The Road

I looked at this film because is a lot like what we want to base our project on. It’s a post apocalyptic film that shows a man and his son trying to survive in a slowly dieing world. In it they have to run from people that want to kill them and eat them and try and maintain sanity at the same time.

In the beginning it starts off in a dream, a dream of the past just before the nuclear war. It is shown brightly with as much colour and happiness as possible. Near the end of the dream things start to go wrong and that when you realise that something bad is happening or going to happen. The music in this is the same as the rest of it, quite sombre but in a way that portrays surrealism. This helps indicate that it’s all a dream.

Then it cuts to the main character, who now looks quite beaten, waking up from the dream before moving to look out at the now barren and dying wasteland. They are in a cave and wrapped up in a large amount of clothing.

During the film it goes back to flash backs a lot and they are usually dreams. We are probably going to incorporate something like this into our film opening.

screen written for same idea

Close up on eyes as eyes open. Then the camera goes back and you see them lying on the ground. Then they sit up, the camera in the same position, and look around. There is a close up on them touching their head in pain before going to some pictures of a scuffle, in black and white and disorientating. During the images sound can be heard, screaming? Then it comes back to the person who looks like they are in pain, there fingers at their temple. They then hiss in pain and look down, spotting a pole on the floor. Metal? Close up on pole before back to person who is looking at it in confusion. Close up on the pole again as they brush their fingers along it. Another black and white image, this time of another person and a girl. The other person (man?) is holding the pole above their head up as if to hit the cowering girl. Cry of “NO!” by the person watching. POV shot from person lying on the floor? Hand seen stretching out to reach the girl being attacked. Shot goes back to the hand on the pole which is seen quickly retreating and the person clutches their hand to their chest with a hiss. They then look around again and move, shuffling on their knees in pain, to put there hand on some marks in the earth. Medium shot. They then look up to see something in the grass. They gasp and the camera pulls back from their head and shoulders shot to see a (black?) object. The person approaches it, getting to their feet; medium shot again. Another wave of images, about the coat and the person wearing the coat; the girl from the last shot. They then topple over the coat before lifting themselves up off the person in it. You can now see the girl in the coat, blood on her face? Her eyes shut. Medium shot. Close up on neck as they take the girls pulse. The hand is retreats and there is a medium shot of them pulling the girl over to see the blood. They pull their hand quickly back and look at it in horror; it covered in blood. Close up of head and shoulders. Images seen again and you can see the smiling face of the girl in black and white. Then the camera goes out again and they are seen hugging the body of the dead girl. Camera zooms out steadily as they sobs rock them and it fades out to white.

story written idea for a thriller opening

I sat up, feeling the wind pulling at my hair, running its biting cold fingers through the delicate tendrils of darkness as I looked around in confusion. Where was I? I was sitting in a field, that I knew, but why was I there? What had happened before? Why couldn’t I remember? Then I saw images, quick, flashing images that made no sense but seemed to indicate some sort of battle. They were gone almost as quickly as they came, leaving me with just a throbbing head. Placing my hand up to it, I gritted my teeth before looking closely at the world around me. Next to me was a long length of metal that looked slightly beaten. This caused a whole new wave of images to erupt into my mind, showing the quick image of someone holding the metal thing up to someone as I watched on the floor. I grimaced and hissed in pain, not only for my head this time but psychologically as well. The person must have meant something to me. Looking around again I saw what looked to be some sort of scuffle marks. Scrambling unsteadily to my feet I winced before crouching down and studying it. Following the marks I could see something in the grass. It looked like a coat and I walked unsteadily towards it, another wave of images and sound hitting me before I toppled over to the coat. Only, it wasn’t just a coat, there was a body too. I felt my eyes widened as I realised that there was a human body there, unconscious. Quickly taking their pulse I realised they were dead and as I went to turn them over I felt something wet on one side of their head. Pulling my hand back with a feeling of dread I gasped as I saw red on my hand. Blood. Another wave of images took over and I collapsed beside her, tears in my eyes and grief in my heart.

Donnie Darko

             The tagline is a line from the film ‘why are you wearing that stupid man suit?’ this gives the film a sense of mystery and suspense as you wonder what relevance it has to the film and why someone might be complied to say it. When you have watched the film you understand what relevance it has as it is a line said by frank in retaliation to what Donnie asked him; ‘why are you wearing that stupid man suit?’ Mystery is a primary thriller convention.

The main character, Donnie Darko, is seen holding an axe. This makes the audience question as to why he has it and coupled with the dark background gives the film a sense of foreboding. The audience thinks it is likely to be a dark film, full of mystery. It might also lead you to believe that instead of being a thriller that it’s a horror. You find, if you watch the film, you find out that the hammer he is holding is in fact the same one that is in the head of the bronze statue when the school is wrecked.

The lettering of the name is also a very good effect as they are smudged. This gives the sense that perhaps it relates to the time travel warping its existence.

Our categories (BBFC)

Suitable for all

It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. ‘U’ films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.
If a work is particularly suitable for a pre-school child to view alone, this will be indicated in the Consumer Advice.

Parental Guidance

General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.
Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.

Suitable for 12 years and over

Exactly the same criteria are used to classify works at ‘12A’ and ‘12’. These categories are awarded where the material is suitable, in general, only for those aged 12 and over. Works classified at these categories may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable for them.
The ‘12A’ category exists only for cinema films. No one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult, and films classified ‘12A’ are not recommended for a child below 12. An adult may take a younger child if, in their judgement, the film is suitable for that particular child. In such circumstances, responsibility for allowing a child under 12 to view lies with the accompanying adult.
The ‘12’ category exists only for video works. No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video work.

Suitable only for 15 years or over

No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.

Suitable only for adults

No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video work.