SlasherEG3: Cry_Wolf

Cry_Wolf
(2005) Jeff Wadlow
PRODUCED BY: Rogue Pictures, Hypnotic
DISTRIBUTED BY: Rogue Pictures, Universal Pictures (US) (full list)
BUDGET: $1m
BOX OFFICE: $10m US, $15.5m Worldwide
RATINGS: IMDB 5.7
MY RATING:
WIKI, OFFICIAL SITE

The only ident is that for Rogue Pictures, the main production company. We hear the sound of panicked, heavy breathing before are aware of what we are seeing; a chase sequence has already begun.

The opening is almost pitch black, the only light being a torch held by the persuer. This is an effective technique, as it suggests the location of the stalker, but hides their identity.

We get brief CU shots of the fleeing girl; she fulfills the female stereotype of being scared and ineffective against her stalker. She is also blonde, another feature that connotes being a helpless victim.

At this point in the sequence, there is no soundtrack, all sound is diagetic. We rely totally on the fast-paced editing and other sound effects such as the crunch of leaves underfoot to build up the tense atmosphere.

We cannot make out everything within the frame, as the girl effectively blends with her background, and we haven't seen the stalker at all so far. This use of narrative enigma is a key factor in keeping the viewers hooked.

The camera has remained quite close to the girl for the first part of the scene; this proximity causes the audience to fix on this character as their viewpoint.

Now the shot changes, seemingly to a POV shot of the stalker, casting his light across the ground. This acts as a shift in which character becomes our viewpoint.

The stalker moving across shot reveals that we are actually standing a little behind the character, not seeing through their eyes as we first thought.

The girl in her hiding place remains unseen as she searches for something.

Her mobile phone provides the only source of light in this scene, and as movement has stopped it is almost entirely silent. When the phone rings, the sudden noise shocks us, and also acts as a cue for the music to build to a crescendo.

In this final shot, we get a very brief look at the stalker who appears to be wearing dark clothing. They are also carrying a gun as their weapon, which is unusual in itself as the typical slasher uses a knife or some other such bladed object.

The shot from the gun turns the screen white, with some pale pink or red colouring that has obvious connotations of blood, making it clear what has happened. The white screen is also an effective transition into the next sequence and the opening titles.