Movie Trailer Textual Analysis: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Textual Analysis Movie Trailer: A Nightmare on Elm Street

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 2010 slasher movie directed by Samuel Bayer. It is the re-make of Wes Cravens 1984 film. In total this is the ninth film to be produced in total. It was certified an 18 and features actors such as Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker and Kellan Lutz.

Synopsis: A re-imagining of the horror icon Freddy Krueger, a serial-killer who wields a glove with four blades embedded in the fingers and kills people in their dreams, resulting in their real death in reality.

A Nightmare on Elm Street comes under the horror genre category of a slasher however it does has some psychological elements to it as well in total the teaser trailer is 128secs this is quite long for a teaser trailer, although it edited very well not to give to much away and encourage the viewer to go and watch.

The teaser trailer opens with a straightforward shot of the production companies’ logo, New Line cinema. The shot is accompanied by some non-diegetic music to begin the tension of the trailer. This has been placed at the beginning of the trailer to let it be known that this independent film company has produced this film, as the audience’s attention will be very alert at the beginning of a teaser trailer.

The shot the fades into three different establishing shots of a burnt out scrap yard factory, the shot have low key lighting and there is a lot of mist creating the setting to be eerie as it looks very abandoned. A man suddenly comes into shot being chased by a mob in cars running towards an empty warehouse, as he comes into view the non-diegetic music becomes louder and harsher and mixes with Foley sound effects of his heavy breathing. This is quite a lively start to a teaser trailer as it creates a lot of mystery as the audience wonders why this man is being pursued the music which accompanies further brings tension to the chase along with the match of action used of the man (later identified as Freddy Kruger) running. The long take is then cut to a variety of reaction shots the non-diegetic music heightened; dialogue is then used with Kruger’s character stating “What ever you think I did, I didn’t do anything”. This helps viewers who have perhaps watched previous versions of A Nightmare on Elm Street refresh their memories on the storyline and for new viewers encourage them to go and watch as they would be curious to find out what has he done or what the people think he has done.

A quick cut then reveals a low angle shot of man lighting petrol can on fire which is then shown to be hurled through the warehouse window which emphasises the danger which is to come. A slow motion effect is then used to show Kruger’s character beginning to be burnt accompanied by the rumbling of non-diegetic drums and diegetic dialogue of his shouts and screams, a reaction shot of a close up of a woman’s face revealing her NVC which is sad and remorseful generates an interest as we are left wondering why she feels so sorry for Kruger and what is her link with him. After the drums suddenly cut and the screen goes blank which happens quite frequently within the trailer to most likely add fear and suspension as human beings are generally scared of the unknown. A caption is exploded onto the screen and enhanced by back ground music revealing the producers name. The captions have black backgrounds and red writing with blood splattered effects around it to perhaps reveal this horror movie is going to be a slasher as the horrific blood killings are not extensively shown within the teaser trailer to not give a lot of the storyline away.

Quick cuts are then used to reveal a variety of shots, the sound of drums being played loud at the cut out parts, to show different locations as dreams can be set at any location desired or not desired one location being an underground boiler setting with a long shot of a mysterious man standing far away. Sound bridge dialogue is then used of a girl saying “I’m having these dreams and there’s this man and he’s burnt”. This further sets the storylines concept and is a device used to intrigue viewers to go and watch to find out about this “burnt” man.

The music suddenly cuts and the screen yet again cuts to black, the audience assuming the teaser trailer is over. However non diegetic of slow music of childlike singing of a nursery rhyme or handclapping or skipping rope rhyme game begins to play linking to the shots of little girls we see throughout the rest of the trailer. The music is very haunting and plays throughout the rest of the trailer and gives a very sinister feel. Whilst this is happening establishing shots are faded into one other of various houses and places on Elm Street a sign post of “Elm St” being one of them, setting the scene.

Another blackout is then followed by a mid-shot of Kruger’s infamous hand special effect enhancing the sparks flying off the synchronous sound of it rattling against the pipes jolts fear into the audience especially as they realised a blurred view of a person up ahead, connoting she is in grave danger. From here the pace quickens and the music becomes faster and louder building more tension. The cuts help accompany the music as the quick cuts reveal various strange shot of characters in different circumstances such as, jolting upright screaming in bed, a boy shivering half naked outside, a girl falling asleep in the bath and Kruger’s infamous hand reappearing. The nursery rhyme song getting louder also helps with the random appearance of the little girls again. The shots showing various different scenes work well, as it gives the audience nice little snippets of what will appear in the movie. It also confuses the audience as they are left wondering why are all these random scenes happening which makes them more willing to find out.

The next shot emphasises one of the main characters saying “Don’t fall asleep” this is then cut to various different shots of character within the film trying to stay awake or falling asleep and people desperately trying to wake them including a shot of a girl in a car the shot then switching to a mid-shot of her arm and a car cigarette lighter and then a reaction shot of her having to press this against her arm. We then get a mid-shot glimpse of Freddy Kruger but this is short lived as it quickly cuts to the next scene of characters in various locations, swimming pool, prison, a burnt out classroom and even a funeral connoting death of perhaps one of the main characters.

A crucial shot after these events is a low angle close-up of a boy on his knees and one of Kruger’s claws coming into shot and being placed on his shoulders. From here on establishing shoots of what seems to be Kruger’s lair are shown. A medium long shot of a boy suddenly being grabbed in the next shot is used to create a strong reaction such as a jump or a scream a common convention some horror trailers set to do. The pace then really peaks at its fastest with the quick thudding of non-diegetic music to reveal numerous quick shots of Kruger pursuing his victims with also the accompanied sounds of scream and shouts and the words “Wake up wake up” being screamed in the background. One of the quick cut shot shows the famous bed scene from the original movie of a girl being levitated and tortured in her sleep. We then hear a sudden scream from this girl and Kruger comes forward and slashes his claw towards the camera, as this is then it slashes into the revilement of a caption of the title sequence “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.

The audience are tricked again into thinking this is the end of the trailer but we then finally get to hear Kruger’s much anticipated voice as a shot fades into him speaking to one of the main characters stating “This won’t hurt one little bit”whilst also finally revealing his face. It ends with her screaming and the rattling of his claws before quickly fading to another caption with the tagline “Don’t fall asleep” and the date of the release of the film. This is done to scare the audience with the direct address, whilst also reminding them when to go and watch this scary slasher.

In conclusion from analysing this trailer that having really good editing and music is key to a teaser trailer as it enhances the product as a whole and when done really well creates it to a something an audience would like to go and see. It has also shown that a teaser trailer does not have to be chronological and can have a mixture of linear and non-chronological pattern. Further when showing certain shots it does not have to be shown to the viewer for a long time as the shorter the shot and the less it reveals the more the audience is inclined to go and watch so that the rest of the shot is revealed.