The Grudge 2 Trailer

Narrative: Todorov’s theory also applies to The Grudge 2 as a strategy in which the producers have used to narrate the trailer. This horror trailer initiates with a mother and daughter in a car, this could signify a compassionate relationship and connote that the trailer is in its period of equilibrium. This is further supported by the use of iconography as the setting illustrated that the trailer is located in an urban city through the use of traffic lights and skyscrapers (0.18). The trailer quickly develops into disequilibrium, as the light starts to flicker in the hospital, this would suggest to the audience that the trailer is based on mystery hence leaving them in suspense. Additionally, its follows conventions such as the use of a possessed child to illustrate the power of the supernatural, this instils more fear into an audience and causes them to apprehend and also the use of weaponry to insert more suspense the distinction between these periods is indicated by the use of sound.

Sound: The trailer progresses with a soft sound in the background of the trailer supplemented by the over voice of the mother in the scene talking about the accident which had occurred, this dictates the mood by suggesting that the mood was and quite sad, however, the audience are aware that the trailer is still in equilibrium as the lighting is bright and the urban city is busy with traffic e.g. sound of horns (cars). As the trailer advances into disequilibrium, the sound becomes more louder and upbeat which suggests that events the villain is not far away, prompting that something bad will happen to the teenager for her sinful act. This trailer is similar to Echo as it has also used dialogue consistently to generate a narrative for the audience.

Codes and Conventions: Specific paradigms are used in this trailer to make it logical and also aid the narrative of the trailer. Firstly, the usage of a car suggest that the trailer is located in a modern society which would create a relationship between the trailer and the audience, additionally a vast majority of horror trailers use vehicles for instance on road trips. The trailer has also used darkness and jump cuts to add pace to the trailer as well as supporting the five golden rules of horror “to always make the audience jump”. Another convention can be illustrated at 1.98, in which the victims phone rings, however conventionally she is not able to call for help which makes completely isolated which follows a lot of screaming. Finally, the trailer has also implemented a group of teenagers in the flash back of previous incident at a haunted house, this stereotypically suggests that teenagers are exploitive and immoral to an extent, and as a result get punished.

Editing: Finally, similarly to the devils chair the producers have also used montage editing to stimulate the mind of the audience and allowing them to focus on the scenes rather than trying to establish the message (theme) behind the trailer. The trailer starts with fades to black and progresses to jump cuts, this technique is used to dictate the emotions of the trailer usually conveying that the possessed people are always around and that their is no way of escape.