Codes and Conventions : Bride of Chucky

Bride of Chucky [Ronny Yu] 1998

With an opening scene of 3 minutes 30 seconds with title sequences, the Bride of Chucky opening uses signifiers of the horror genre straight from the beginning, with the use of string based music for non diegetic sound. This relates back to Physco, one of the first and very popular horror films, which also has string based music.

The production logo, Universal, and the text - Universal presents - is shown, and serif text is used which can signify a serious film, and the text that was chosen looked as though the serifs were daggers.

From the first scene, exposition is used to let the viewer know little background details about the film, such as the american flag, and the close up on the police dept sign. Pathetic fallacy is also used in the first scene, with the heavy rain, night time, and thunder and lightening, which all give the idea that something bad is going to happen. All can be seen as typical aspects to a horror film.

Again, like in Halloween, a blue filter is used over the lens to create a sense of fear. A dutch angle is used, which is when the camera is off axis, which signifies something isn't quite right.

The opening also involves intertextual references to other horror films, such as Friday 13th sequals with the hockey masked thats locked away, and the Michael Myres from Halloween.

There is alot of shot variation in the opening sequence, from close ups to long shots, which keep the audience interested.

The false scare is also commonly used in horror films, where suspense is increased, in this example by the man reaching to look in the black bin liner, when a sudden action takes place, the loud noise of the police radio, which makes the audience jump, expecting something else to happen.

The scene in which the mans throat is cut, is taken in short takes, and he covers up the cut, and blood pours out. This is an easy way in creating verisimlitude in a horror film, trying to make the gore look realistic.

Male Gaze is also brought into the opening sequence, as a woman wearing little clothing is shown on screen, along with certain objects being shown twice, which could signify some importance later in the film.