Gothika is a 2003 psychological horror film starring Halle Berry and Robert Downey Jr. It is distributed by Warner Bros. and Dark Castle Entertainment. The trailer uses elements like bars and a mental institution setting to establish the genre. White text turning red represents the protagonist's descent into insanity as she is accused of murder. Fragmented and obscure editing builds tension and leaves the audience with an enigma to solve by watching the film.

1. Gothika – Trailer
Analysis
By Laura Ireland

2. Gothika is a 2003 supernatural horror film that
was directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and starred
Hallie Barrie and Robert Downey Junior.

3. Film Distributors
The film is distributed by Warner bros and Dark Castle
Entertainment. Through the partnership of these two
companies the audience is able to relate the film to their
previous works as well as giving them an indication into the
films genre. This can be seen through their other films such
as, ‘Orphan’ and ‘Splice.’

4. Genre
The film opens with a shot of two characters having a
conversation in an encaged setting with bars around them.
This starts to create the genre of a physiological thriller as well
as creating a feeling of entrapment for the audience. The idea
of a psychological thriller is later emphasised through the use
of an establishing shot introducing a mental institution.

5. Topography
The title of the film is written in a white colour before it turns into a
blood red creating ideas of the gothic. This is effective as the white
acts as an indication for her innocence in the accusation of her
murdering her husband and the contrasting red is reflecting of her
growing insanity as she become more mentally unstable. The use of
typography is written in a harshly etched a scratchy style which
helps to convey the film genre of a psychological thriller.

6. Three Act Structure
A complication in the trailer comes with the protagonist
waking up “on the other side.” We see her world turned
upside as she is shown behind a glass cage reflecting the
feeling of entrapment at the start of the film. The use of text
over the scenes shows the audience how this woman has
progresses from what is “sane” and “rational.”

7. Editing
The use of a dark filter over the film also helps to create the
genre as it is dark and foreboding. This foreboding feeling is
also shown through the presence of a ghostly figure which
causes the films protagonist to crash her car. This is then
proceeded with a medium close up of an obscured figure
before the uses of lots of quick cuts are used to build tension
and create climax. This tension is concluded with a black out.

8. The continual use of obscurity throughout the film trailer
generates audience intrigue as well as setting up a narrative
enigma in which they want to uncover. The disjointed and
fragmented editing of the trailer helps not only to convey the
protagonist’s mental instability but also gives no clear indication
as to how the clips fit together. As a result of this the audience is
intrigued to watch the film and solve the mystery for
themselves.