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What makes a film a “Splatter”?
Scene from ‘Evil Dead II’ starring Bruce Campbell, from the Evil Dead trilogy.
Some classics
Splatter films are a subgenre of horror that focuses on the graphic portrayal of gore and violence. The term ‘Splatter Cinema’ was coined by horror legend George A. Romero to describe his film, ‘Dawn of the Dead’.
Battle Royale Release date: 14 September 2001 Country: Japan Director: Kinji Fukasaku In the beginning of the 21st Century, the economy of Japan is near a total collapse, with high rates of unemployment and students boycotting their classes. The government approves the Battle Royale Act, where one class is randomly selected and the students are sent to an island wearing necklaces with few supplies and one weapon. After three days, they have to kill each other and the survivor wins his or her own life as a prize. The 42 students of the class are selected to participate in the survival game and abducted while traveling in their bus. Under the command of their former teacher Kitano, they have to eliminate each other following the rules of the sadistic game where only one wins.
Quotes:
Teacher Kitano: “Life is a game. So fight for survival and see if you're worth it.” Niida: [horrified upon shooCng Yoshio Akamatsu with crossbow] Oh, it's for real! [runs]
Evil dead II Release date: 27 June 1987 Country: USA Director: Sam Raimi A sequel/remake of the film The Evil Dead. A young man named Ash takes his girlfriend Linda to a secluded cabin, and plays back a professor's tape recorded recitation of passages from the Book of the Dead. The spell calls up an evil force from the woods which turns Linda into a monstrous Deadite, and threatens to do the same to Ash. When the professor's daughter and her entourage show up at the cabin, the night turns into a non-stop, grotesquely comic battle with chainsaw and shotgun on one side, demon horde and flying eyeball on the other.
Quotes:
[upon gaining the chain saw in place of his lost right hand] Ash: Groovy. Ash: [talking to mirror] I'm fine... I'm fine... [Mirror Ash jumps out of the mirror and grabs Ash] Mirror Ash: I don't think so. We just cut up our girlfriend with a chainsaw. Does that sound "fine"?
Planet terror Release date: 9 November 2007 Country: USA Director: Robert Rodriguez In a rural town in Texas, go-go dancer Cherry Darling (with a leg/machine gun), decides to quit her low-paying job and find another use for her numerous 'useless' talents. Cherry's ex-boyfriend, El Wray, at the Bone Shack, a restaurant owned by J.T. Hague, a group of military officials, led by the demented Lt. Muldoon, are making a business transaction with a scientist named Abby for a deadly biochemical agent known as DC2 codename "Project Terror", but when Muldoon learns Abby has an extra supply on hand, he attempts to take Abby hostage and Abby intentionally releases the gas into the air. As gun-legged Cherry Darling and one man wrecking crew El Wray try to save the world from a horde of flesh-eating zombies.
Quotes:
Cherry Darling: Oh, I eat meat. I also eat lots of shit. Cherry Darling: [grins] See that? J.T. Hague: What's that? Cherry Darling: Shit‐eaCng grin. J.T. Hague: [laughs] You ought to be a comedian. Cherry Darling: What do you think of the leg? J.T. Hague: [laughs] Sure is funny.
Zatoichi Release date: 19 March 2004 Country: Japan Director: Takeshi Kitano A 19th century blind nomad who makes his living as a gambler and masseur, behind this humble facade, he is a master swordsman gifted with a lightning-fast draw and breathtaking precision. While wandering, Zatoichi discovers a remote mountain village at the mercy of Ginzo, a ruthless gang-leader. Ginzo disposes of anyone who gets in his way, especially after hiring the mighty samurai ronin, Hattori, as a bodyguard. After a raucous night of gambling in town, Zatoichi encoutners a pair of geishas--as dangerous as they are beautiful--who've come to avenge their parents' murder. As the paths of these and other colorful characters intertwine, Ginzo's henchmen are soon after Zatoichi. With his legendary cane sword at his side, the stage is set for a riveting showdown.
Quotes:
Teacher Kitano: “Life is a game. So fight for survival and see if you're worth it.” Niida: [horrified upon shooCng Yoshio Akamatsu with crossbow] Oh, it's for real! [runs]
Dawn of the Dead
Release date: 29 June 1980 Country: USA Director: George A. Romero
Following the events of Night of the Living Dead (1968), we follow the exploits of four survivors of the expanding zombie apocalypse as they take refuge in an abandoned shopping mall following a horrific SWAT evacuation of an apartment complex. Taking stock of their surroundings, they arm themselves, lock down the mall, and destroy the zombies inside so they can eke out a living--at least for a while. Tensions begin to build as months go on, however, when they come to realize that they've fallen prey to consumerism. Soon afterward, they have even heavier problems to worry about, as a large gang of bikers discovers the mall and invades it, ruining the survivors' best-laid plans and forcing them to fight off both lethal bandits and flesh-eating zombies.
Quotes:
Dr. Millard Rausch, ScienCst: This isn't the Republicans versus the Democrats, where we're in a hole economically or... or we're in another war. This is more crucial than that. This is down to the line, folks, this is down to the line. There can be no more divisions among the living!
Audience
I am going to be producing the idents for newcomer channel Fiver, as they have broadcast a variety of film seasons already and have gained a lot of younger interest. This is due to the ‘laddish’ nature of the broadcast material on the channel, which is reflected in the current statistics of the audience, with the 16-34 age bracket being dominant, it seems more than right to choose this program for my idents. With splatter films having a niche audience already, I hope to entice newcomers and to remind others of the great moments in the films using key quotes/scenes from the films. However, I will need a fresh approach as the age bracket is already been catered for in terms of design
Design direction
I will be using must-see moments, and fundamental imagery from the films to illustrate the nature of the season.
• Use of music will be considered, and one piece will be used for each ident, as will be a subtle reminder to the viewer.
The animations themselves are limited to 10 seconds, so the delivery of the imagery must be quick, but enough to catch the audiences ever channel browsing eyes.
*Timing of events in sequence is essential
The imagery used will be limited, as to avoid making things much too difficult, and to stick within the channel’s identity, which will be used as a basis to keep the idents as part of a set.
*4/5 colours, as since the Fiver logo in idents has 5, also gives me more choice when considering the excess of characters, and props that are key to the films.
• 3 Typefaces, as to keep it simpler and more uniform to channel.