For my film, I decided to watch Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (Tommy Wirkola, 2013), a fantasy-horror movie based on the classic fairytale. However, the two characters have grown up and are sent on a mission to save children that are taken by a group of witches. I did not enjoy this film but it did have many horror genre conventions.
Genre features
The film opens with a character running through a wood, the only light being the lantern that they are carrying. This creates an unsettling atmosphere. The man then walks into his home and talks to his wife but all that the audience sees is their shadow from behind the curtain, which creates a sense of mystery. Shadows are also common genre conventions for horror films.
He brings out his children and leaves them in the middle of the forest, alone and vulnerable. The two children make their way through the trees and reach a house made of sweets, they bang on the door and scream help, distressing the audience.
The door creaks open and when they enter, there is a cut to black accompanied by a sudden noise. Candles gradually light throughout the house to illuminate a witch who walks forward before screaming and lurching forward, scaring the audience. These types of jump-scares often feature in horror films. There are many sudden and rapid cuts in order to create a chaotic and confusing atmosphere which helps to set the audience on edge.
There is a cut to 10 years later where a woman is accused of witchery then is forced into a barrel of water, drowning her. This shows the theme of being trapped as she is being pinned down.
They raid a cottage which is home to a witch. She looks like she is rotting which is disturbing for the audience. Her appearance is visual disgusting and it is clear who the good and bad are. Hansel and Gretel chase the witch out of the house. This sequence also has many cuts and intense music to build the suspense and chaotic nature.
It cuts to the new characters, sat around in a forest (a common setting). It is very dark and mysterious. A woman in full black appears and the camera quickly zooms into her face which starts to crack and turn grey. This is shocking for the audience and makes them feel unsettled.
After she kills almost all the new characters in creative ways it cuts to Hansel and Gretel in a tavern. A man then enters the pub and keeps saying how the witch has killed the others, making him appear crazy. The idea of someone not being in control and being psychotic is common in horror films. He finally explodes over everyone which shocks the audience.
There is another cut to a cave, where children are being locked in cages. This is playing into the idea of being trapped. The fact they are children also heightens the tension in the scene.
Gretel is laid in bed and has a nightmare about the night her parents left them. Nightmares are common conventions in horror films because they cannot be stopped or prevented. It can also be seen as though she is trapped in her mind. Not long after, Hansel reveals that he has to take an injection every few hours or else he dies. This relates to being trapped as he is stuck in the cycle of nearly dying then medicating.
A witch goes into a little girl’s house and using her magic forces the girl’s dad to shoot his wife dead. This plays into the idea of power in horror films since the witch had power over everyone in the room. The dad was also trapped as he was forced to do whatever the witch wanted (killing his wife). There is a close up of one of the characters who is shaking. He is visibly showing his fear and fear is in every horror film as that is what makes the villain bad.
Gretel is talking to another character and the topic of her parents appears. It turns out she doesn’t know why they left. This is linked to the idea of being alone but also the unknown.
There is then a very gory fight scene, where people are crushed and bitten. Blood is sprayed everywhere and is it very visual, which scares the audience. In the midst of an argument, the door suddenly flings open. This also scares the audience.
The climax of the film takes place during the night. There is a visible moon and the sequence is very dark and mysterious. There is also a red cast over the cliff side because of the blood moon. The colour red connotes danger and death, two things which are prominent in the scene.
The end of the film circles back to the beginning with the gingerbread house being one of the final settings. It is as though it has been haunting them, for example in Gretel’s nightmare.
Ideas for my film
Similar to the first inspirational genre film, I will use a lot of the themes in this film. I will also use similar techniques such as it being set at night to add to the mystery. I may also use close ups in my film as they are common in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.