Creating Labels

Independent case study on The Happening - the use of imagery and soundtracks in thrillers

Set in modern day American cities ( for example, New York's Central Park and Philadelphia), The Happening, directed by M.Night Shayamalan, 2008, documents the fear of an uncontrollable natural event and the possibility that humans are indefinitely a target of the environment itself. The film follows the attempts of a science teacher who, with his wife, best friend and his daughter, learn that what was a presumed terrorist attack in New York was in fact the result of the transmission of  a fatal neurotoxin from plants which causes any individual exposed to the chemical to commit suicide, especially in more rural areas where the event is inescapable. Whilst the production received incredibly poor ratings and was deemed ' incoherent' and 'unconvincing', I feel that the film was excellent in conveying a sense of terror within director M.Night Shyamalan's use of imagery, close ups and character development and progression through the acknowledgement that humanity could be destroyed through the horrifying concept of human intent to purposefully end one's life, without the wish to before the attacks.

An early scene which highlights the undeniable theme of overwhelming mass suicide occurs at a construction site in New York, showing various builders purposefully throwing themselves off the scaffolding. Because the shot is performed in slow motion, within the audience the image appears as tragic and surreal, almost as if the figures falling to their deaths represents a loss of rationality. Also,  as the faces of the builders cannot be seen from such a height, it contributes significantly to the disregard of what was their life, their family and the importance of human will. What makes the scene disturbing in this respect is that the motive seen through the high angle was so sudden, but so simple to cause an indefinite effect on the witnesses below- including the viewers.

In relation, more close ups emphasize the sudden realization that there is an endangerment of life, or that in this case, clear insinuation that a known character has met their fate. Elliot's friend, math teacher Jullion ( portrayed by John Leguizamo) has just emerged from the remains of a deliberately induced car crash, whilst the other four passengers have been killed. However, his escape only provokes an alternative method of bringing about his own death as he sits helplessly in the shards of glass, before using a piece to inflict wounds upon himself - it is apparent to the audience that whilst he hasn't been killed, he is infected with the virus and will soon die, which creates a contrast between the fast, violent car accident and his single death. This also emphasizes the loss the disaster would bring to the whole population, in particular his daughter, who would have lost both of her parents.

Additionally, other scenes that deceit the aftermath of suicide in The Happening aim to evoke a similar sense of terror that the characters feel upon understanding that mass suicide is occurring in the same cities and towns many people have fled to in an attempt for safety. An accomplice of the pair, the nursery owner's facial expression documents clearly fear and confusion as to why the army officer leading them away from the affected roads has started to walk backwards to his group and shout military orders. This brings about the awful assumption that the vast number of individuals ( shown below) have met their fate and consequently, even though such a scene is never shot, everyone in this area committed suicide using the officer's handgun.

 

As in the case of other thriller productions such as Seven and Signs ( also a Shyamalan film that presents the theme of threat towards humanity), the opening credits create a chilling, eerie atmosphere by using a soundtrack composition that compliments the imagery used to introduce the film. One shot of moving clouds across the sky appears innocent , but in respect of the themes, emerges as both moving and threatening. Also, James Newton Howard's instrumental score is disturbing for it's simplicity and fluency in contrast against the deadly, unsettling storyline. The simple rhythm motif gradually becomes heavier and increases in pace, potentially representing an inescapable situation.