Textual Analysis – ‘The Evil Dead’

Introduction

The first thing we see in this opening sequence is the introduction of the company written in red on a grey background. This connotes the idea of darkness and horror whilst the red typing signifies blood and the horror genre overall.

Opening to the Film

The name of the film is consistent with the company name seen before. The red represents the horror genre once again but the almost fire like elements depict danger.

Location

The location of this opening sequence is a misty and dark woodland setting which shows the darkness and unpredictability relating to the horror genre. The low angle shots like the one seen here shows the point of view of the demon and these frantic camera shots depict the evilness of the demon.

Dominance

This is not a typical horror genre shot however the use of the establishing, long shot is used to convey the main characters as they are all traveling in the car. The car behind the trees can see seen as a shot to illustrate the demon in the woods has more power and signifies the horror genre that humans are not dominant.

Confusion

This shot is a close up of a map which conveys the group of characters are lost. This is done to show the lack of power and control in the horror status the characters have. Being lost depicts that the demons in the woods hold the power and dominance in this early film situation.

Conclusion

The director maintained most of the different aspects to convey the horror genre in this opening sequence. The typography of the introduction is red which signifies horror. With the characters lost in the woods and with the use of establishing shots the location it instantly suggests this is a horror film. The director uses the opening sequence to show several horror aspects including the point of view shots of the demon which give off a frantic and dangerous feel showing the disequilibrium of the film