The film we watched in class is called 'The Stepfather.' Released in 2009 this low budget movie is a remake of the original which was released in 1987.
The movie was jam packed with suspense! The audience knew straight away that the stepfather was indeed a murderer, as a result, the atmosphere whenever a character was alone with him was tense to say the least.
One of the most suspenseful scenes is when the stepfather is alone with the old lady that lives across the street. He went to 'visit' her as his wife had informed him that the lady had been suspicious of the man as he looked like one of the men from 'Americas Most Wanted.' As we wait for the murder to happen, the music becomes more eerie and the camera makes sudden jaunty movements. But what makes the scene really suspenseful is the fact that the audience knows that there is a sense of impending doom.
Another tense scene is when we get the sense that the stepfather is going to murder the actual father of the wife's children. in this scene there is a long silence before an sudden pounce from the stepfather as he hits the father around the head with a heavy glass vase. the shattering of the glass adds to the suspense as the noise both shocks the audience and alerts the other characters in the film. This adds excitement as the audience get a thrill by the fact that the stepfather can now get caught in the act.
Another tense scene is when we get the sense that the stepfather is going to murder the actual father of the wife's children. in this scene there is a long silence before an sudden pounce from the stepfather as he hits the father around the head with a heavy glass vase. the shattering of the glass adds to the suspense as the noise both shocks the audience and alerts the other characters in the film. This adds excitement as the audience get a thrill by the fact that the stepfather can now get caught in the act.
The third suspenseful moment is when Michael is stuck in the basement. In this scene there is a huge sense of panic and nervousness as the music feel edgy and there is a huge amount of tension and fear of the fact that Michael and his family could get hurt. The fact that his Girlfriend (also the only one who knows his whereabouts) has a phone that is running out of battery also doesn't help the audience feel at ease as the danger increases as the stepfather becomes growingly suspicious of the young man.
As a result, the film is full of dark, jumpy, suspenseful moments but sadly, it has nothing unique about it. However the overused, stereotypical moves and scenes still result in giving the audience a much enjoyed thrill!
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