Film Analysis of Demon's Island (2002)

RUBI ALI

Shot types & Camera MovementTHE OPENING OF DEMON ISLAND STARTS OFF WITH A CRANE SHOT/HIGH ANGLE ESTABLISHING SHOT WHICH PANS DOWN AND SHOWS THE SETTING OF A SMALL VILLAGE IN CENTRAL AMERICA AS CONFIRMED IN THE VOICEOVER TOO. THERE IS THEN A CLOSE UP OF ONE OF THE VILLAGE HOUSES WHICH EFFECTIVELY ZOOMS IN THROUGH A WINDOW PRESENTING THE FIRST CHARACTER WORKING. THESE SHOTS ALREADY TELL AUDIENCE ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE FILM AND STATES OF CHARACTERS. MID SHOTS AND CLOSE UPS OF CHARACTERS WORKING IS THEN SHOWN FOR A CLOSER EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUDIENCE AND THEM. OVER THE SHOULDER SHOTS ARE ALSO SHOWN WHICH SHOWS AUDIENCE EVERYONES PERSPECTIVES.I REALLY LIKE HOW THERE IS ALREADY A MIXTURE OF SHOT TYPES IN THE OPENING WHICH TELL US A LOT ABOUT THE SETTING AND PEOPLE. I LIKE HOW THE CAMERA FOLLOWS AROUND AND THINK IT SUITS THE GENRE OF HORROR AS IT LINGERS AND GIVES A DAUNTING ATRMOSPHERE.

EditingTHE FILM'S INSTITUTIONAL LOGO'S WERE VERY SUITABLE TO THE HORROR GENRE AS PERSONALLY IT WAS QUITE INTIMIDATING AS THE CLOSE UP OF BLOOD DRIPPING WAS SCARY. I REALLY LIKED THE EDITING DONE WITH THE PINATA ISLAND TITLE, FIRST THERE IS A SMASH OF THE SCREEN WHICH IS UNEXPECTED AND JUMPY. SECONDLY, THE LIGHTS EDITED IN THE TITLES WHICH THEN APPEAR AS A DEMONS EYES WERE REALLY EFFECTIVE.ALSO, THE EFFECT OF BLACK AND WHITE WHICH WAS APPLIED TO THE OPENING EMPTHASIZES THE EMPTINESS AND NEGATIVITY OF IT AND THE CHARACTERS MOOD.

SoundTHROUGHOUT THE OPENING OF THE MOVIE, THERE IS A VOICEOVER WHICH ACTS LIKE A NARRATOR WHO IS SPEAKING TO AUDIENCE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AND VILLAGE. THERE IS NON DIAGETIC MUSIC TOO WHICH IS INSTRUMENTS PLAYING AT A SLOW PACE AND AT A MEDIUM VOLUME. THE MUSIC FLOWS ALONG WITH THE OPENING AS THEY BOTH LINGER ALONG AT THE SAME TIMES AND IT SUGGESTS THAT THE SCENES MAY BE SHOWING THE PAST BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT AND TYPE OF MUSIC.

Character representionsTHE CHARACTERS SHOWN IN THE OPENING ARE OF BOTH GENDER. THERE ARE MALES WHICH ARE SHOWN FIRST TO BE WORKING WHICH IS A STEREOTYPE. THE MEN SEEM VERY HARD WORKING AND STRONG WITH A DETERMINED FEEL.FEMALES ARE SHOWN LATER ON IN THE OPENING WHEN THERE IS A OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT WITH THE CAMERA FOLLOWING AROUND A CIRCLE OF PEOPLE SITTING AND EATING. THE FEMALES LOOK WEAK AND UPSET BUT EQUALLY SOME MALE CHARACTERS DO TOO.THE EMOTIONS OF SOME CHARACTERS ARE PORTRAYED WELL AS THEY SEEM TO BE VERY UNHEALTHY AND WEAK BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOOD. THEY SEEM TO BE VERY QUIET AND COMMUNICATION IS QUITE POOR. THERE IS NO CONVERSATIONS IN THE OPENING WHICH SUGGESTS THAT THE CHARACTERS ARE IN SOME WAY AFFECTED BY SOMETHING.