The Woman in Black Textual Analysis

    The sound in this opening scene from The Woman in Black is very key in identifying and constructing the horror genre right from the start. The non diagetic almost ticking like music that is evident throughout the entire scene is used in order to build up the suspense as the opening intensifies. This successful use of sound in creating horror eventually leads up to the girls jumping out the window when it reaches a climax then completely stops. The effect of this is to intensify the drama and horror of the mothers screams in the echo of silence. "My babies" is the dialect screamed by the mother. This is an eerie opening and the sound and dialect helps to intensify the horror in the opening scene by giving the audience the notion of death from the outset.

    Mise en scene is also vital in constructing the horror genre in this extract. The use of props is traditional and associated with horror - specifically things that people are fearful or scared of. The main props that bring horror into the opening are the dolls. Audiences are known to be afraid of dolls as seen in previous horrors such as dead silence. Something treacherous and scary normally surrounds toy dolls in horrors as well so this is almost a message to the audience for the troubles that are to come. The dull colours used in the room also signify that something bad is about to occur and this is almost pathetic fallacy. In all mise en scene contributes to the construction of horror highly effectively.

    Camera angles and movement further constructs the genre of horror in this opening scene by creating the fear that something paranormal is in the room. A high angle medium shot of the three girls shows the exact moment that they all put down their toys and look at the camera. This eludes to the idea that something daunting and fearsome is in the room and is looking right at them. This reasoning could also suggest that the shot is a Point of View shot as it could be what the antagonist is witnessing. This further gives off an element of horror as there is clearly a dominant paranormal antagonist in the room with three vulnerable girls - hinting that something bad is about to happen to the girls. Camera angles and movement can therefore be seen as extremely important in constructing the genre of horror.