Suspense In Film
Suspense is a major characteristic in thriller genre as it gives the audience anticipation, tension, fascination, apprehension and excitement that leaves that viewer wanting to watch the entire movie. The Birds movie trailer builds tension in different scenes which makes the film achieve horror aspect in addition to suspense. Additionally, in film genre, suspense puts the audience in a state of excitement or in a situation of expectancy. Aspects such as graphics, sound and the language used in movie trailer help to create suspense and the urge to watch the entire film. Focusing on the three films; The Birds 1963, Texas Chainsaw massacre 2003 and Scarface 1983, shall aim to define suspense according to the selective issues addressed.
Alfred
Hitchcock in “The Birds 1963” movie trailer have used the aspect of suspense in various instances which leaves a person guessing on what would happen next. The movie is a horror-thriller that integrates various themes, graphics, sound and graphics to keep the audience on suspense hence keeping them glued. At first, Hitchcock makes us to think the film is more of a comedy due to the use of warm colors for the graphics and bright lights. The sound used in the movie trailer is similar to that of birds, which anticipate a bad outcome. The language used also in the movie trailer also show the aspect of suspense. The author for example uses fallacy to keep the audience focusing on what happens next. The graphics display also create suspense. For example, the use of color green in the scene where Melanie is driving a boat leaves the audiences wondering on what happens next. Lighting also plays a role in bringing out suspense as it creates mysterious impression among the viewers.
The Scarface, is a film trailer that is directed by Brian De Palma and is more of a story where Tony Montana gets a green card for assassinating a government official of Cuban. The trailer creates suspense to the viewer through different aspect. Scarface is a film which sounds more of a horror movie but it turns out to be the opposite. An audience in this case could be left wondering what scar-face really means. The sound for example used in the trailer is appealing and leaves the audience wondering what is going to happen next. After watching the trailer, at first, I was convinced that Montana who is the biggest drug lord in Miami was going to kill the Colombian drug cartel leader. The title of the film ‘Scarface’, on the other hand, creates suspense and curiosity as someone would be eager to understand the actual meaning of Scarface. The sound track of the trailer also creates suspense since it arouses anticipation of the actual occurrence. The movies trailer seeks to answer on “who would survive and what would be left of them.” This keeps the audience in suspense.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) is film trailer produced by Michael Bay. Suspense is created in almost every part of the trailer. Just like ‘The Birds’ and ‘Scarface’ movie trailers, Chainsaw Massacre use the aspect of sound, language and graphics play a key role in creating suspense to the audiences. The introduction graphics of the movie does not represent a horror movie since it is more of a comedy rather than what the movie presents. The use of a natural sound and use of a variety of soundtracks creates tension to the viewers as they would expect something terrifying is about to happen but it turns out to be opposite. This hence creates suspense among the audiences.
Conclusion
Generally, “Suspense in a film is a crucial characteristic which gives the audience a feeling of excitement, tension, and anticipation”. The suspense in the above film trailers keeps a person viewing hooked until a point where the climax will be reached. Suspense, therefore, is what determines on whether a person will watch the full version of the film or not. This means that one characteristic of a good film trailer is the ability to create suspense among the viewers. This essay highlights and explains the need for suspense in any movie trailer and the need to for suspense in trailers.
Alfred
Hitchcock in “The Birds 1963” movie trailer have used the aspect of suspense in various instances which leaves a person guessing on what would happen next. The movie is a horror-thriller that integrates various themes, graphics, sound and graphics to keep the audience on suspense hence keeping them glued. At first, Hitchcock makes us to think the film is more of a comedy due to the use of warm colors for the graphics and bright lights. The sound used in the movie trailer is similar to that of birds, which anticipate a bad outcome. The language used also in the movie trailer also show the aspect of suspense. The author for example uses fallacy to keep the audience focusing on what happens next. The graphics display also create suspense. For example, the use of color green in the scene where Melanie is driving a boat leaves the audiences wondering on what happens next. Lighting also plays a role in bringing out suspense as it creates mysterious impression among the viewers.
The Scarface, is a film trailer that is directed by Brian De Palma and is more of a story where Tony Montana gets a green card for assassinating a government official of Cuban. The trailer creates suspense to the viewer through different aspect. Scarface is a film which sounds more of a horror movie but it turns out to be the opposite. An audience in this case could be left wondering what scar-face really means. The sound for example used in the trailer is appealing and leaves the audience wondering what is going to happen next. After watching the trailer, at first, I was convinced that Montana who is the biggest drug lord in Miami was going to kill the Colombian drug cartel leader. The title of the film ‘Scarface’, on the other hand, creates suspense and curiosity as someone would be eager to understand the actual meaning of Scarface. The sound track of the trailer also creates suspense since it arouses anticipation of the actual occurrence. The movies trailer seeks to answer on “who would survive and what would be left of them.” This keeps the audience in suspense.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) is film trailer produced by Michael Bay. Suspense is created in almost every part of the trailer. Just like ‘The Birds’ and ‘Scarface’ movie trailers, Chainsaw Massacre use the aspect of sound, language and graphics play a key role in creating suspense to the audiences. The introduction graphics of the movie does not represent a horror movie since it is more of a comedy rather than what the movie presents. The use of a natural sound and use of a variety of soundtracks creates tension to the viewers as they would expect something terrifying is about to happen but it turns out to be opposite. This hence creates suspense among the audiences.
Conclusion
Generally, “Suspense in a film is a crucial characteristic which gives the audience a feeling of excitement, tension, and anticipation”. The suspense in the above film trailers keeps a person viewing hooked until a point where the climax will be reached. Suspense, therefore, is what determines on whether a person will watch the full version of the film or not. This means that one characteristic of a good film trailer is the ability to create suspense among the viewers. This essay highlights and explains the need for suspense in any movie trailer and the need to for suspense in trailers.