Jeepers Creeper Trailer analysis

Jeepers Creepers (2000) 

Narrative Structure:

·         Period of equilibrium

Two teenagers telling each other scary stories whilst travelling together is seen to be the period of equilibrium, as they have nothing to be concerned about.

·         Moment of disequilibrium

The line, “I haven’t seen a car in 15 miles” indicates the moment of disequilibrium within the trailer, along with the long shot of the man in the woods. Both these clips create curiosity for both the characters and audience.

·         Period of disequilibrium

The idea that the teenagers are curious about what they see, marks the period of disequilibrium because curiosity always links in with death. Similarly to The Decent, the period of disequilibrium continues as the teenage boy goes down into the tunnel, presenting entrapment and isolation to the audience, as well as vulnerability. The chase scene and the warning from the civilians indicate danger and death, thus presenting the period of disequilibrium.

                                                      

Sound:

The non-diegetic eerie, orchestral music at the begging of the trailer builds up tension for the audience and develops the curiosity of the characters. During the period of disequilibrium, the heavy metal, rock music used suggests the fast-paced thrillers and actions of the killer and its victims.

Codes and Conventions/Genre Iconography:

Like many teenage slasher horror movies, the trailer clearly shows the two teenagers to be isolated and unaware of the area. The flashing religious imagery captures the codes and conventions of the fear of the unknown and the curiosity of the characters reinforce the idea that curiosity kills. The darkness within the trailer adds to the codes and conventions of horror movies because it allows the audiences’ imagination to create the rest, making the scene even more terrifying than it really is. The weapons shown in the trailer coincide with the iconology of teen slashers as they are sharp metallic objects being used.

Editing:

Throughout the trailer fade to black shots are used for montage editing. As the period of disequilibrium becomes clear, the fade to black shots become jump cuts to create a anxiety and fear, with many different shot types in a small period of time, i.e. more than 5 different shot types in 10 seconds. The non-diegetic, heavy metal music emphasises the pace of the jump cuts which mirrors the audiences fast-paced heartbeat.