How_Does_the_Director_of_‘the_Others’_Establish_the_Gothic_Genre_and_Make_the_Film_a_Scary_Experience_for_the_Viewer_

‘The Others’ is a psychological horror film directed by Alejandro Amenabar, released in 2001. The film is partly based on Henry James’ classic novel ‘The turn of the screw’ and is set in Jersey off the coast of France in 1945. It stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Stewart, Alakina Mann and James Bentley as her two children Anne and Nicholas. The Catholic mother lives with her two children in an old Victorian country house, she employs three servants, as her previous servants left her without notice. A family of four then disrupts the household by haunting them which ultimately brings Grace to a whole new level of realisation about herself and her family. This essay will show how the director establishes through the Gothic genre making ‘The Others’ a scary experience for the viewer. Firstly I would like to show how the director creates the gothic setting in which ‘The Others’ takes place through which he can effect an atmosphere for the viewer. One of the ways the director achieves this is through the use of lighting. For instance, in the opening sequence, the director uses candlelight creating a dim outline of the children’s drawings. This at the time creates in the viewer a sense of tension yet at the same time arousing a sense of peacefulness by using something heart felt such as a child’s drawing, whilst using lighting like candlelight that makes the viewer feel detached by creating shadows and a dense and gloomy atmosphere. Another way the director creates the gothic setting is by the use of juxtaposition. At the end of the opening scene the camera lingers on a child’s drawing of the country house which melts into the actual mansion which allows the viewer to focus on that, setting one emotional state as the camera suddenly switches and focuses on Grace (Kidman) screaming. The effect on the viewer is like lulling them into a false sense of security before creating the atmosphere of shock. Another important way the director takes the viewer through the gothic genre is through the use of characters. In allowing the viewer to connect with the character, the director then lets us empathise with that character making the viewer go on the same emotional journey. On setting the gothic mood, the director can then surround the viewer in an uneasy state of emotion which can make the viewer feel vulnerable and open to any emotion the director decides to set. For instance, the director crates a scene in a white room; all the furniture is covered in white dust sheets giving the impression someone is lurking underneath them. As Grace (Kidman) walks into the room, her footsteps echo, bouncing off the walls. The floorboards creak, moving towards the possibility of someone else is in the room, she steps on broken glass making her jumpy and even more uneasy. This allows the viewer to explore her fear, meaning the more scared Grace becomes the more scared the viewer becomes. The character of Grace is presented as an attractive, self-aware, sensitive and vulnerable mother, all of which allows the viewer to engage with her and follow on the same emotional journey because we sympathise with her. Another way in which the director can establish the gothic genre is through the use of an unknown past, a concealed background and all aspects of the word mysterious. For example, to create the air of mystery, the director locates the film in an isolated part of Jersey, which makes the viewer wonder why they (Kidman, Mann and Bentley) are situated so far from the outside world. The director understands that the less you know about someone or something the more wary the viewer is of them or it, making the film a more mysterious experience. Next the director can control the way the viewer experiences the gothic genre through the use of camera effects and techniques. In tense moments the camera zooms in up to close-up to create a dramatic effect for the viewer. Throughout the film the viewer experiences the film through the eyes of the camera; the director can use this to create different shots that will make the viewer wary and uneasy. The director creates suspense for the viewer by shooting a scene in the fog and mist in the woods, creating an atmosphere of tense terror. We see Grace (Kidman) walking through the fog, wearing black clothes against the whiteness of the mist creating an atmosphere of unexpectedness as we have no idea what the director will create next as we have a white screen denoting nothingness. The fog scene heightens the viewers anticipation and connects them emotionally with what Grace (Kidman) is going through. If the director uses music effectively in the gothic genre it can convey many different emotional states. For instance in the fog scene which Grace (Kidman) is walking through the fog with her back to the viewer, we hear soft eerie voices transposed over lilting music. This creates an atmosphere of the unknown because we anticipate that something fearful is going to happen to Grace (Kidman). Just as important as sound is, having silence is just as important as it can produce an atmosphere of terror and this is used very effectively in the fog scene where Grace (Kidman) is walking through the mist as if she is lost. The silence emphasises her feeling of fear. The director then suddenly adds in jarring and discordant music bringing two opposites together, causing the viewer to jump and react very quickly. The director chooses to set the film in a post World War II era. This means he can create the gothic genre by his use of dark, drab costumes, producing the feeling of heaviness and depression. This is shown in the opening scene when Grace (Kidman) open a dark, heavy door to greet her new servants Bertha Mills (Fionnula Flanagan), Edmund Tuttle (Eric Sykes) and Lydia (Elaine Cassidy) who are all buttoned up in long dark severe clothing. There is a sense of foreboding that his choice of clothing enhances. The props, too, add to the gothic atmosphere. The doors, for instance, are opened by big, heavy, rusty old keys and the grand piano sits in the drawing room never to be played. Big, heavy draping curtains too, hang over the large windows. The director’s choice make it seem that there is nothing in the house to soften and ease the experience of the gothic genre for the viewer. In conclusion, Alejandro Amenabar has established the gothic genre very successfully by using all aspects of setting, characters, camera work and sound. The director keeps us engaged with the thought that we don’t know what is going to happen next and ultimately keeps us on the edge of our seat. The director succeeds in creating a gothic atmosphere that scares the viewer. ‘The Others’ makes me feel emotionally uneasy and arouses the feeling of excitement. You can identify with the character of Grace (Kidman) because she is a normal mother looking after and protecting her children. The ending comes as a big surprise when we learn that Grace and her children (Kidman, Mann and Bentley) are the ghosts because during the whole film we are led to believe that she is the one being haunted. It is learning this that the director creates the ultimate experience for the viewer by giving us the ‘wow’ factor. I think ‘The Others’ gives the viewer all aspects of a ghost story – tense drama, great gothic cinematography and an unexpected ending.