Analyzing Thriller Tension

Analyzing Thriller Tension

Detachment 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oXWqTIsIlmo

For analysing thriller tension I watched 'detachment' by Hurtwood House. The scene started with a man lying on his bed. Almost immediately after the sequence starts at 0:04 we hear the voice of a man aggressively shouting which makes the audience feel concerned. At 0.14 the man lights a cigarette and stares at the audience very intensely which makes the audience feel uncomfortable.

At 0.58 of the sequence we hear low pitch Hip - hop music in the background which creates more tension as it makes it more clear to the audience that the man is living in a rough area. This adds danger and unease. The lighting in the flat is very poor which also gives a sinister vibe to the setting.

Throughout the whole sequence we hear background noises of cars and planes passing, dogs barking, and a man shouting which increases the tension and stress for the audience. At 0.38 we particularly hear the sirens of police cars as they suddenly get louder which makes the audience feel even more distressed.

Towards the end of the sequence the man begins the to get up and get changed. At 1.05 as the man is getting changed the angle of the camera changes and we see a crisp packet on the table rustling making the audience more and more anxious to know what is going to happen.

At 1.50 the man pulls out a gun from underneath the table, as he picks it up he points it directly at the audience making us feel more and more vulnerable. The gun the man is holding is very expensive which confuses the audience as he is living in a rough area, in a dirty, untidy bedsit.

From the opening sequence the audience are led to think many different things creating tension to find out what is going to happen next.