Representations in Horror flims

Representations in horror films

Representations in Horror and Thriller have been pre-established, some of the representations in the films have become stereotypes (a widely held but fixed and over simplified image of a particular type of person or thing) or archetypes (a very

 Zombieland opening scene:

In the Horror genre there are a lot of stereotypes such as women are fragile and weak and men are normally brave and strong. In the film Zombieland which is a production by Columbia Pictures the codes of conventions are tested as the main Female protagonist is shown as a very strong independent character and the main male protagonist is shown as rather weak but still brave.

This Opening scene starts with a woman crashing through her wind-shield and crashing onto the ground in front of her followed by an birds eye view shot showing the writing 'Rule #4: Always wear a seatbelt' this is all done whilst the main protagonist is performing a voice over. The entire opening scene is actually the main protagonist listing off his 'Rules' to survive the Zombie apocalypse.

For the second scene a worms-eye view is used to show a man being thrown over the railings by what is clearly a zombie, this is all done at what seems half speed to add a dramatic effect to the entire scene, after 5 second the scene fades into a zombie spitting blood out of his mouth which then instantly fades into a woman running from a separate zombie also at half speed, just from her emotion portrayed on her face you can tell how much danger has so suddenly been inflicted on her world and how she is so forcefully trying to run away from what was once her life.

Every scene after the first scene is all shown at half speed for dramatic effect and these scene mostly show people fleeing from the zombie outbreak but some also show the Humans fighting back against the Apocalypse. this sets up the mood for the film as you as an audience are shown what is happening and how badly it has happened with in what seems a small time.

The main protagonists are not shown yet in the opening scene as they have yet to be introduced with in the storyline.