The Grudge - Film Opening

Camera  - At the start of the opening sequence, there is a point of view, hand held action. This is to show the person walking down the pathway to the house. When we see the house, it is a low angle shot which makes it seem bigger and more threatening. There is another hand held shot of when the door is being opened. This makes the opening seem like a documentary of someone showing the audience around the house. During the sequence, there are many close up shots to show the two character's facial expressions and for detail, for example, the rope in the hanging scene. A match on action is used to show the camera panning down the house to then go on to do the same thing in the Grudge's bedroom. This is a good way of making the scenes flow together. There is use of a tracking shot where we see the various different items on the floor, and this is to give us clues about the plot or the character's.

Sound - At first in the sequence, there is diagetic sound of the trees rustling whilst the character is walking up the path. This is to make the scene sound more frightening. Some more diagetic sound from the sequence includes birds and crows squawking, footsteps walking up the path, dripping of the blood, heavy breathing from the Grudge, slamming of the door, blood spattering onto the wall, young children laughing, pages of a book turning, tapping noises and screaming. These are all used for dramatic effect to make the scenes seem scarier. There is also use of some non-diagetic sound, which is used to create suspense.


Mise-en-scene and Editing - Some of the typical horror film objects in The Grudge include trees, a big house, windows, blood, chairs and table, a cat, rope for a hanging. These are some of the items that the audience would expect to see in a typical horror film. Some less obvious items which feature in The Grudge opening include slippers, litter, kitchen utensils and children's drawings. All the items in a horror film will have some kind of being behind them.
There are many jump cuts in the sequence to emphasize the confusion and panic of the situation. The lighting is mainly very dim which is used to emphasize the frightening plot and characters of the film.