Enjoying Horror
At the beginning of this episode, the main character Buffy dreamed that when she kissed a guy, they heard a little girl was singing smoothly. I thought this scene should be romantic when I was watching the characters kissed each other. However, with the scene turned dark, I heard the storm’s sounds, and the crowd in the class suddenly turned quiet. At the same time, I only saw two characters on the screen. Buffy and the guy heard creepy song from a little girl, and they finally found the girl was singing in the corridor. I consider this is diegetic sound, because the voices from the character who is the little girl, which means that sound whose source is visible on the screen. This diegetic sound contributes to the aesthetic of horror for the video, because when I heard the little girl’s voice, I could foresee that some horrific things would be happened soon, which paved the way for the next plot.
There is a scene that when the pointer on the clock pointed to one o’clock at midnight, all the people fell asleep. The horrible sound accompanied with this sound, which sounded like someone whispered. This sound can be defined as non-diegetic sound. The reason is that sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action. This sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect, because the next plot is that a terror man who might be vampire collected gas which was breathed out by those people. This non-diegetic sound has the aesthetic of horror, because although I could not see where the voice was from. I still felt some horrible things or horrible people would come out.
After this scene, the next scene is that when people woke up in the morning, they found that they could not speak any more and they lost their voice, because the vampire collected their gas last night. This scene can be defined as mise en scene, because I could see the creepy plots from the actors’ performances and appearances. This mise en scene contributes to the aesthetic of horror. Due to the fact that the form of art is visible for the audiences, therefore; when the actors show their emotion and mood, the audiences can intuitively have fear from actors’ performances.
November 8th, 2013 at 8:42 PM
As we have the same example for the diegetic sound, i agree with you for the understanding of diegetic sound. But the reason why we choose the example is not similar. I do not think the sound is visible on screen, because i can not tell it just depends on the no-sound video. I am sure about this is not non-diegtic sound because its conversation in the story. They are connected between the little girl’s song and the conversation. Nevertheless, i agree with you the contributes to the aesthetic of horror. The girl sings the song that gives us the feeling of horror. Very deep low tone songs by a little girl makes me creepy.
November 10th, 2013 at 8:01 PM
Your example of mise en scene is part of the reason why the episode continued to catch my interest all the way till the end of the episode. The first moments when they lost their voice it catches your curiosity because you really have no idea what’s going on. Then you get an idea of what’s going on but it still keeps your curiosity because you want to know what solution they will come up with to overcome the inability to talk and save the town from the Gentlemen. I agree that the actors do a great job of selling the fright that they felt when they’re voices were stolen.
November 10th, 2013 at 10:46 PM
I am glad that we have the similar thoughts about mise en scene. I think mise en scene contributes to the aesthetic of horror because it provides the vision to people. The scenery is implemented to disturb the audience and enhance the horror. Even though the charterers are able to talk after all, you can still feel how the characters in the movies intend to present the way they want, to “threaten” people. Since they cannot talk, it would be difficult for them to present their intention directly through words. So I am agree with you that characters have done a great job performing.