RM - The Lost Boys Deconstruction

Theatrical release poster

Title: The Lost Boys
Director: Joel Schumacher
Release Date: 1987
Budget: $8.5 million
Takings: $32,222,567 (USA)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Opening shot of the
film

Titles screen

Music starts straight away only a girls voice is heard, already builds tension. First shot is of water at night drums start again builds up the tension. The shot pans across the water, white light reflecting off the water, possibly the moon. Girls voice has now turned into a deep male’s voice, but quiet, also laughing can be heard. Again builds up the tension dramatically. Music changes therefore more and changes the mood slightly as it seems like a choir start to sing. White text titles appear throughout this shot, with the exception of the title to the movie where aspects are red possibly signifying blood or passion.  0:42 seconds in and only one shot has been used. The shot has now panned up to reveal a carnival. Music continues. At 0:48 shot changes to a group shot panning over the cast members heads. Merry go round is the focus and the shot zooms into it.

Establishing shot

The shot changes again to a close-up of someone’s feet the shot pans up however smoke is used to change the mood, although when the character appears from the smoke the music changes to a stereotypical carnival theme. These two elements juxtapose each other.  The shot has also turned from a single shot into a group shot.

The shot stays the same as the merry go round goes round but people are having fun by walking around the middle – audience’s first look at the protagonists of the film or so called “lost boys”? The camera cuts to one of them, who was the first one the audience sees – signifying the leader possibly, touching a woman on the cheek, part of a group shot with the shot containing elements of male and female gaze – the majority of the shot types and angles have been the same. Thus action causes a re-action, a state of disequilibrium as a fight breaks out between the boyfriend and the leader of the lost boys. Shot-reaction-shot between each of the two are used until a guard put his baton under the neck of the leader – false scare intended? Guard warns the boys not to be at the carnival, normally used in the build up of a false scare in the majority of horror movies.

Example of a medium shot

Another example of an establishing
shot

Shot of the boys leaving the boardwalk is cross faded with another establishing shot of the carnival. Music has started again and more establishing shots of the carnival appear on screen as the lights are turned off – builds tension. Slashing noise over the music which echoes quickly build the tension up more, this happens as the shot changes of a shot viewing down on of the promenades with the street lamps being turned off. Music is increasing in volume, tension building more. Cut to the same guard who appeared on the merry go round walking – one side is lightened up signifying the possibility of a split personality?

Example of a Point of View (PoV)

Another example of a medium shot

Followed by a panning stop of the carnival, tension is build continuously as music is building up. The panning shot was of the rollercoaster which suddenly turns off, again building the tension up. The shot pans over the rollercoaster and over a vehicle and focuses on the guard who is walking away from the rollercoaster – adding tension Also in this panning shot can hear squeaks – significance?  Cuts back to the guard who turns around – match on action occurs here as the shot repeats to the previous – signifies point of view shot? Guard stops to scream and the shot returns – part of a shot-reaction-shot. Pictured to the right.




Last shot in the scene

An example of a close-up

Both type of these two shots are repeated until the guard reaches his car. Again match on action used as there is a point of view shot looking at him then a shot from inside the car sees him reach it. The length of the shots now shorten – adds tension more – as the point of view shot, a close-up of the guard trying to open the car, and the shot from inside the car are used and repeated twice. Then the shot of the car sees him and the door fly off. All can be heard is screams shot fades out and music dies off.

 

Opening scene 2:55

IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/
Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Boys