When A Stranger Calls 1979

When a Stranger Calls (1979, Fred Walton)

When a Stranger Calls was a film made in 1979 and then remade in a remake was made later on and they both used similar codes and conventions to conveys the storyline in the same way. The storyline is similar to the remake although with the original the murderer escapes after killing two children.

Some of the codes and conventions that are used within this film are the contrast of sounds which are associated with negative and positive connotations. An example of this is the phone ringing every time the killer rings which creates an negative connotation for the audience as it is creating fear and creating tension as the audience is growing aware of the killer near by and the sound of voices as the police are coming to rescue her is comforting as it creates the feeling that she will be rescued and this will make the audience feel relieved although slightly nervous because she could still be killed just before the rescue and this will build a climax. Another convention is the use of the low lighting throughout both films as this will create eeriness and a sense of loneliness. I feel another use for the darkened houses is to show shadows on the walls which also creates a feeling of isolation as there is no lights on and no feeling of warmth within the house which also creates the impression of isolation. By using a subtitle giving the audience that it has been “7 years” since the murder it splits up the two sections which makes the film easier to understand.

The sequence that I will be analysing is at the beginning of the film when the young babysitter is watching the children although in both films they are never seen which is interesting as it makes the audience wonder why they are not seen. The use of lighting in all this scene is dimly light and low key lighting is used throughout the scene. When light is used in this scene it is unusual because it adds to the effect and makes the atmosphere worse and more adds to the tension because it creates the effect that something is about to happen. One of the shots used is a close up of different symbolic objects that connect the Slasher genre such as the clock, and telephone as all these things are connected to the film as the clock is showing the time and how long until the parents will be back and the phone because the repetitive phones calls that are made between the killer and his victims. The outside of the house also seems very deserted and lonely which starts to create an climax along with the light coming from the windows the house is somewhere which should be comforting and a safe place although this creates a uneasy atmosphere.

The film is in a non linear structure and this is because it is showing the audience how the killer murdered the children and ended up in a psychotic ward and the reason for this is to allow the audience to understand the killer more. I will convey to use the information that I have found within both of these films.