Deconstruction of Mise-En-Scene: The Excorcist: The Beginning

Deconstruction of Mise-En-Scene: Exorcist - The Beginning

The use of mise-en-scene in the film 'Exorcist - The Beginning' is a key convention which adds to the horror/possession genre because it gives a supernatural feel, and is also a common media representation to make the film more frightful. (start from the 25th minute)

• In the first thirty-five minutes of the film, mise-en-scene is used in the scary scene to add to the horror genre. An example of this is when the woman is sitting in her kitchen and the windows open by themselves and a gust of wind enters the room, suggesting a supernatural building has entered the room. This is shown through the black figure of the dog who runs across the screen. This gives an element of fright and horror because it creates an enigma to the plot as to what the figure is and puts the audience in doubt and on edge as to what will happen.

• The second use of mise en scene which is a key convention is the use of the white curtain. In this particular scene there is a panning mid shot of the curtain. This adds to the horror genre because it creates a sense of horror as it's enigmatic as to what's behind the curtain. The fact that the curtain is white gives a supernatural element to it because the white curtain is reflective of a ghost.

• The scene after the shot of the white curtain shows a small boy holding a towel with blood on it. The object wrapped in a towel creates a sense of mystery as it makes the audience question what is in the towel. The blood is also a use of mise en scene as it gives the element of gore which enforces the genre as horror because blood is a common convention in horror/possession films.

• The final use of mise en scene from the frightening scene is when the woman unwraps the boy's towel and finds the boys detached head. The use of gore is a common convention for horror/possession films. The use of the possessed object also enforces the genre as possession because it's a common convention of possession films. The fact that it's the boys own head also creates an enigma as it makes the audience question the plot of the story.