Trailer Comparison - Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) / (2010)

For my trailer comparison analysis, I will be comparing the original and remake films of Nightmare On Elm Street. The two films were made 26 years apart from each other, therefore they are likely to be quite different from each other, furthermore giving me better potential to compare the two film trailers as they were created in completely different periods of time.

Nightmare on Elm Street Trailer (1984) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCVh4lBfW-c

Nightmare on Elm Street Trailer (2010) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuYoEtEI_go

Firstly, when looking at both trailers you can see that they both have similar codes and conventions. For instance, in both trailers, the villain who is Freddy Krueger yields a hand created from blades, this is a motif within slasher films and indicates the perfect weapon for murderers and killers to use against their victims. Within both trailers, colours are also quite dark in contrast, there isn’t a lot of daylight being shown, this furthermore emphasises both films to part of the slasher genre due to its eerie and sinister settings and locations. These locations are used to introduce the idea of uncertainty within the audience, for instance, dark locations are noticed by viewers and depicted as places where people shouldn’t go, however, within slasher films, this is where most of the action takes place. Other codes and conventions include very horrific and graphic situations that would only occur within horror films. For example, both trailers portray women being levitated violently within mid-air, furthermore exemplifying that the film is of sinistrous nature and part of the slasher horror genre.

The mise en scene of both films are also very similar as they lead to in depth connotations of the horror genre. For example, from watching the 1984 original of Nightmare on Elm Street, you will see at 00:21 that there is a medium shot of a girl in her bed with an unknown petrifying figure, lurking above her. The shot can portray the girl to be at a stage of vulnerability as she is below the figure. The figure can therefore be depicted as dominant and superior over the girl, suggesting that she is a character of victimisation. Her role as a female can also abide by the typical stereotypes of women being victims within horror films, which has become an increasing trend over the years within the horror film industry. Also, within the 2010 version of Nightmare on Elm street, you will see at 1:52 that there is a medium high angle shot of Freddy Krueger who appears to be looking down upon a female. Again, the woman is emphasised as feeble and inferior to the villain, emphasising the dominance of the antagonist within the trailer. Both trailers therefore include shots that portray the dominance of the main villain that is Freddy Krueger, however, characters who are shown to be victimised are mainly women, also adding to typical stereotypes of the female gender role of victims within slasher horror films such as this.

Within both film trailers, sound is also a key component. For example, both trailers include fast paced background music that sounds quite eerie and uncanny, this music includes several moments of climax where there is a crescendo and uses a lot of suspense building chords. The background music of these trailers is used more effectively at certain moments within the film for dramatic effect. For example, within the original nightmare on elm street trailer, at 1:30 – 1:36, you will hear loud fast paced music, however, on screen you will see the third stage of a horror film structure which is the quick climactic montage. On screen, you will see Freddy Krueger himself in a very sinistrous light but you will also see a girl who is trapped within a house, screaming for her life. The music during the final part of the trailer is therefore used to intensify the suspense and action that is shown on screen, furthermore adding more energy and chaos to the trailer itself. Similarly, within the 2010 trailer, at 1:52 you will hear low pitched chords that rise in sound and intensity very quickly to reach a climax. On the screen, you will see Freddy Krueger about to attack one of his victims. The music reaches a pinnacle while Freddy attacks the female. Therefore, the sound at this point in the trailer not only accompanies the horrific scene shown on screen, but it also adds high levels of anticipation to the trailer.

Both trailers are also very similar in regards to editing. Firstly, both trailers continuously make use of quick cuts. This editing technique may have been used to ensure the trailer doesn’t reveal too much of the film itself, however, it could also have been implemented to add intensity and energy into the trailer which is an effective way of attracting and retaining the audience’s attention. Both trailers also follow the typical three-part structure of horror trailers which consists of the third part of the structure showing a montage. In both trailers, very quick montages are used at the end of each trailer to portray large amounts of information to viewers in a short space of time. This enables viewers to grasp the potential storyline or narrative of the film itself, helping them understand what the trailer is about and how it is structured. This editing technique therefore condenses space, time and information of Nightmare on Elm Street for viewers benefit. The montages within these trailers are also used to create powerful imagery that is likely to inject fear into audiences also.

Furthermore, there are also some audience theories that can be applied to both trailers. For example, the uses and gratifications model can be applied to the viewers of Nightmare on Elm Street. For instance, some viewers may take pleasure and gratification by watching teenagers being killed to death by Freddy Krueger, they may find this entertaining or just something to fill the time. This could therefore result in viewers consuming violent images which leads to violent impulses that accumulate from the influence of media violence, such as the violence shown in Nightmare on Elm Street. Secondly, the cultivation theory can also apply to these trailers. For instance, if audiences watch films like Nightmare on Elm Street frequently, they are likely to believe the social reality portrayed on television. Some viewers may start to believe that sleep will result in death from Freddy Krueger, although this is far-fetched, the film has enough power to influence viewers into believing what they see on TV. Also, the theory of equilibrium by Tzvetan Todorov also applies to these trailers. For example, both trailers start of quite normal which is when the equilibrium is balanced. The trailers then transition into a broken equilibrium with the introduction of certain problems and issues, this could include the levitation of a female which can trigger equilibrium to break or become unbalanced. Furthermore, the resolution to balance the equilibrium is indicated throughout the trailer, however, the re-establishment of the equilibrium itself doesn’t show, as its likely to be shown in the film instead of the trailer, as this would be too revealing. The resolution could include the death of the antagonist who is Freddy Krueger.