How Is Suspence Created In 'The Stepfather' ?

THE STEPFATHER

'The Stepfather' film has many aspects of a chilling thriller. Conveying typical things such as; mysterious background music, camera shots, which helped in showing that is was INFACT a thriller and how it was edited. I will be analysing three scenes which stood out to me.

The First Scene

Which was infact the introduction of the film. The viewers seeing all of the killers poccessions as if he had an obessive complusive disorder. The way it was filmed. Panning across the objects made it seem quiet creepy in a way, it certainly made me feel uncomfitable but I still wanted to procceed in watching. The background music as well was very strange and spooky. It seemed very sinister. As the killer put on the CD player, 'Silent Night' a gospel, religious song was being played as he was doing things like making coffee, having a slice of toasted bread which seemed very normal of a person to do. But as he walked off the camera stood still and we eventually saw a boy. Cold in blood as the killer killed him. This was disturbing to watch. The editing scene for this is when we could see a full body shot of the killer standing away from us. And the camera speeding up to him as we see flash backs of the young female victim.

The Second Scene

I choose to do the scene were the killer(David) was sufficating the childrens father. This was horrible to watch but it left me feeling to watch more of it. To see what happens next in the killers process. The big close up of the dad's face in the plastic bag, to me, looked very terrifying as there was eventually blood which you could literally see. The suspence of this was when the son, Michael gets very suspious as he can hear noise coming from the basement. We, the audience are left thinking 'Is David going to get caught, he has to, there's no way out of this' But he doesn't and we are left thinking 'Oh damn it!' The in tense music in the background is very striking as in a way it sort of glamourises how he is killing the father.

The Third Scene

The last and final scene which I have analysed is when Michael is in the basement, I was literally left off the edge of my chair thinking is David(The Killer) going to catch him. And the fighting scene on the roof. The music intensifies the whole scene and without that, I personally think that it wouldn't make it as a good film. The close up shot of Davids' face as he stands there in angry depics the emotion he is going through and I believe that this really conveys a good typical thriller film but with an edgey twist to it. As Michael pushed David out of the broken wooden works of the house. They ly helplessly as we get a birds eye view of both Davids' and Michaels' body.

My Thoughts ...

I conclude to the point that the film as a whole was very exciting, it gripped me from the start and wasn't at all boring. The jumpy bits were David appeared out of no where is something I may suggest to my group members as it was scary and it definitely made me up. Camera works such as speeding up also may be considered as it looks like a great effect to have put into a thriller sequence. I enjoyed watching the film, like really enjoyed it. Personally, if it WAS out in the cinema I would not watch it. As I thought it didn't really appeal to me but as they say 'Never Judge A Book By It's Cover' and I have definitely realised that, it has also made me have a wider look on other films which may not be to my taste.