Opening Credits in Horror Films

The Conjuring:
The Conjuring's credits adopt a black and white scheme and they appear over black and white family portraits, newspaper clippings and photo negatives that are being presented by an unknown lecture. Throughout the sequence, dark casts of light cast on top of the images and the part of the newspapers, possibly showing something that the audience may find troubling. Continuing on this, the music used that accompanies theses images will instantly put the audience on edge, fightened and feeling uncomfortable.


Furthermore, the font used is a traditional white font, that contrasts hugely to the darkness of the background. Through the juxtaposition between the two colours, it maks it easy for the audience to read the credits, but it does not lessen the eerie and creapy atmosphere created in the opening sequence.

The Final Destination:
The sequence for The Final Destination was created through x-ray type footage, with the colou scheme being predominately grey and white. At the start, we see the title written in bold capitals that stand out, it also grabs the audiences attention. Splattered across the screen, there seems to be flecks of blood scattered actoss the screen, which links to the genre of horror.


The credits are white throughout, which suits the colour palette chosen, and they are in bold capital letters. However, the colour red used contrasts hugely to the other colours used, so it makes the red stant out and therefore makes it more prominent. Whilst the credits are running, there is more x-rays, showing people being killed in several different ways, which again links to the genre of the film. The threatening weapons used include; knives, ropes and shards of glass.

The Shining:

This opening being with an aerial view of a deep valley revealing towering mountains, forests and lakes in a wide-angle lense. We then see the camera sweeping across the vast landscape before it focuses in on a tiny yellow Beetle, which is driving  driving up a winding road in the steep mounting cliffs. As the camera tracks the car, keeping it in a small area of the frame, demonstrating the size of the car compared to the size of the mountains and the valley, and showing how vast the location is and how isolated it is and how far from help they are. The aerial shot of the valley and the lack of towns and houses nearby strengthens and develops the themes of isolation. Contrasting to the usual codes and conventions of horror, this opening avoids using blood, gore and darkness.