and see the film.

6. Woman in Black
The first shot is of a child’s room followed by a series of up close child’s musical
toys that the music in the background seems to be coming from. There is a sound
bridge into the next scene, there is a series of shots from toys to foggy marshland in
which there is a horse and carriage along the road. There is then an introduction to
the setting of a lonely decrepit house/mansion. There are continuous shots of the
child’s toys and the continuous music in the background. There is track of a dark
corridor reinforcing the sense of the isolation. A child’s voice narrates while there is
a series of shots of the main characters, children and location. The music pace
quickens as the story is told as the main character gets closer to the house in which
the girl describes as “there are those who believes the whole town is cursed by the
house on the marsh is by far the worse”. More establishing shots of the location
marsh and house and then a series of close up’s of the main character. The
weather and low key lighting intensifies and foreshadows the introduction to the
villain (ghostly figure). There is then a shot of writing on the wall in red which is
associated with blood, and then toys. There is then teaser shots of action shots
depicting children, fires and the marsh. The water surrounds the house/mansion
that also increase isolation and loneliness. There is another introduction to the
villain is tease shot. You don’t have a clear image of the villain which increase the
enigma and tension.

7. Woman in Black
The first shot is of a child’s room followed by a series of up close child’s musical
toys that the music in the background seems to be coming from. There is a sound
bridge into the next scene, there is a series of shots from toys to foggy marshland in
which there is a horse and carriage along the road. There is then an introduction to
the setting of a lonely decrepit house/mansion. There are continuous shots of the
child’s toys and the continuous music in the background. There is track of a dark
corridor reinforcing the sense of the isolation. A child’s voice narrates while there is
a series of shots of the main characters, children and location. The music pace
quickens as the story is told as the main character gets closer to the house in which
the girl describes as “there are those who believes the whole town is cursed by the
house on the marsh is by far the worse”. More establishing shots of the location
marsh and house and then a series of close up’s of the main character. The
weather and low key lighting intensifies and foreshadows the introduction to the
villain (ghostly figure). There is then a shot of writing on the wall in red which is
associated with blood, and then toys. There is then teaser shots of action shots
depicting children, fires and the marsh. The water surrounds the house/mansion
that also increase isolation and loneliness. There is another introduction to the
villain is tease shot. You don’t have a clear image of the villain which increase the
enigma and tension.