A psychological thriller; Orphan (2009) directed by Jaume Collet-Serra presents how a family struggle to cope after the traumatic death of their long anticipated birth of their unborn child. As the mother also struggles from alcoholism; they feel the best solution to cope with the tragic events after she miscarriages is to adopt and welcome a child into their home; channelling the love held for the unborn child to the orphan. As suspense is built for the audience we slowly discover that the mysterious and unnatural adopted child isn’t as innocent as she seems. Another film conveying the same genre of a horror/ thriller is Hide and Seek (2005) directed by John Polson. After the body of his wife is discovered in the bath as a result of suicide; Dr Callaway (Robert Di Nero) decides that it is best to move house; taking his daughter with him. As his daughter slowly begins to develop a disturbing friendship with an imaginary friend she calls ‘Charlie’; it starts to affect her father, worrying him as events occur. Both these films portray a disturbing image of children and an influence that they are under; causing them to commit disturbing actions that include murders and violence which doesn’t seem to be under their own will. They emphasise the horror/ thriller genre that they are set under by the typical conventions such as suspense built through eerie music, gruesome murders with an unhealthy amount of bloody violence and a high level of anticipation. Cliff hangers are also presented in these two films to emphasise the thriller genre; as they both end with uncertainty and we cannot be positively sure of what has really happened.
The opening sequence of Orphan presents the mise-en-scene; that later portrays the importance of the miscarried child and how it affects the family. The mise-en-scene of the first opening shot presents a bright- almost blinding white light as it expands to cover the entire shot. A shot then focuses on the couple; entering the doors of a hospital as the mother is holding her stomach as it is clearly the late stages of her pregnancy. This emphasises the importance of the unborn child; as the focus is on the stomach and the mother’s time of labour. The scene seems to contain a lot of white light incoming through the windows; hinting that it is slightly surreal or a fragment of an imagination. As the husband walks to the reception; the mother is sat down after being reassured by him onto a wheelchair and wheeled by a nurse. The audience slowly begins to feel the mother’s pain; as contractions begin to affect her whilst she wails and moans. The audience can relate to this as it is common for a woman to be suffering such pain; and will have in reality. As the nurse asks the mother about the child and if it is their first, we see a shot of the mother as she claims that it is their third. She says that they will name it Jessica; and a painful sigh follows afterwards. There seems to be an emphasis of the white light that reflects off the hospital floors and seems to be dominant in the surroundings of the shot and highlighting the faces. The white light presents a ‘heavenly’ atmosphere; as it could be emphasising the unborn child; now an angel as it has died. An extreme close up shot then follows focusing on the nurse’s feet and the rolling of the wheelchair as the mother is pushed. An effective bird’s eye view of the shot as the mother is being wheeled slowly by the nurse seems to emphasise the slow enduring progress of her labour; as we see her at the start of the corridor waiting till she reaches the end as she is pushed. The thriller aspect is slowly conveyed as non-diegetic sound of music is building the suspense as it climaxes to produce tension. We then see the mother crying of the excruciating pain that she is dealing with; her breathing fastening as she wails from the pain. Her hand covered in blood as the shot focuses on her expression whilst she notices it; a shot from bottom rear of the chair presents treacle-like blood as it drips from her. The violin is sharp as the music rises; the audience can see in the mise-en-scene how the story has suddenly turned grim. The audience are now anticipating what is happening to the mother and her unborn child. It really establishes the thriller genre by gradually building the suspense and tension for an audience. Another close up shot is shown again of the nurse walking and the wheels of the wheelchair- yet we see a trail of blood that has suddenly appeared this time. The bird’s eye view shot presents the trail of blood as the mother in the wheelchair is no close to the other end of the corridor that she has left behind. This mise-en-scene deconstruction is very important as I find that it emphasises how the dark blood colour seems to have stained the ‘heavenly’ and pure feel of the white hospital. It could also suggest how the family’s life has almost been ‘stained’ with the tragic loss of their unborn child- as the blood seems to stain the ‘perfect’ looking floor. The scene could also suggest how the film is going to become more gruesome and dark as it progresses; as the mother is being wheeled into a shadow at the end of the corridor.
After lights come on producing sharp white light; the mother is on a bed at the hospital looking horrified. The doctor is examining her as he places gloves on his hand; slowly the mother starts to scream in pain and shouting as a shot focuses on her face. This shot is long lasting emphasising the pain and anger that she is feeling as the doctor examines her. After long screams of excruciating pain and many questions as she asks the doctors of what they’re doing to her; she is handed her baby; covered in blood. This shot really emphasises how the birth of her child has affected her as she screams in agony and cries- the still baby covered in blood emphasises the sorrowful death. After one last scream; the shot quickly cuts to a darker scene of the mother as she suddenly opens her eyes; obviously just woken up from a dream. This presents an emphasised response to how the death of her unborn child has really affected her to the extent that she is haunted by it in her dreams. This really establishes the horror genre that the film is set under as there are quick cuts in the film that add to the suspense that is built for the audience. A shot of her looking in the mirror as she lifts up her top; we can see a scar on her stomach that presents how the baby will always be a part of her. The audience can see that the death of her child portrays something that the family is affected by and that her love for the child will always be undying- therefore they adopt a child later on in the film because they want a child presence.
Hide and seek however starts off differently; as a close up shot of a child’s eyes, their hand holding onto a spinning ride in a park with shots of a doll. A medium shot then shows the girl as she is giggling, obviously enjoying the ride. The colours also seem to be bright and portraying a happy atmosphere which is similar to Orphan yet this scene seems to be more realistic. A bird’s eye view of the shot shows the girl on the roundabout as she is being pushed by a woman; holding the doll and she seems to be very happy. This could suggest to the audience how this girl’s childhood is going to be an important aspect of the film as there is a focus on her. As the woman is pushing her, a man approaches them who is obviously the father; the shot focusing on a happy reaction as he observes them having a good time. So far it seems that the thriller genre hasn’t been established as it slowly builds the plot of the story; unlike in Orphan where we can sense that there is a lack of realness to the shots of the hospital. There is then a cut of the scene to a darker setting indoors; where we can see the mother holding a glass of wine which she quickly consumer. This seems to contrast with the happier scene earlier as they are a family, as she is now alone. She is wearing completely black which is a colour of sadness of death which foreshadows what could happen later on in the film. She walks into the daughter’s bedroom, as if playing hide and seek as she says ‘come out, come out wherever you are’. It seems to be a game that is usually played within the family with the daughter as she talks out loud for the daughter to hear as she looks for her. The audience can communicate with the characters as we can see that the family are close as the daughter is always entertained and has a close relationship with the mother. As she finds the daughter; the scene is pleasant as they play together and laugh- Also suggesting a strong relationship between them. The music slowly starts to add a bit of tension as the mother’s facial expression changes to her looking rather sad. These two films; Orphan and Hide and Seek both present the idea of a parent and daughter relationship, and how their love is so strong for each. They both convey a thriller genre slowly as the plot builds. After the daughter is kissed goodnight we see the mother closing the door, but the daughter reminding her that she prefers it partially open. This emphasises how children don’t like to be left alone in the dark as they are too scared; which foreshadows that this will be regularly brought up in the film. A darkly slightly lit focus on the wife and husband talking seems to present that they are unhappy; the shot cuts to her in the bath, surrounded by candles. It seems to present how a relaxing bath could be the mother’s ‘escape’ as she sits in it, presenting to the audience that she may be tired. She seems to look still; then a quick shot cuts to the husband in the dark, suddenly looking concerned. As he approaches the bathroom; suspense is slowly built as all that can be heard is a dripping noise which seems to give the audience an anticipation of what he will discover. The mother’s body is found in the bath after the tension rises with shots focusing clearly on his steps to the bathroom; with an emphasis on only the candle light coming from there. The deconstruction of the lighting in this mise-en-scene; seem to present how the candles are glowing lightly; presenting how she is now at ease as she lies in a pool of blood. The anticipation that is slowly built is similar to Orphan as also there is a lot of blood; as it all seems positive to begin with yet ends with a shock.
The mise-en-scene of the opening scenes of the two films is different, yet seems to portray a similar image. As suspense builds quicker in the surreal opening of Orphan; we are not entirely sure if it is a dream of reality. The audience can relate however with the love for the children that is presented at the beginnings of each scene. They seem to build the tension slowly through the music that adds to the drama therefore the main thriller conventions are being emphasised. For example the jumpy music in the opening of Hide and Seek really affect the shots as we are anticipating seeing what has happened to his wife in the bath. I think it is suitable to say that they both fit perfectly under the genres of thriller/ horror as they slowly build that tension throughout a mysterious plot keeping the audience constantly on the edge of their seats. I think that they both convey a similar message and there is a fragment of each characters imagination that plays a large role in each film; for example the child’s disturbing imaginary friend in hide and seek and the miscarriage dreams in Orphan. The scenes are set up to portray a certain meaning of what is later to come; as the colours and props each have a meaning.
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