Suspense and Horror Trailer Analysis

/in /by

Larinda Griffin

Mrs. Jenkins

ENG 1123

Date

Suspense and Horror Trailer Analysis

Horror movies are filled with suspense and are scary, thus have an effect of raising the body adrenaline. Suspense and horror movies have similar characteristics that include fear of death, disfigurement, scary places, dismemberment, spooky music, suspense, dark, and mostly composed of creepy and crawling things. Stephen King’s movies are based on suspense and horror as they share most of the horror characteristics and thus are scary movies. Among the selected trailers, suspense and horror characteristics such as creepy sounds, corpse, fonts, screams, lightening as well as shattering glasses and whirling wind are evident.

Creepy Show is one of the trailers that is based on Stephen King’s work that exhibits characteristics such as creepy sounds and loud explosions making it a suspense and horror trailer. The film incorporates various themes that are full of suspense and horror ranging from the sounds to graphics. Sounds are introduced from the beginning of the trailer to the end, but it is not a single sound all over as there are other mixed horrific and creepy sounds produced by the characters and objects. Eerie sounds are heard from the background which is an indication that the movie is a horror film. The whirling of winds is a good indication of a horrific incident as well as loud explosions that creates suspense. In the combination of the human screams, the trailer becomes full of suspense. Concerning language, the narrator in the trailer uses a language that is full of terror and suspense from the way he introduces the characters and scenes to the way he keeps the audience waiting for the next moment to see what will happen. In regards to iconography, the trailer incorporates such items as corpses, cockroaches, monsters and terrified humans. These characteristics indicate a terrific suspense film.

The Cat’s Eyes is another suspense and horror trailer based on the works of Stephen King, exhibiting characteristics as cat’s growls, horrific sounds and human screams. The trailer introduces horrific events through a storyline of events as they happen as witnessed through a cat’s eyes. The movie trailer is suspenseful and at the same time horrific in that it has some aspects of horror movies. Sound is one of the main characteristics of horror; Creepy sounds follow the soft background music used in the introduction while the rest of the trailer is filled with horrific sounds such as cat growls and human screams. Concerning the language, the narrator uses a terror and suspense language, for example, he says that “The master of murder and horror” a quote that it is full of terror. In regards to iconography, various incidences include a cat growling out of fear, cars colliding, women screaming out of panic, cigarettes smoke coming from the ears, cracking walls as well as a giant cat’s eye that is used to indicate horror. Horrific graphics have as well been used in the trailer that includes gothic fronts and the use of weapons such as guns indicating that crime and murder is a common theme in the film.

Misery 1990 is the next trailer in Stephen King’s series showing horror characteristics loneliness, mockery and mistreatment of a man by a female. The man has been bedridden since his legs has had fractures and thus have remained confined in bed on the mercy of an inhuman female. The trailer ‘Misery’ notes Stephen King as the author of the novel and incorporates various elements of suspense and horror movie that include sound and language. Various sounds, including screams, loud bangs, high voices, and screeching sounds have been used as an indicator of suspense and horror and therefore the trailer can be classified as both misery and horror. Horrific language has also been used in the dialogues that are full of terror and suspense with the narrator making the highest contribution in introducing the trailer. For example, the woman says that “You better hope that I don’t die, because if I die, you die” indicating threats of death which has been at times made real as the woman injects the man against his will and also almost cripples his legs with a hammer. The use of fonts as well makes it a suspense trailer and thus, ‘Misery 1990’ therefore is a suspense and horror trailer.

In conclusion, all of Stephen King’s trailers are full of suspense and horror in that they share common themes and horrific elements from sounds to language. This paper is significant because it helps the viewers identify suspense and horror movies; for example, creepy and screaming sounds, gothic fonts, and lightening are common characteristics that introduce the films are horror movies.

Works Cited

Cat’s Eye (1985) Official Trailer – Drew Barrymore, Stephen King Horror Movie HD. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/rqzTazrYx5M?t=4Creep Show (1982) Official Trailer – Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen Movie HD. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/owdnnaNs2RI?t=29Misery (1990) – Original Trailer. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/cWVxFKn7qx4?t=87