Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a great show when looking at the aesthetics of horror. The show is a science fiction drama about a normal, young woman who kills vampires. There are several aspects of film which are important to understanding the genre and themes. First, mise en scene looks at the logistics of the film. Mise en scence has to do with the production, filming, design, lighting, color, movement, and performance of the actors. In the particular episode of Buffy we viewed this week, mise en scene is used when Buffy dozes off in class and “awakes” in a dream to find herself in a dark hallway where a young girl is singing. The scene utilizes dark lighting, distant singing, and Buffy’s slow movements to create an eerie feel as if something is about to go wrong. Buffy wakes from the dream suddenly and the fast change of scenery makes it apparent that the previous scene was meant to be a dream.

Encapsulated in mise en scene is also sound. There are two categories of sound in film, diagetic and non-diagetic sound. Diagetic sound includes internal sounds that are within the scene and visible. In Buffy, all of the dialogue between Buffy and her friends, the young girl singing, and the sounds of doors opening and closing are diagetic sounds. Non-diagetic sounds are external and their source is not seen on screen. During the opening credits of Buffy, there’s wolves howling and music that are not internal to the scenes. Other than this, there’s distinct musical keys between scene transitions that alert the viewer to the change. When Buffy awoke from her dream there was a loud screech like sound and the scene changed to her jolting awake in the classroom. Since this noise did not come from on screen but rather an external jolt it is considered non-diagetic.

The mise en scene, diagetic, and non-diagetic sounds all helped to emphasize the element of horror in Buffy. The scene of Buffy dozing off into a scary dream is relatable, the sounds of the little girl singing in silence, and the scary face and loud noise that awake Buffy are all eerie. I think what truly makes Buffy horror is the supernatural aspects. Although they aren’t very realistic they are scary because we don’t understand it or experience it. The way Buffy is filmed also adds an aspect of horror with the “flashes” during supernatural battle scenes.