Individual Film Research

By Liam Buckland

Possession Subgenre

Ouija

I liked Ouija as it was about a story of them trying to connect with someone close to them, similar to ours.

The Last Exorcist

I learned from this film that the ghost or in this case, the possessed human, is scary and that low key lighting is very effective in possession films.

Paranormal Activity 2

I learned that video recorded devices, such as small hand held digital cameras, work well with this subgenre as they add a more realistic and spookier effect, as you think that there is no camera man and there is no technical team behind the camera; its just you and the protagonist/antagonist.

Zombie Subgenre

I Am Legend

I learned from this film that emptiness of a city- cars piled up, desolated- is a key convention to a zombie film, as it connotes to the audience that something is not right and a virus has taken over as usually cities are busy. And I liked that his best friend was his dog as when the dog gets killed, we feel something for his character as we get attached to him as he is the only survivor throughout the main story.

Dawn of the Dead

I learned that there is usually action and gore in zombie movies, which makes the film more fast paced and enjoyable to the audience.

World War Z

I liked this film as the protagonist is on a journey to try and find a cure for the zombie infection. My favorite scenes is when he’s on the plane and they are stacking up the suitcases as there is an infection on board, which made me watch intensely to see what happens, and the end scene where he is face to face with the zombie after he takes the cure unwillingly as he has no choice.