Ring Trailer Analysis: Improved

The Ring Trailer Analysis

The trailer for “The Ring” opens with a shot of a door which slowly zooms in and get closer and closer, which creates a signified meaning as these micro elements create a sense of fear and danger related to this door, as the camera zooms towards the door. The cinematography also creates the fear as the lights are low lit and are blue, which gives a cold feel about the door.

The next shot is a wide shot of a young boy watching a TV on his own. The shot is a high angle shot which makes the boy look small and vulnerable and the TV larger and powerful, even though it is an inanimate object, the viewer still knows that the boy is in danger, as the TV is both signified and a signifier as something evil, as the audience knows that the TV stands for something evil, as no good can come out if it when the TV appears on screen. The title cards beforehand read: ‘There is a Videotape’ and ‘If you watch it’ which uses connotations that there is a connection between the TV and a videotape, which is a connotation of the viewer that something bad will happen, as bad things happen when the videotape is used, e.g. like death. The cinematography again uses very low, dim lights with a blue shade, which continues the cold theme throughout the trailer

One of the next shots is an old stone well which is a form of MES as it is a prop, which is in the centre of the frame to show it is important and that all focus is on the object. The well is actually a signifier of danger again as it is connected to the videotape, as the frame shows the crackled effect of an old videotape. The well is also intentionally for something darker as it makes the viewer believe that there is something unexpected inside with the intention of frightening us. The background behind the well is also used in iconography as the background is of an old, desolate wood, which is an iconic sing in the horror genre as it makes the viewer believe they are lost alone in an unknown territory with no sign of help.  All of these micro elements help the audience understand the genre by the use of macro elements, as the genre is horror which can be interpreted by all of these signs, and represents something dangerous, scary, fearful emotions. All of these signs can link together as they continue the cinematography throughout the trailer.

Throughout the trailer there is a crackled effect, a bit like an old tape that is blank. This is to continue the semiotics of the trailer which is of the idea of videotapes with something evil on it, and if you watch it you will die, as there are signs within the trailer referring to the tape and the TV, which gives a new sense of fear in the physical world for the viewer as the trailer makes them believe they are watching it on an old tape player.