The Shining Essay

The Shining Essay



The scene starts with a mid shot of Danny watching his mother in bed. In there background the lamp is crooked, showing that not everything is as it seems and something bad is going to happen. It makes me feel slightly uneasy, as it isn't neat, and isn't nice to look it. There are flowers on the bed sheet which suggest that Wendy is innocent in this situation. Also, the name Wendy reminds me of Peter Pan, which portrays her as young, helpless and easily lead. Next, a knife comes into view. This is a convention within the horror genre, and can create fear as it is a dangerous object. Danny's quiet and deep voice can create fear as a small child should not have a deep voice. The diegetic sound of his voice croaking and being quiet contextually links to The Grudge (2004). A non-diegetic sound of a violin plays loudly, which is scary because it happens all of a sudden, raising heart rate. This is another convention from the horror genre.
When Danny starts to move, the camera pans slowly, left to right so it can track his movements. The door also creates an upside-down religious cross behind him, suggesting that Danny has come into contact with a devilish force or person (his father, the old woman in room 237). The slow movements create tension, as it acts as a build-up to the intensity that is yet to come.
Danny grabs some Red Lipstick. The colour red has many connotations; love, danger, death, and America as a country as the colour is in the flag. This is furthered by the fact that Danny is wearing a red jumper. There is a mirror in the shot too, which connotes to an emotional reflection of each character. The camera pans again but from right to left, as Danny writes 'Redrum' on the door. One of the 'R's is backwards, reminding people that a child has wrote this, and it is a child's mistake. Danny turns to his mother, shouting 'redrum' repeatedly as she wakes up. She moves quickly, speeding up the pace of the sequence. This creates tension, as you have to pay close attention to the movements. The camera ten zooms in to a close up of Wendy's face. It is a over-the-shoulder shot, as you can see Danny in it. This shows that they have a close relationship. This then becomes a reaction shot to what she sees in the next shot.
The sequence cuts to a mid shot of the reflected image of the door. The camera zooms into the word 'Murder', so people know it is the main focus of the shot. The mirror is now more significant, as when you look at the door, it says the word 'Murder'. This could symbolise the problem of body image and lack of self-gratifiaction in America, as makeup is used to decorate something badly, making no sense, but the mirror is showing the real image, rather than a twisted version of a persons perception of themselves.


This sequence starts with a slow tracking forwards shot of Danny riding this tricycle through the halls. The camera is very far away from Danny, suggesting he is more independent than he was at the start of the film. Danny turns a corner, and the camera continues to track forwards. The rule of thirds is used throughout this sequence, which creates symmetry, making it nice to look at. It cuts to a similar shot, however the camera is closer to Danny this time, telling me that he needs someone in the future because of what he sees. The walls this time have flowers, which connote to innocence, either of Danny, or the twins that got murdered. As he turns the corner and the twins come into view, a loud non-diegetic sound is played, scaring me slightly. The camera stops abruptly when Danny stops cycling. The camera slightly moves up, meaning Danny isn't in the centre. Also, the girls are placed further back, so they look higher up and more dominant over Danny.
It cuts to a reaction close-up shot of Danny. The rule of thirds is used again, and the colour red seen again in the shot. You see his heavy breathing, showing that he is scared. This makes me breathe slightly heavier too, as it must be building up to something. It cuts back to the shot of the girls in the hallway, but Danny is now directly in the middle, looking a little bit smaller. This tells us that he is belittled by the girls, and scared by them.