Textual Analysis for the Ring Two

Textual Analysis

I chose the film the Ring Two, because it fits within the horror genre and conforms to the conventions which we will be using.

Camera shots and angles

The opening scenes begins with a birds-eye view of waves crashing together in the ocean. A birds-eye view is used to show the viewer the landscape and making slight subtle references to key scenes that will happen later in the film. It gives the audience a feeling of control as they are in charge looking down and gives the audience a slight perspective and view of what could potentially happen within the scene. There are multiple birds-eye views, before it cuts into an establishing wide shot. Establishing wide shots are used to show the audience where the scene and action will take place, with a detailed view of the location. By using an establishing wide shot, the viewer can make initial judgements on the location of the film. The first establishing wide shot then cuts into another one, showing the viewers a spooky looking house. This makes the audience aware of where the action will take place and immediately warns them that the house will encounter scary and eerie events.

Lighting

From the outset, low key lightning is used. The waves that are in shot are dark. Low key lightning is used to create mood and set the tone of the scene, usually associated with horror films. It can be used to create suspense within the scene or control what the viewers look at and how much of the surrounding scene they can see. This can leave the audience feeling vulnerable as the dark can be associated with the unknown and fear. 

The lighting in the house where the two teenagers are sitting is low key, which is stereotypical of a house in a horror film. This also conforms to the conventions in a slasher/horror film. The low key lighting in the house creates an eerie atmosphere and gives the impression that an act of horror is about to happen.

Editing 
The opening scene starts with multiple shots of waves crashing against each other. Each shot lasts about 3 seconds and then cuts to a black frame to a different shot of an ocean. Throughout each shot, the exhilaration of the waves slows down going from extremely violent to calm. The fast pace changing of the shots gives the audience the idea of speeding up time, meaning they are getting closer to the main horror event. By the film opening with a range of shots of the ocean, we learn that that location may be a key part of the story later on. Another shot used is the fade in from the establishing wide shot of the town, to the shot of the house. This fade has been used to quickly give the viewer a good idea of where the film takes place. The fade in is quite a calm, slow transition which may allow the viewer to remain calm. By creating a calm atmosphere for the audience, they are more likely to be defenceless against the upcoming part of the film which will make them jump.

Sound

The opening begins with loud, dramatic non diegetic music which comes to an abrupt end when the first shot of the waves appears. The dramatic music then begins again, with the noise of the waves on top of it. The music is tense, slow and mysterious, creating enigma within the opening. The music does not match the shots of the calm wave, which creates disorientation within the audience. The music comes to a sudden end with the diegetic sound of the boy whispering  'HEY' into the girls ear. The whisper frightens the audience as it is loud and unexpected. Quiet music then appears when the girl and boy have a conversation. This adds tension to the scene. The loud sound of the door squeaking is a traditional noise in horror films, and makes the audience want to know what is behind the door. There is then a loud sound made when the boy realises what the time is, giving us the understanding that the boy is against time. The music then once again sounds tense when shot then changes to the girl putting the VCR into the player, the audience is now wondering why the VCR is so important. When the VCR starts up, a loud static noise sounds, making the audience jump which is a key convention in horror. The opening scene ends with a variety of unsettling diegetic sounds including the ringing of the phone, beeping of the oven and clicking of the timer. All these noises make the viewer feel agitated meaning they are more vulnerable to being scared.

Mise en scene

The mis en scene is everything that is a part of the scene, including costume, make-up and props. Both the characters are wearing casual clothes. This makes it easier for the audience to relate to the characters as they look like ordinary people, allowing the viewer to believe the act of horror can happen to anyone, even the audience. The interior of the house is quite old-fashioned, with patterned furnisher and a large television. Within seconds of being in the house, the main focus becomes the VHS. The body language shown by the boys shows that he feels anxious and impatient. He tries to force the girl into watching the film, by persuading her that it is a must see film. We can see that the girl is worried by how the boy is acting, as she doesn't feel comfortable watching the film on her own.

Settings and Locations

The opening starts with the locations of different oceans. These locations can be seen as a calm setting, which contrasts with the dramatic music that is playing. The first setting we see is of a town in the dark, we then see a shot of a house which we learn to understand is the main location for the opening. The setting is in the front room of the house we are shown. This allows the audience to relate to the film more, as the event of horror could happen to them sitting in their own living room.

Narrative
The Ring Two is an open narrative, as it is carrying on from the first film. This can make the audience believe that horror events from the first film are ongoing and never ending. Props theory can be seen in the opening, by there being clear typical characters from his theory. The boy can be seen as a sinister helper, as he is showing the girl the film, even though he knows what will happen to her. This could mean he is a helper because he is helping The Ring complete what they want. The girl can be seen as a princess, who is young pretty and vulnerable and trusts what the boy tells her. As well as the characters being typical of Propps theory, a young boy and girl in an empty house watching a scary film is also a typical convention of a horror story. Because of their age, they will be curious of experiencing new emotions, scared being one of them. This could lead them to doing what they should not in an event of horror, for example going to investigate a spooky noise instead of getting ready to defend themselves.