9 frame analysis - opening of "The Ring"

9 frame analysis - of "The Ring"

The film opens with the Dreamworks title sequence. It, like opening sequences always are, is fitted to the films theme. It hints to the video tape that features during on in the film which the story evolves around.

The frame shifts to the left past the Dreamworks logo. Pathetic fallacy is used within the shot when clouds appear and the mood is set to be dark and gloomy. This shadows the events yet to occur.

The shot then rips, again representing the tape that makes an appearance later on during the film.

The shot then fades to black. This leads to the commonly used establishing shot, building the picture from the opening title sequence and giving the audience an idea of where the film is set.

The weather is once gain gloomy and dark to establish the mood and general aura of the film.

The shot then cuts to two girls, who appear to be in their teens, relaxing in a room. The room is dark and lit up by only the t.v out of shot and the small lamp behind them. The girls are wearing school uniform; this makes the girls seem innocent, weak and vulnerable. We immediately expect something to happen to happen to either of the girls. They are shown as potential victims.

The black haired girl begins to tell the other about a tape that when watched kills the watcher in a week of them watching it. The unsettled behaviour of the other girl begins to filter tension into the scene. The state of equilibrium then begins to unwind as the inevitable aspect of death, danger, and horror begins to confirm the film as an unmistakable film of the horror genre.

The second girl then explains that she had watched a tape that did the same as the one described by her friend. The fear of the girl becomes increasingly apparent. The unsettled girl begins to shift into the shape of a potential victim for whatever lies ahead and beyond in the film.

In the last frame the girl mentions she watched the film a week ago and the girl who initially was telling the horror story becomes unsettled as well. The second girl then pretends to suffocate an die. This tempts the fate of what is to come and sets the film for what is fast on arriving.

By Harry Crotty