Film 2200-X

Film Assignment
Before ever viewing a horror movie, we have a general sense of what is going to occur. Typically emotions of fear, suspense, stress, and disgust are evoked throughout the genre of horror. Additionally, tropes like “final girl” and others are often used as well to propel the plotline forwards. Editing techniques like jump cuts, jerky camera movements, and jump scares are used as well. Before viewing a horror film, viewers can expect to see depictions of supernatural occurrences, murder, death, and gore. “Dracula” (1931) was notably the movie that catapulted the horror genre into popularity.
In the movie “X” starring Mia Goth as the main protagonist, the movie draws clear inspiration from 1970’s slasher films. It is in a very similar style to “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” The cinematography creates a sense of dread and anticipation by using slow camera pans, overhead shots, and tracking shots. These camera shots, coupled with eerie music, set the audience on edge. The viewer knows something isn’t quite right, but can’t put their finger on it. The group of young actors are often depicted in the daytime, or with adequate warm lighting, while the elderly couple that act as the antagonists are frequently depicted in the shadows. The overhead shot of Maxine laying in the pond while unknowingly being stalked by the crocodile hints to the sinister nature of the farm. The elderly man is trigger-happy, alluding to the unsafe circumstances the actors are in.
The attached picture is a screengrab from the movie “X” where one of the main characters discovers a body in the elderly couple’s basement. This is the moment in the film where the characters find out that they are not safe. As the viewer, we have already witnessed the death of two other characters, but the other characters in the movie are unaware of their fate. They are unsure what is happening up until this point; they assume their friends are just outside somewhere. When the character Lorraine discovers the body in the basement, she freaks out (rightfully so). This scene is the pivotal moment in the film that anticipation has been building to. The remaining characters now must fight for their lives and battle their way off the farm. The lead protagonist Maxine finds Lorraine in the basement and tries to help her escape, but once opening the door, Lorraine is immediately shot dead. This leaves only Maxine to survive. Maxine witnesses her murder and knows at this point is every man for himself. The viewer can see that despite being a seemingly close-knit group, the characters don’t really care for each other, as Maxine is willing to flee the farm without confirming the deaths of the other characters. Maxine’s driving force in the movie is her desire to be “the biggest star the world has ever seen,” and she won’t let anything stand in her way.