'The Others' is a film written and directed by Alejandro Amenabar. This supernatural thriller was stated in 2002, and like the majority of movies of its genre, it combines suspense, surprise and unexplainable occasions into a spine tingling creation. There are lots of aspects of fear, and the techniques used to set a chilling minute vary typically. However Amenabar thinks that, "leaving something to the thoughts is the fact of real horror. " That is achieved in the film 'The Others' by using many presentational devices.
During the opening sequence a very peculiar atmosphere is produced, marginally nervy images are shown of folks looking distraught; however this contrasts with the gentle cheerful melody in the backdrop. This contrast makes the music very eerie, due to the natural feeling of something isn't right, which builds suspense because you don't understand what's incorrect. The first image shown in this collection depicts the creation of the world; the image is very open up scheduled to it being the start of life and flexibility, the image is also well lit. The other images are very different, there images shown are; two children huddled over a stairway, a person locking a door, a afraid girl pointing into the dark, a dark physique reaching out to a petrified young man, a broken toy angel and a secluded house. These images create unease, the poor lighting mainly targets the people making them viewed stuck by the unknowing deep, and this is also attained by the picture of the remote house also seemingly captured by the fog. The people also look like their looking at something and coupled with the moving light which seems almost to find the images, gives the impression there's more in the images then we can easily see. This as well as the subject, 'The Others', provides us the impression that the people in this film are caught with other anonymous supernatural beings, offering the viewer a sense of insecurity.
Right right from the start of the film anxiety is made, the opening series coatings and the music can stop. The silence lacks any atmosphere, offering us the impression nothing is going to happen, and then suddenly it jumps to a shot of grace screaming. This shock makes the audience leap, also making them believe more shocks. Nevertheless the first three moments lack these, making the tension increase, so when the pace of the music increases, the audience are on the border of the seats suspecting the worst. They learn to envision what they believe will happen, fearing it. But they are dealt with ongoing anti climaxes, however the tension develops as they all know something will happen soon, then when the music puts a stop to and all seems calm they are really handled a great shock when they least aspect it. The first scene also gives our first look of the exterior of the home. Its looks very isolated, and with the excess fog encompassing all, the top house almost seems just like a prison. This sense is completed in scene two when the servants meet the children. Grace starts to lock all the entrances, Amenabar also adds to the sense of imprisonment by reducing the light significantly by causing the servants shut the curtains. This creates panic and because of the strong persona of grace the audience may begin to fear for the unmet children. We begin to feel troubled to meet the children, Amenabar uses this to make unease. The music ceases and unexpectedly an eerie chanting starts off, at this point we don't know very well what to anticipate and the camera pans around to behind the servants so we can not see what the servant can, this creates even more anxiety.
Furthermore, a significant way Amenabar creates pressure and suspense is via the utilization of light. The environment of the film is encaged in darkness; this is because of the children being photosensitive. However this darkness creates uncertainty for the characters and the audience inhibiting what they can easily see going on. This senses of unease increases as the character types become more suspicious of 'the others' in their home. The use of light is particularly clear in a field I will reference for the purpose of this essay, 'the bedroom picture'. In this scene both Anne and Nicholas are in bed, abruptly Anne wakes up Nicholas complaining that 'Victor' have been messing with the curtains. However in this scene, because of the lighting, only the children's encounters are noticeable. This makes the audience ponder the question if there is really someone by the curtains. On this scene, Amenabar intentionally makes the arena uncertain and can be interoperated in two various ways; this is particularly evident when Anne is speaking with 'Victor'. That is achieved by the use of camera perspectives, both audience and Nicholas can listen to a strange tone, but because of the camera demonstrating only the trunk of Anne, we can't tell if she actually is putting it on her not. Additionally when Nicholas thinks Anne is merely trying to scare him, she says Victor to touch his cheek. As this is happening, the director uses background music to build up anxiety. Furthermore the camera zooms into Nicholas face therefore the audience is unacquainted with what is happening in the room. Suddenly there are numerous unsettling does sound such as banging footsteps; this combined with climaxing music escalates the tension. As the tension is at a optimum silence echoes, and a strange hand gets to out for Nicholas's face. Nicholas erupts into hysteric screams, this stuns the audience.
In addition, sound is also used to set-up suspense. This is especially effective in the scene I will refer to as the piano world. The scene starts with sophistication sat on the stairs, crying in the darkness of your candle. However faint music all of a sudden becomes audible, so elegance goes to research. Tension is built for the audience as they can easily see the apprehension and dread Elegance has of what she'll find as she creeps down the stairs clutching a shotgun. The music leads her to the piano room, so when she grows to for the entranceway handle the door creaks open up and the music instantly can stop. However every door in her house is usually locked, this strange change gives the audience a feeling that there is something amiss. As Sophistication inspects the area, the director again performs music giving the audience the impression something is there. However as the music dies, the audience are handled an anticlimax. Elegance leaves the room, and since the camera starts to zoom in on the entranceway it instantly slams shut while an eerie scream can be listened to. Because of the audiences tension released as elegance realises there may be nothing in the area, this creates an expected surprise. Grace, who fell to the floor, stands up and attempts to open the entranceway in fright, however it is currently locked. If the summoned house keeper unlocks the door, the area is scanned by the camera, but there may be nothing to be seen but a previously shut piano gleaming in the moon light. Sophistication is physically stunned; this can be viewed as she brings her hands to her chest. Another notable impact regarding lighting in this field is that, at the start Grace's face is extremely orange. This saturated look looks extremely like old images, which is relevant as the audience will later find out that she actually is in reality deceased.
Lastly, these results are also visible in the 'Grave Field'. In this particular field, camera techniques are used very efficiently. The main method used is a technique called crosscutting; this is where the camera taken switches between displays, it is utilized showing things happening at the same time. This system creates suspense because it allows the audience to assemble information the personas don't know. This system can also boost the urgency of any scene. That is put on this world as, Nicholas and Anne go looking for their daddy. Lost within the fog, often found in horror films to present something being hidden, they find some gravestones. As she reads their inscriptions, her facial expressions plainly show the sensation of stunned and fear. However the scene suddenly reduces to Elegance, who also goes through the same thoughts as she discovers a picture of her servants, sat lifeless. The landscape then cuts back again to the kids, as Anne stands speechless the servants miraculously look. As Anne shouts at Nicholas to perform the camera pans onto him. Here the director uses another technique; he switches the emphasis between the foreground and the backdrop. Initially Nicholas is seen evidently with the servants not in concentrate in the length, however these switch so the servants can be seen plainly and Nicholas instead is not in concentration. This creates plenty of suspense, this because this impact gives the impression that the servants are getting considerably closer, while Nicholas is yet to move. As Anne and Nicholas finally try to escape, the scene once more cuts to Elegance who is distraughtly looking for her children, here both split scenes merge as the youngsters come across her. The climaxing music also increases the anxiety in the field.
In bottom line Alejandro Amenabar uses various presentational devices to build suspense through the film. These include the utilization of light, camera sides and sound. However unlike modern films of the genre special results aren't really used, but this does not affect the overall apprehension created during the film. Tension is established in every picture using a wide variety of techniques, therefore I think that Alejandro Amenabar creates suspense effectively, making 'The Others' a great film to view.
