Scream 4 Trailer Analysis

After 10 years of waiting, we have finally been given the next instalment of the Scream series. Here's my analysis of the trailer...

First we see the titles for Dimension, the production company that's worked with the previous 3 before, so we know it's going to be very similar to the last movies as it's got the people who brought us these classics. 

We see Neve Campbell who appeared in the original films, so we already know that the familiar faces are going to be appearing again, getting the audience excited for the film once more. We hear "Welcome home, Sidney" by that voice we could never forgot. The famous white phone is of focus with Sidney central to the screen, enhancing that fear once more as that is what we remember causes the fear. The music suddenly starts and fades quickly provoking a sense of shock as we're taken from the situation abruptly.

Then we cut to a side angle of Sidney with the husky voice stating "You're a survivor, aren't you Sidney?" - This gives us an indication of what the story will focus on, that being the killer will try to complete his murders by finally killing the last survivors, and maybe more!

Now we have flashes the stars appearing in the film with "What good is it to be a survivor if everyone else around you is dead?" The images include Courteney Cox and David Arquette (originals to the previous) and Hayden Panettiere -  A new member to the haunted team. If with this voice over, he's suggesting everyone else around you is dead, maybe these members of the cast will get killed. This is a way to establish the faces in the movie, by having them central again and quite close up. 

We then have flashes of 6 more cast members - One pulling her top over her bra, 2 blondes sitting on a sofa and 2 brunettes screaming. This all falls in perfectly to the typical characteristics of a horror that's got a little bit of soft porn in it. It makes the personalities weak, which doesn't cause so much distress when they're killed. Within this cast is Emma Roberts, Adam Brody and Kristen Bell - Not particularly Hollywood A-Listers, but still recognisable to give the film a bit more credit.

'One Film Redefined Fear' - These titles make you remember just how successful the films were when they were released, hyping the film once more. 

With the scene of the boys talking about how horror has been reinvented in the media class, it's actually quite a clever little ploy to change the dynamics of the story. "Virgins can die" means that we're not going to be looking for the innocent one to survive, but will be expecting that anyone, good or bad, will die. This leaves you to think about every character and every action, making everyone a victim. That is a scary prospect. 

We see the director's name Wes Craven. So to any horror fan this is very exciting, because this man knows how to make horrors that are the epitome of the genre. And then the titles appear saying "New generation of horror" encouraging that new look at horror once more, making the story more intriguing. 

We're offered a mixture of images that are frightening to watch as they include death and creepy looking masks. There is also a handheld camera which could play a key feature as this way of recording a film seems to be quite successful at the minute (The Last Exorcism, Paranormal Activity). It offers realism and a sense of vulnerability because the view is so limited. And then there's the famous mask that's been used at every Halloween party since these films started in 1993. It's Cox this time that's in prime focus to be killed which gives you an exciting twist to the story.

We then hear the pretty high school girls say "It's time for someone new to die" and the music gets dramatic. Who could this person be? Why is this so important? The enigma of the narrative leaves you guessing and anxious more. 

The music begins to rise and is the classic type of deep sound that you associate with horror. With fast pace cutting which suddenly throws you into panic and screams that are the diegetic noise, this is never settling.

The final phase of the trailer is just the two blondes that say "There's something really scary about a guy with a knife that just... snaps" - It's said in a sexy manner, creating their weaker profile more and we cut to a scream and the title for the film appears. With the final girl dismissing a phone call saying "This is for you", it shows it's comic edge and leaves the audience excited and light hearted yet wanting more from the lack of dialogue, and intense themes running throughout the trailer.